Demon Slayer Infinity Castle Smashes Indian Box Office, Scores A CinemaScore, But Can It Surpass Mugen Train Globally?

 

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle, directed by Haruo Sotozaki, has taken off with a blistering start in India and overseas. With an A CinemaScore from audiences and record-breaking sales worldwide, the question now is whether it can surpass Mugen Train's legendary $500 million global run.

 

 

Infinity Castle hit Indian screens on September 12, 2025, and stunned trade experts with its day 1 performance. The film earned Rs 13 crore net despite running on just over 1,000 shows nationwide. To put this in perspective, that's more money than Tiger Shroff's Baaghi 4 managed with four times the shows.

 

Hindi: Rs 2.75 crore English: Rs 2.4 crore Tamil: Rs 0.15 crore Telugu: Rs 0.2 crore Japanese (subtitled): Rs 7.5 crore

 

The occupancy rate was strong across formats. English IMAX 2D had an average 67.76 percent fill, with peak crowds during morning and afternoon shows. Hindi 4DX screenings had an unusual 100 pc occupancy in select afternoon slots, showing how demand outstripped supply.

 

Compared to recent Indian releases, Infinity Castle clearly had the upper hand. Baaghi 4 opened to Rs 12 crore, Param Sundari to Rs 7.25 crore, Mirai to Rs 12 crore, and The Bengal Files to just Rs 1.75 crore. Only The Conjuring: Last Rites managed higher with Rs 17.5 crore.

 

 

Infinity Castle's start is historic when measured against past anime releases in India. Jujutsu Kaisen 0 grossed only Rs 4.85 crore in its short run, while Suzume never crossed Rs 1 crore. The numbers underline the growth of anime's fanbase in India, one that blossomed during the pandemic and is now driving theatrical revenues.

 

Even Hollywood had to take notice. James Gunn's new Superman reboot managed only Rs 7.25 crore on its opening day in India. Infinity Castle nearly doubled that.

 

 

In the U.S., pre-release hype was off the charts. On August 18, media reports confirmed it as the best first-day ticket pre-seller for an anime film in American history. With Sony forecasting $45 million in opening weekend revenue, Infinity Castle is set for a monster American debut.

 

The momentum is not surprising. Demon Slayer already carries a strong global brand, with Mugen Train in 2020 becoming the highest-grossing Japanese film ever at $506 million worldwide. Infinity Castle now seems primed to mount a serious challenge to that record.

 

 

Infinity Castle has bagged an A CinemaScore from audiences. This metric matters. Films with A grades typically multiply their opening weekend revenue by 3.6 times over their theatrical run. For anime, such strong mainstream validation is rare and hints at long legs at the box office.

 

Fans are calling it "the Endgame of anime," a comparison to Marvel's billion-dollar juggernaut. With glowing word of mouth, the film is expected to hold well in coming weeks.

 

 

Comparisons with Mugen Train are inevitable. The earlier film still sits at 98 pc critics and 99 pc audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes, four years after release. Infinity Castle's critic score at 97 pc is slightly lower for now, but fan reception suggests it will remain one of the franchise's peak moments.

 

 

Demon Slayer: Mugen Train topped the global box office in 2020, a year dominated by pandemic closures. It grossed $506 million, becoming the highest-grossing anime and Japanese film of all time. However, for Infinity Castle, if U.S. numbers explode as expected, the $500 million benchmark is well within reach.

 

With a three-part finale structure, Infinity Castle may even surpass Mugen Train's cultural and financial impact by the time all parts conclude.

 

 

The film adapts the climactic arc of Koyoharu Gotouge's manga. Tanjiro Kamado and the Hashira are drawn into Muzan Kibutsuji's Infinity Castle, setting the stage for the ultimate showdown between the Demon Slayer Corps and the demons.