Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc Smashes Expectations, Dominating the U.S. Box Office

The age of anime films conquering the global box office has officially reached a fever pitch. This past weekend, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc did more than just open; it sliced its way to the top spot, earning an estimated US$17.25 million across 3,003 theaters in its North American debut.

This victory is a major landmark, solidifying the film’s status as a bona fide cinematic heavyweight. Its massive opening pushed the film's estimated worldwide box office total to a stunning US$108 million. More significantly, the success of Reze Arc marks the third time in just seven weekends that an anime feature has claimed the coveted number one spot in the U.S. It joins an elite club of theatrical titans tied to the Shonen Jump lineage, following the groundbreaking success of films like Pokémon: The First Movie decades ago and the more recent win by Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.

A closer look at the numbers reveals just how dedicated the fanbase is to premium viewing experiences. A significant 63% of the film’s U.S. box office haul came from high-end formats such as IMAX and 3D, showing that fans are willing to pay for the highest quality presentation of the MAPPA-animated spectacle. The audience profile was overwhelmingly young and male, with 75% being male and half of all ticket buyers under the age of 25.

Based on the highly popular "Reze Arc" from Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Chainsaw Man manga, the film dives into a pivotal story for protagonist Denji (Chainsaw Man) as he encounters Reze, a mysterious girl working in a café. The film also features a powerhouse musical lineup, with J-Pop icons Kenshi Yonezu and Hikaru Utada contributing the theme song "IRIS OUT" and ending theme "JANE DOE."

While its North American performance is currently making headlines, the film has also proven its mettle overseas. In Japan, Reze Arc has already sold 4.69 million tickets, accumulating 7.17 billion yen (about US$46.9 million) over 38 days, demonstrating the global appetite for Denji’s devil-hunting adventures.