Anime continues to dominate the domestic box office as Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc earned $8.5 million on Friday and preview screenings from 3,003 theaters. The R-rated anime, a continuation of the popular manga series, is projected to open with around $15.5 million. Premium screenings, including IMAX, helped boost ticket sales.
Sony’s Crunchyroll continues its strong run following the $70.6 million debut of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle. Audiences gave Chainsaw Man an “A” on CinemaScore, and the film has already grossed $61 million overseas.
Paramount’s adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel, Regretting You, earned $5.2 million Friday, projecting a $13 million opening. While the ensemble PG-13 drama stars Mckenna Grace, Allison Williams, Dave Franco, and others, it received a “B” CinemaScore and did not match the box office success of Hoover’s earlier adaptation, It Ends With Us.
Disney and 20th Century’s Bruce Springsteen biopic, Deliver Me From Nowhere, debuted at $3.5 million Friday, projecting an $8–12 million opening. The PG-13 film stars Jeremy Allen White as Springsteen and covers the making of his 1982 album Nebraska. Audiences gave it a “B+” CinemaScore, though critics offered lukewarm reviews. With a $55 million budget, the film will need steady ticket sales to meet expectations.
Universal’s horror sequel Black Phone 2 added $3.7 million on Friday, projecting a second weekend of $12 million after a 56% drop. Disney’s Tron: Ares earned $1.3 million, continuing its steep decline. Neon’s supernatural thriller Shelby Oaks opened to $1.1 million in 1,823 theaters, likely landing in seventh place.
Overall, anime’s growing popularity and the strength of niche releases contrast with struggles for some big-budget films, highlighting the changing landscape of the domestic box office.
