Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle has arrived in international cinemas with unprecedented momentum, setting the stage for what may become one of the most successful anime releases in Western markets to date. The film, adapted from the celebrated Infinity Castle arc of Koyoharu Gotouge’s manga, is already breaking records across Europe and showing early signs of dominance at the U.S. box office.
In Italy, the movie achieved a spectacular debut, grossing approximately $948,000 on Thursday with 98,000 admissions. This figure marks the biggest opening day ever for an anime film in the country, surpassing previous benchmarks set by major animated features. To put it into perspective, it was the strongest opening day for an animated title since Pixar’s Inside Out 2 and even managed to outperform Disney’s Moana 2. Within Italy’s overall 2025 rankings, Infinity Castle claimed the fourth-biggest opening day of the year, edging out several Hollywood blockbusters. Projections now suggest a four-day opening weekend haul between $3 million and $5 million.
The excitement is not confined to Europe. In the United States, industry trackers indicate that Infinity Castle could secure a historic debut, with Thursday previews estimated at $10 to $12 million. Early reports point to a potential opening weekend in the range of $60 to $70 million, with presales already exceeding $45 million. Should these numbers hold, Demon Slayer could deliver one of the largest preview totals ever for an animated feature in the U.S., surpassing even titles from established franchises such as Despicable Me and Toy Story. Analysts are now predicting the film could surpass $100 million in its domestic run.
Japan, meanwhile, continues to serve as the foundation of the film’s extraordinary performance. Following its July release, Infinity Castle has earned over $214 million, making it the second highest-grossing film of all time in the country, behind only Demon Slayer’s own Mugen Train. With its international rollout accelerating, the movie is firmly positioned as a global anime phenomenon.
Directed by Haruo Sotozaki and produced by Ufotable, Infinity Castle serves as the first installment in a planned trilogy adapting the climactic arc of the manga. Unlike previous compilation films, this entry offers a fully original, cinematic narrative on par with 2020’s Mugen Train. Early reception from audiences has been overwhelmingly positive, with initial U.S. screenings earning an A+ rating from viewers.
If current trends continue, Demon Slayer Infinity Castle may not only dominate the 2025 box office but also redefine the global potential of anime films in mainstream markets.
