Infinity Castle’ Already Biggest Anime Opening Ever

Anime is back on top of the box office, with “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle” earning $33 million across Friday and preview screenings from 3,315 locations. That’s the biggest opening day domestic gross ever for an anime film, crushing the previous $10.9 million high-mark set by “Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero” in 2022. Not only that, it’s also already the biggest opening weekend ever for anime, surging past the $31 million record held by “Pokémon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back” since 1999 (though “Mewtwo Strikes Back” debuted on a Wednesday, playing for two full days before the traditional three-day frame).

“Infinity Castle,” the first installment in what is meant to be a series-capping trilogy for the property, is playing in both subtitled and dubbed versions, plus it has a revenue boost from playing premium large format theaters. “Demon Slayer” did $6.4 million domestic in Imax theaters alone on Friday. Reviews are positive for the film and early audiences adore it, with moviegoer survey firm CinemaScore polling a robust “A” grade. But stateside grosses are also just the latest success for the anime epic. “Infinity Castle” has already earned more than $279 million globally, including more than $200 million in its native Japan. There, it still ranks as the No. 1 release eight weeks into release. It has become the country’s third-highest-grossing release of all time.

Sony’s anime distribution banner, Crunchyroll, is setting a new ceiling for anime in North America. Back in 2021, the label delivered one of the industry’s first substantial theatrical performers after COVID lockdowns with “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train.” That movie was a toast for theater owners at a $20 million opening — a number that “Infinity Castle” could triple. After “The Conjuring: Last Rites” surged far above initial projections last weekend with a stunning…