Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle has broken even more box office records than was originally projected and it might surpass Mugen Train as the highest-grossing anime movie ever

After dominating the Japanese box office this summer, the first Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle movie is also breaking records in the US.

With weekend projections at $70 million, the film is set to become the biggest ever domestic box office launch by any anime or international film. The new film has broken the record set by Pokémon: The First Movie almost thirty years ago, and has surpassed all previous Demon Slayer movies, including the record-breaking Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train.

Article continues below

In Japan alone, Infinity Castle has already accumulated a series of box office records – it's the single highest opening day in the country's history, highest opening weekend, and has dethroned Hayao Miyazaki's Oscar-winning gem Spirited Away to become the second-highest-grossing movie in Japan, just behind Mugen Train.

An adaptation of the Infinity Castle arc from Koyoharu Gotouge's manga, the film continues the story after Demon Sayer season 4, following Tanjiro Kamado, the Hashira and the rest of the Demon Slayer Corps as they get trapped in the titular demonic structure where Muzan Kibutsuji and his Upper Moon demons are hiding. This is set to be the first of three movies (with Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle 2 coming up next) that will mark the end for the popular anime.

Infinity Castle's Rotten Tomatoes score stands at 96%, making it one of the best-reviewed anime movies of all time. Our four-star Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle review says, "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle storms past Mugen Train to become the series' gold standard – all thanks to another animation masterclass by Ufotable and a gripping, peril-filled story simmering with personal resentment and touching backstories."

Mireia is a UK-based culture journalist and critic. She previously worked as Deputy Movies Editor at Digital Spy, and her work as a freelance writer has appeared in WeLoveCinema and Spanish magazines Fotogramas, Esquire, and Elle. She is also a published author, having written a book about Studio Ghibli's 'Kiki's Delivery Service' in 2023. Talking about anime and musicals is the best way to grab her attention.