Everybody loves to kick a man when he’s down, so with James Gunn’s Superman doing mediocre at the box office and Peacemaker tanking in ratings, some fans have been quick to celebrate that the Demon Slayer anime movie is outperforming Superman.
Well, that’s not exactly the case.
Domestic Box Office: Superman Crushes Demon Slayer
While Demon Slayer may pass Superman at the global box office this weekend, the domestic numbers tell a very different story.
- Demon Slayer: $120.5M domestic total
- Superman: $354M+ domestic total
That’s nearly a 3-to-1 difference in favor of Gunn’s film.
Looking at openings:
- Demon Slayer: $70.6M domestic debut
- Superman: $125M domestic debut
Even on daily numbers, Superman holds strong, and there is no contest. On day 20:
- Demon Slayer: $704,965
- Superman: $2.9M+
Clearly, Demon Slayer is already petering out in U.S. theaters and won’t come close to Superman.
International Box Office: The Real Contrast
Here’s where Demon Slayer gains ground, as it’s known that Gunn’s flick underperformed internationally:
- Superman: $261.6M international
- Demon Slayer: $487.2M+ international
On paper, that’s a blowout. But the details matter:
- Japan alone accounts for $234.5M of Demon Slayer’s haul.
- South Korea adds another $38.6M.
That’s nearly $300M from just two countries. Remove that, and Superman actually comes out ahead internationally.
The Bottom Line
Yes, Demon Slayer is a big hit overseas, especially in its home region (which makes sense). But in the markets that matter most for a U.S. studio release, Superman is currently the clear winner.
The narrative that Demon Slayer is “beating” Superman doesn’t hold up when you look at the numbers closely.
