'Demon Slayer' Becomes Biggest IMAX Movie In Japan
It looks like the Japanese film and theater industry is on its way to recovering from the global coronavirus pandemic as Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train continues its record-breaking streak. The movie’s latest achievement is becoming the biggest IMAX movie in Japan.
Deadline reports that Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train has not earned a total of $14.2 million from IMAX screenings in the past 30 days. This beats former record-holder Bohemian Rhapsody, which was able to earn $13 million in 135 days.
Aside from breaking records on IMAX, Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train is also on its way towards becoming the biggest movie ever in Japan, overtaking the 2001 Hayao Miyasaki film Spirited Away.
According to estimates by Deadline, the movie has already made around $230 million in Japan alone. It has now also been released in Hong Kong and Taiwan, making it possible to overtake Spirited Away’s $294 million total sales.
As reported by CBR, IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond is certainly happy about the development, describing Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train’s success as “remarkable.” Gelfond also added that the movie proves audiences will go to theaters if they feel safe, and the movie is “spectacular.”
The press release also adds that Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train has already earned $225,000 from nine screens in Taiwan after only 10 days. It also outlined that the film’s $1.4 million IMAX take in Japan over the weekend is only a three percent drop from what it earned last week.
This is certainly good news for Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train, which last week managed to cross the $200 million mark. During its first weekend, audience demand for the movie was so high that multiple screenings had to be arranged in different theaters.
The film might scale even larger heights as it has not yet been released in the United States. A possible theatrical run in the United States is being planned for 2021, and should it perform as well there, Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train might become the world’s highest-earning anime film.
However, a 2021 theatrical run will depend on how well the United States has managed the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention update for Nov. 15, there are now 10,846,373 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country. The number of people that have died from COVID-19 is now at 244,810.
Opening in other markets aside from the United States will also depend on how well other countries handle the pandemic. According to the World Health Organization’s update for Nov. 15, the world now has 53,766,728 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Deaths are now at 1,308,975 people.