Every Monday morning, we look back at the previous weekend’s box office and see who crushed it and who needs the hair of the dog to settle that wicked hangover. We call it the Monday Morning Hangover Report. Here we go…
No Monday Morning Hangover for Demon Slayer
Theaters got an anime boon again this weekend as Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle smashed records with a staggering $70 million opening, which set a new high opening for anime films in North America. The horror powerhouse franchise The Conjuring: Last Rites fell hard but still maintained second place with $26.1 million, while Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale debuted impressively at $18.1 million. It was a weekend of animated surprises, some nostalgia, and strong horror genre showings, showing us that the Fall box office, traditionally week, can mean business.
Top 5 Domestic Films – Weekend of Sept 12-14, 2025
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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle – $70m! (this week’s new #1; the biggest anime debut ever)
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The Conjuring: Last Rites – $26.1m (–69% week‑to‑week; still strong in 3,802 theaters)
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Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale – $18.1m (a solid debut)
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The Long Walk – $4.76m (Stephen King adaptation walks slowly into theaters)
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Weapons – modest return at $850,000 after weeks at the top
Recap Table
| Rank | Film | Weekend Gross | Key Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle | $70.0M | Record-breaking anime debut |
| 2 | The Conjuring: Last Rites | $26.1M | Sharp drop but still in top theater count |
| 3 | Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale | $18.1M | Nostalgic and solid for a franchise capper |
| 4 | The Long Walk | $4.76M | New release making quiet impact |
| 5 | Weapons | $0.85M | Fallen from throne but not gone |
Highlights & Insights
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Anime Breakthrough: Infinity Castle debuts with $70M, shattering anime records, including surpassing the 1999 Pokémon premiere, and staking a bold claim in theaters.
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Horror Roll Call: Last Rites drops 69% but capitalizes on prior momentum. Still, $26M in week two shows the genre’s hunger for scares endures.
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Downton Abbey’s Final Bow: The Grand Finale’s $18M opening is an impressive capstone to a beloved saga, fulfilling franchise fans’ appetite for finality.
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New Voices Matter: The Long Walk plods into the top 5 with $4.8M, showing room for quieter thrillers in an awards season wake-up.
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Fall of the Reign: Weapons finally loses some steam, earning under $1M this weekend, as everyone seems to have seen it that wants to do so.
What’s Next
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Can Infinity Castle sustain its domination? Tracking suggests it could remain at #1 next weekend, even as more fall titles debut.
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Fresh Releases on Deck: Spinal Tap: The End Continues, Taken 4, and limited releases like Bridgerton: The Final Season await their turn to potentially shake things up.
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Holiday Preview: With the month of September now showing renewed vigor, early October releases like The Garden of Time may benefit from revived theater momentum.
Final Pour
This weekend’s Hangover Report dropped with bold strokes: Demon Slayer set the screen on fire, Conjuring clung on though bruised, and Downton Abbey waved goodbye with flair. New thrillers and aging frights joined in, signaling fall cinema’s eclectic pulse. October is mounting already, get your tickets and cocktails ready.
