In a remarkable achievement for the anime genre, “Chainsaw Man The Movie: Reze Arc”, the latest release from Sony’s Crunchyroll, has claimed the top spot at the North American box office with an impressive $17.2 million from 3,003 theaters. This success marks the second consecutive hit for Crunchyroll, following the phenomenal reception of “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle” in September, which set a genre record with a staggering $70 million debut.
The “Chainsaw Man” film not only exceeded expectations but also outperformed several notable competitors. These included a musical biopic about the legendary Bruce Springsteen, “Deliver Me From Nowhere”, and an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel, “Regretting You”. In fact, “Regretting You” opened in third place, garnering a better-than-anticipated $12.8 million from 3,393 venues. Meanwhile, “Deliver Me From Nowhere” debuted at No. 4 with a disappointing $9.1 million from 3,460 locations. The horror sequel “Black Phone 2”, which had topped the box office last weekend, slipped to second place with $13 million, marking a 52% decline from its initial release.
Despite the fierce competition, “Chainsaw Man” has garnered an “A” grade from CinemaScore exit polls, the highest rating among the top five films at the box office. The film appeals predominantly to male audiences, with nearly 75% of opening weekend viewers being male, and 50% of the audience under the age of 25. The film is available in both subtitled and dubbed versions and is also screening in premium large formats such as IMAX, which typically command higher ticket prices. So far, “Chainsaw Man” has made an impressive mark internationally, raking in $70 million globally, demonstrating its appeal as a worldwide phenomenon.
While the current weekend box office is down by 20% compared to the same timeframe in 2024, when Sony’s “Venom: The Last Dance” opened with $51 million, overall domestic revenues are still up 4% year-to-date compared to last year. However, the box office is approximately 20% below pre-pandemic levels, as reported by Comscore. Attendance is expected to remain low until the holiday season when anticipated releases like “Wicked: For Good”, Disney’s “Zootopia 2”, and James Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash” hit theaters.
In the realm of musical biopics, “Deliver Me From Nowhere” launched below expectations at the international box office, earning $7 million and bringing its global total to $16.1 million. With a production budget of $55 million, the film needs to perform well at the box office to justify its costs. Audience reception has been warmer than critics; the film received a “B+” grade on CinemaScore and a 61% average on Rotten Tomatoes. Unlike other recent biopics that focused on the mainstream rise of artists, this film dives into the making of Springsteen’s 1982 album, “Nebraska”, which was critically acclaimed but commercially less successful.
“Regretting You”, produced by Constantin Films, earned an additional $10 million overseas, bringing its worldwide tally to $22.85 million. Featuring stars Allison Williams and Mckenna Grace as a mother and daughter dealing with the aftermath of a tragic accident, the film received a “B” grade on CinemaScore. As the second adaptation of one of Colleen Hoover’s novels, following the hit “It Ends With Us”, which grossed $344 million globally, “Regretting You” is poised to solidify Hoover’s status as a prominent cinematic force.
Disney’s sci-fi tentpole, “Tron: Ares”, rounded out the top five with $4.7 million from 2,940 venues in its third week, accumulating just $63 million domestically and $123 million worldwide against a hefty $180 million budget. Other new releases included Neon’s supernatural thriller “Shelby Oaks”, which debuted at No. 7 with $2.3 million from 1,823 locations, and received a “C+” grade on CinemaScore, which is typical for the horror genre.
In limited release, director Yorgos Lanthimos and actress Emma Stone’s collaboration, “Bugonia”, launched with $690,000 from 17 locations, averaging a strong $40,588 per location. The film follows a high-powered CEO, played by Stone, who is kidnapped by conspiracy theorists believing she is an extraterrestrial being. The commercial viability of “Bugonia” will be tested when Focus Features expands its release nationwide next weekend.
