Tag: Crunchyroll

Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle Box Office Prediction

**Blogger’s Update (05/30): Since it is only playing on just over 1000 screens, I am lowering my prediction from $6.5M to $3.9M

Sony Pictures and Crunchyroll hope fans of Japan’s manga TV series dive into Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle when it debuts this weekend. The animated sports tale stems from a show that ran from 2012 to 2020. Susumu Mitsunaka directs a voice cast that includes Ayumu Murase, Kaito Ishikawa, Yuki Kaji, and Yuichi Nakamura.

The distributor gets the most bang for its buck overseas as Battle is already the second highest grosser in Japan for 2024. Obviously stateside grosses will be considerably smaller. Crunchyroll’s titles have seen diminishing domestic unveilings as of late. It is also worth noting that they usually generate about 70% of their business in the first weekend.

In February of this year, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training did bring in $11.5 million and that was just over 2023 predecessor To the Swordsmith Village at $10.1 million. Outside of that franchise, One Piece Film: Red premiered with $9.3 million in November ’23 while Spy x Family Code: White stalled with $4.8 million just last month.

I’ll give Haikyu!! a mid to higher single digits opening.

Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle opening weekend prediction: $3.9 million

April 19-21 Box Office Predictions

Three fresh titles attempt to prevent Civil War from a second weekend atop the charts after a strong premiere. We have vampire flick Abigail, Guy Ritchie’s spy action comedy The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, and the anime spy action comedy Spy x Family Code: White rolling out. My detailed prediction posts on the trio can be found here:

Abigail Box Office Prediction
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare Box Office Prediction
Spy x Family Code: White Box Office Prediction

It could be a genuine photo finish for the top spot. I spy Civil War dropping in the mid 50s as a hefty fall seems likely given the weaker B- Cinemascore grade. That could allow any of the newbies to compete for #1. I’m giving it to Abigail for what would be a so-so start.

Spy x Family Code: White could threaten in the low double digits, but I have it just under $10 million for a third place showing.

As for Warfare, I’m expecting Ritchie’s latest to be a flop despite pretty decent reviews. I have it rounding out the top five behind the fourth frame of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

Here’s how I have the high five shaking out:

1. Abigail

Predicted Gross: $13.1 million

2. Civil War

Predicted Gross: $11.8 million

3. Spy x Family Code: White

Predicted Gross: $9.8 million

4. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

Predicted Gross: $8.7 million

5. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

Predicted Gross: $7.6 million

Box Office Results (April 12-14)

Alex Garland’s buzzy Civil War opened near the higher end of its anticipated range with $25.7 million, besting my $18 million forecast. That’s a record for A24 whose previous largest beginning was held by 2018’s Hereditary in the low teens.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire slipped to second after two weeks in 1st with $15.5 million, on target with my $15.9 million take. The monster mash has amassed $158 million thus far.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire was third with $5.7 million (I was right there at $5.6 million) for $96 million in its four weeks of release.

Kung Fu Panda 4 was fourth as it added $5.5 million to its now $173 million haul. I projected $5.1 million.

Dune: Part Two rounded out the top five with $4.3 million and I incorrectly had it on the outside looking in. The seven week tally is $272 million.

Finally, Monkey Man fell a steep 60% in its sophomore frame to $4 million (I went with $4.9 million) for $17 million overall.

And that does it for now, folks! Until next time…

Spy x Family Code: White Box Office Prediction

Guy Ritchie’s The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare isn’t the only spy action comedy out next weekend. Crunchyroll has the Japanese animated variety of the genre hitting screens with Spy x Family Code: White from director Takashi Katagirl.

An expansion of the anime TV show, Spy came out in Japan around Christmastime and it has earned over $40 million overseas. I haven’t seen a theater count yet, but recent Crunchyroll distributions roll out to around 1700-1900 venues.

There’s a consistency in their premieres. 2022’s One Piece Film: Red took in $9.3 million while last year’s Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Swordsmith Village came hit $10.1 million. In February, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training debuted to $11.5 million.

Based on that, high single digits or low double digits certainly seems like the way to go. My forecast actually puts it above the Ungentlemanly gang.

Spy x Family Code: White opening weekend prediction: $9.8 million

For my Abigail prediction, click here:

Abigail Box Office Prediction

For my The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare prediction, click here:

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare Box Office Prediction

Suzume Box Office Prediction

Suzume is the latest animated fantasy from Makoto Shinkai, maker of 2019’s acclaimed Weathering with You. The Japanese production comes from Toho, the studio behind Godzilla and the Demon Slayer pics that have recently posted impressive grosses stateside.

In fact, Toho’s titles in the U.S. have started to develop a familiar pattern of front loaded hauls. In March of 2022, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 made over $17 million during its first frame. That ended up being over half of its eventual $33 million domestic take. Just last month, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba – To the Swordsmith Village made off with $10.1 million in a special engagement sole weekend.

Like those efforts, Suzume has already made a killing in its home country. With over $100 million in the bank, it is the fourth highest grossing film in Japan from last year.

Opening on approximately 2000 screens, this could hit low double digits like Swordsmith. Compared with next weekend’s other newcomers, that would put it behind Renfield and perhaps ahead of The Pope’s Exorcist. I’m going to put it in higher single digits and that’s still in front of Exorcist.

Suzume opening weekend prediction: $8.7 million

For my Renfield prediction, click here:

Renfield Box Office Prediction

For my The Pope’s Exorcist prediction, click here:

The Pope’s Exorcist Box Office Prediction

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba – To the Swordsmith Village Box Office Prediction

One of the biggest box office surprises of 2021 was the haul of Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train in the spring. While it finished #2 behind Mortal Kombat, the $21 million start and $13k+ per screen average was astonishing.

On March 3rd, the Japanese animated franchise appears again in multiplexes with To the Swordsmith Village. This is not a sequel to the 2021 pic. Haruo Sotozaki, like in Train, conducts the directorial assignment that shows the 10th and 11th episodes of the Toho and Aniplex property.

Distributed stateside by Sony/Crunchyroll, I’ll be frank with this projection. Without a theater count (which I’ve yet to see), this is a highly tricky call to make. Train could have been lightning in a bottle or we may witness another massive over performance with Village. For now I’ll say high single digits since this appears to be a limited release that viewers don’t have to book passage to a multiplex to watch.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba – To the Swordsmith Village opening weekend prediction: $9.8 million

For my Creed III prediction, click here:

Creed III Box Office Prediction

For my Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre prediction, click here:

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre Box Office Prediction