“Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc,” the highly anticipated anime film from Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures, has clinched the top spot at the U.S. domestic box office this past weekend, earning an estimated $17.25 million. The R-rated movie, which officially opened in U.S. theaters on October 24, 2025, outperformed several new wide releases and holdovers, marking another significant triumph for anime in the North American market.
Anime Dominance Continues with “Chainsaw Man” Success
The film’s impressive debut is a continuation of a growing trend seeing anime features achieve considerable success at the U.S. box office. “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” surpassed initial projections, which were reportedly around $7 million to $10 million, showcasing strong fan momentum and positive reception. The movie is a direct sequel to the 2022 “Chainsaw Man” anime television series and adapts the popular “Reze Arc” from Tatsuki Fujimoto’s acclaimed manga.
Globally, the film has already garnered an estimated $108 million, demonstrating its widespread appeal even before its major U.S. theatrical run. This strong international performance set the stage for its domestic success, indicating a robust global fanbase for the franchise.
Outperforming the Competition
“Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” faced a competitive weekend but managed to secure the leading position by a notable margin. It beat out Universal and Blumhouse’s horror sequel, “Black Phone 2,” which landed in the second spot with an estimated $13 million in its second week.
Paramount’s new romantic drama, “Regretting You,” an adaptation of a Colleen Hoover novel, opened in third place with approximately $12.5 million to $12.85 million. Disney and 20th Century’s biopic, “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,” starring Jeremy Allen White, had a disappointing opening, coming in fourth with an estimated $9.1 million. This marks another instance where an anime release has challenged and surpassed traditional Hollywood fare at the box office.
Critical Acclaim and Audience Engagement
The film’s success is bolstered by strong critical and audience reception. “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” boasts an impressive 96% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes and a nearly unanimous 99% audience score. Additionally, it received an “A” CinemaScore from moviegoers, reflecting high satisfaction.
A significant portion of its domestic earnings, approximately 63%, came from premium formats such as IMAX and 3D screenings, indicating that audiences were willing to pay more for an enhanced viewing experience. The audience demographic for the opening weekend skewed heavily male (75%) and young, with 50% of viewers under the age of 25.
The Expanding Anime Market
The stellar performance of “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” underscores the growing power and influence of anime in the global cinema landscape. Distributors Crunchyroll and Sony have been instrumental in bringing these films to Western audiences, consistently delivering box office hits. This success follows other notable anime releases this year, further solidifying anime’s position as a major player in the theatrical market.
The film focuses on the character Denji, a teen devil hunter who, fused with his chainsaw devil-dog Pochita, gains the ability to transform parts of his body into chainsaws. The “Reze Arc” introduces the titular character, Reze, a mysterious girl who challenges Denji and uncovers dark secrets within their world. Directed by Tatsuya Yoshihara and produced by MAPPA, the film continues the high-octane action and intricate storytelling that fans have come to expect from the franchise.
