Copyright Screen Rant
Just last week, Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of notable brands like HBO and DC Comics, announced itself for sale. In the days since, streaming giants like Netflix, Paramount, and others have put in bids to acquire the company and get their hands on the rights of valuable IPs. However, one major company, Sony, has announced they will not be pursuing Warner Bros. Discovery, and will instead be placing their focus elsewhere for potential future growth. With anime's ongoing boom in popularity, Sony seems to be going all in on the industry, and the recent performance of Chainsaw Man's first movie might prove that decision right. Sony Is Fully Buying Into Anime Sony Pictures Entertainment, one of the biggest studios in Hollywood, has scored two major back-to-back anime box office smash hits in September and October, with Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle and Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc. While the former's success wasn't much of a surprise given its popularity, the latter's performance is proving it wasn't a one-off thing. When asked about the possibility of Sony acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery in an interview with Nikkei, Sony Group CEO Hiroki Totoki revealed the company has no interest in expanding through acquiring major Hollywood companies. Instead, Sony will be doubling down on anime, which Totoki called "a growth market still in its dawn phase". Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony, saw Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle earn an estimated $670 million worldwide on its way to becoming the highest-grossing international film ever in the United States. Just a month later, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc grossed $17 million in its US opening weekend, shooting to number one at the box office. For the first time, two anime movies have found their way into the top 30 highest-grossing films of the year, and in response, Sony is doubling down on the fast-growing industry. Anime Is Ruling the Global Box Office Demon Slayer and Chainsaw Man Are Two of the Year's Biggest Movies Just 15 years ago, anime's current prominence at the box office would have been unthinkable. Anime movies rarely found their way into North American theaters, and fans would often have to wait months or even years before having a chance to watch them. Now, even niche titles are having time to shine in cinemas around the world. Demon Slayer kicked off the party with 2020's Mugen Train, which quickly became the highest-grossing Japanese movie ever. Now, Infinity Castle has broken the franchise's own record, and Chainsaw Man is following that performance with another strong showing. Sony is doubling down on the booming industry, and expects exponential growth in the coming years.
