Marlon Wayans thought he had his big-screen moment locked in with Him, a psychological horror drama backed by Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions.
But when release weekend hit, the box office charts had a different story to tell — one dominated by anime juggernaut Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle.
The matchup was lopsided from the start. Infinity Castle opened to a staggering $70 million worldwide in just its first three days, according to Crunchyroll.
Wayans’ Him, meanwhile, landed at number two with a domestic debut of $13.5 million and a global opening of $13.86 million. With a $27 million production budget, the film’s underperformance quickly became a point of conversation.
Wayans, never one to hold back, voiced his frustration during a press run for the movie. “Can I say it? F*** anime! We came at number two! Him first! F*** anime! I was up against it, Him came out that same week against whatever it was… Demon Slayer! I want to wax your beard off your face!” he joked, clearly venting about losing the top spot.
His co-star Tyriq Withers quickly cut in with a reality check, saying, “You can’t disrespect anime.”
For Him, the road ahead looks shaky. Critics gave it a 28% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences handed it a CinemaScore of “C-,” signaling weak word of mouth. Forecasts had suggested a stronger opening north of $18 million domestically, but lukewarm reception and tough competition curbed momentum.
Meanwhile, Demon Slayer is rewriting history for anime on the big screen. Rahul Purini, CEO of Crunchyroll, told The Hollywood Reporter the results stunned even industry veterans: “We didn’t expect to hit $70 million within the first three days. Now we know there is going to be repeat viewing — the question is just how many times and how many people.”
Purini also emphasized the mainstream nature of anime. “I’ve been saying for three or four years now that anime fandom is no longer niche — it’s mainstream and gigantic. Infinity Castle’s success is the perfect way to demonstrate this to the broader entertainment world, because it’s happening at the box office, where there are 100 years’ worth of benchmarks.”