James Gunn’s Superman Soars In US But Gets Crushed By Demon Slayer In Japan

Superman scores big in the US, but Japanese audiences are all in on Demon Slayer’s latest release.

- July 18, 2025 | 2:09 PM IST

James Gunn’s Superman Crushes U.S. Box Office but Gets Annihilated by Demon Slayer in Japan — Superman Soars at Home, Falls Flat in Japan as Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Reigns Supreme ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Demon Slayer has once again taken over Japan and this time, it has pushed Superman right off the map. James Gunn’s Superman is doing great where it counts, pulling in huge numbers at the domestic box office and earning praise from both critics and fans. The movie, with a total collection of around $260 million, is already one of the biggest hits of 2025 and among the top Superman films ever made.

See what the whole world is talking about. 💫 #Superman is NOW PLAYING only in theaters. Get tickets today: https://t.co/mznvQOz0g3 pic.twitter.com/S6KtDeBQKn

— Superman (@Superman) July 14, 2025

Superman Struggles at the Global Box Office

However, that success has not carried on everywhere. Internationally, things are much colder as the global rollout has been less impressive, with just $95 million coming in from outside the US (per Box Office Mojo) and that number does not seem to be climbing. One of the clearest examples of this drop is Japan, where Superman has barely made a dent.

Superman Box Office Summary

Domestic – $166m
International – $95m

Total – $261m

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Leaves No Room for Superman

Superman’s underwhelming and below-par box office performance in Japan can be attributed to poor timing. It is due to the arrival of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle which immediately crushed everything else around it. The anime franchise is still one of the most powerful in the world and with a brand-new movie hitting Japanese theaters, most people have clearly chosen where they are spending their money.

According to Screenrant, the ticket sales for Infinity Castle were so huge they crashed websites and sold out in hours. Meanwhile, Superman stumbled in Japan with a disappointing $2.5 million opening. One theater reportedly managed to sell out only a single IMAX showing of Superman on the same day Infinity Castle packed nearly every screen.

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle international screening dates #鬼滅の刃 #DemonSlayer pic.twitter.com/sEORWh7uD2

— Demon Slayer (@DemonSlayerSc) July 17, 2025

After years of nonstop capes and multiverse crossovers, people outside North America are not flocking to comic book movies like before. DC and Marvel have both stumbled recently and even a well-made Superman movie can’t entirely escape that slump.

Demon Slayer Wins the Battle But Superman Still Wins at Home

Now, what is happening in Japan says a lot. When faced with the choice between something fresh from a globally loved anime franchise and another superhero film from a studio trying to recover its reputation, the decision was easy for most. Superman will still go down as a win in the US but it can’t do much when stacked up against the unstoppable force that is Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle.