North American Box Office Slumps Nearly 50% Despite "Demon Slayer" Success
North American box office sales plummeted nearly 50% this weekend. New films "Him" and "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey" underperformed, contrasting with "Demon Slayer's" continued record-breaking success.
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Overview
- North American box office ticket sales dropped by almost 50% this past weekend, marking a significant decline after two consecutive successful periods for the industry.
- The anime film "Demon Slayer" continued its impressive performance, earning $17.3 million over the weekend and reaching a total of $104.7 million, solidifying its status as North America's highest-grossing anime film.
- Despite its success, "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle" also broke records by topping the domestic box office for the second weekend and grossing over $555 million globally.
- The new football horror film "Him" opened in second place with an estimated $13.5 million but received a poor C- CinemaScore, contributing to its lack of overall box office success.
- Another new release, "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey," starring Robbie and Farrell, significantly underperformed, earning only $3.5 million from 3,300 locations, further impacting the weekend's low box office numbers.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this story by employing celebratory and evocative language to highlight the significant box office achievements of both 'Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle' and 'The Conjuring: Last Rites'. They emphasize record-breaking figures and global success, shaping a narrative of triumph and widespread popularity for both films through editorial choices that convey excitement and positive evaluation.
"Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle has slashed its way to further milestones, with an estimated $555M+ globally, making it the highest grossing anime movie ever worldwide and the biggest Japanese film of all time."
Deadline"Overall ticket sales were down nearly 50% from last weekend, with the holdover champion “Demon Slayer” edging out the newcomer “Him” for first place, according to studio estimates Sunday."
ABC NewsArticles (3)
FAQ
The slump in box office sales is attributed to underperforming new releases, such as 'Him' and 'A Big Bold Beautiful Journey,' alongside broader industry challenges like changing consumer behavior favoring home viewing, fewer quality movie releases, and a decline in cultural impact of theatrical films.
'Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle' continued to break records by topping the domestic box office for the second weekend, earning $17.3 million over the weekend and $104.7 million in total domestically, making it North America's highest-grossing anime film. It also grossed over $555 million globally.
'Him' opened in second place with $13.5 million but received a poor C- CinemaScore, reflecting negative audience reception that contributed to its disappointing box office performance.
Consumers are increasingly choosing to watch movies at home due to the high cost of theater visits and improved home viewing technology, leading to a decline in theater attendance. This shift challenges the traditional theatrical model and pressurizes studios to produce either very large event films or low-budget ones suitable for streaming and video-on-demand.
The 2025 summer box office was the worst since 1981 when adjusted for inflation, with total earnings significantly lower than the peak year of 2019. Despite some individual hits, overall theater attendance and revenue have declined markedly.
History
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