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Live-Action Monster Hunter Film Opens at #2 in Japan

Evangelion: 3.0+1.0: Thrice Upon A Time (Shin Evangelion Gekijō-ban :||), the "final" Evangelion film, stayed at #1 in its third weekend. The film sold 329,999 over the weekend and earned 528,017,500 yen (about US$4.82 million) from Friday to Sunday. It has sold a total of 3,961,480 tickets and has earned a cumulative 6,078,211,750 yen (about US$55.49 million).

The film has now surpassed the earnings of Evangelion 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo, which earned a total of 5.3 billion yen, and is now the highest-earning film in series.

The film ranked #1 in its opening weekend. The film sold 2,194,533 tickets for 3,338,422,400 yen (about US$30.6 million) in its first seven days in 466 theaters in Japan. The film sold 33.6% more tickets for 45.1% more yen than the previous Evangelion film during their respective first seven days. The film earned the equivalent of US$3.4 million in 38 IMAX theaters during its first seven days— the second-highest opening week for IMAX screenings of a domestic title in Japan, behind only last year's Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Mugen Train. Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 also played in 82 theaters equipped for 4D screenings.

The staff had delayed the film from January 23 to March 8, after careful consideration due to the new state of emergency declared in four prefectures in Japan on January 8, and then extended to a total of 11 prefectures. The film had an earlier delay due to concerns over the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and its spread inside and outside of Japan. The film was originally scheduled to open in Japan on June 27, 2020.

The live-action film of Capcom's Monster Hunter game franchise ranked at #2 in its opening weekend in Japan. The film earned 256,244,150 yen (about US$2.33 million).

The film opened in Japan last Friday.

The film opened in the United States on December 18 last year. The film earned US$2.2 million to rank at #1 in its opening three days in the United States box office.

Screen Gems describes the film's story:

Behind our world, there is another: a world of dangerous and powerful monsters that rule their domain with deadly ferocity. When Lt. Artemis (Milla Jovovich) and her loyal soldiers are transported from our world to the new world, the unflappable lieutenant receives the shock of her life. In her desperate battle for survival against enormous enemies with incredible powers and unstoppable, revolting attacks, Artemis will team up with a mysterious man who has found a way to fight back.

The film stars Milla Jovovich (Resident Evil movie franchise) as film-original character Captain Natalie Artemis and martial arts actor Tony Jaa (Ong-Bak film series) as "The Hunter." Additionally, Ron Perlman (Hellboy film series, Pacific Rim, Sons of Anarchy) plays the Admiral, who is the leader of The Hunter's crew. T.I. Harris (Ant-Man, Ant-Man and the Wasp) plays a sniper named Link, Diego Boneta (Luis Miguel: La Serie, Pretty Little Liars) plays Sergeant Marshall, and Hirona Yamazaki plays the Handler. Meagan Good and Josh Helman also have roles in the film.

Demon Slayer - Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train rose from #7 to #3 (in number of tickets sold) in its 24th weekend. The film sold 112,000 tickets and earned 170,040,650 yen (about US$1.54 million0) from Friday to Sunday. It has now sold a total of 28.30 million tickets and earned a cumulative total of 39,038,746,700 yen (about US$355.3 million).

After 12 consecutive weeks at #1 in the box office in Japan, Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train dropped to #2 during the January 9-10 weekend, its 13th weekend. The film ranked at #1 again in its 14th and 15th weekend, fell back down to #2 in its 16th weekend, and stayed at #2 in its 17th weekend. The film ranked at #3 in its 18th and 19th weekends.

The film has surpassed Hayao Miyazaki's 2002 Spirited Away, its last rival for all-time highest earnings in Japanese box office history. (Spirited Away earned 30.8 billion yen in its original run, but has since earned a total of 31.68 billion yen after last summer's revival screenings.) The film has also surpassed Spirited Away as the #1 highest-earning Japanese film of all time worldwide.

Demon Slayer - Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train began screening in 38 IMAX theaters in Japan on October 16. The film had the highest opening weekend globally for the October 16-18 weekend. The film sold 3,424,930 tickets and earned 4,623,117,450 yen (about US$43.85 million) in Japan in its first three days. The film sold 910,507 tickets and earned over 1,268,724,700 yen (about US$12.03 million) on its opening day alone, making it the highest weekday opening day in Japan ever. Mugen Train began holding immersive MX4D and 4DX screenings on Saturday, December 26.

The main staff members of the previous television anime returned for the sequel film. Toho and Aniplex are handling the film's distribution in Japan. Funimation and Aniplex of America will screen the film in theaters in North America in early 2021.

The third film in the six-part Girls und Panzer das Finale film series ranked at #6 in its opening weekend. The film earned 106,879,400 yen (about US$973,000) in its first three days.

The film opened in Japanese theaters last Friday.

The first Girls und Panzer das Finale film opened in Japan in 59 theaters in December 2017. The film features new characters from BC Freedom High School as they engage in a winter battle.

The second film opened in Japan in June 2019. The film depicts the finale of the battle between Ooarai Girls Academy and BC Freedom High School, and also shows the battles for Kuromorimine Girls Academy, Pravda Girls High School, and other schools. The film's Blu-ray Disc and DVD release in Japan included a new original video animation (OVA) titled "Taiyaki War!" when it shipped in February 2020.

. Each of the immersive screenings combine two episodes; the first ones combine the first and second episodes. The next set of immersive screenings will combine the third and fourth episodes, and the last set will combine the fifth and sixth episodes.

Sayaka Sasaki is performing the opening theme song "Grand symphony" for the first three episodes. ChouCho, who performed the opening theme song for the television anime and the 2015 film, is returning as the opening theme song artist for the project's last three episodes.-->

Eiga Healin' Good ♥ Precure Yume no Machi de Kyun! tto GoGo!, Toei Animation's 18th anime film in the Precure franchise, dropped from #4 to #8 in its second weekend.The film earned 76,485,740 yen (about US$695,900) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 250,274,930 yen (about US$2.27 million).

The film opened at #4. The film sold 96,000 tickets and earned 115 million yen (about US$1.05 million) in its opening weekend.

The film opened in Japan on March 20. Tropical-Rouge! Precure, Toei Animation's 18th Precure television anime series, has a "Tropical-Rouge! Precure Petit Tobikome! Collabo▽Dance Party!" (Tropical-Rouge! Precure the Movie: Petit Dive! Collaboration▽Dance Party!) short that screens with the Healin' Good Precure film.

Ryōta Nakamura (Healin' Good Precure episode director) is directing the film. Ryunosuke Kingetsu (Healin' Good Precure) is writing the script. Shiho Terada (Eiga Precure Miracle Leap: Minna to Fushigi na 1-nichi, Healin' Good Precure) is composing the music. Katsumi Tamegai (Pretty Cure, Sailor Moon) is the character designer and animation director. Ryuutarou Masuda (Star Twinkle Precure) is in charge of art design. Yukako Ogawa (Sword Art Online: Alicization, One Piece: Heart of Gold) and Yoshito Watanabe are the art directors. Yusuke Osone (Eiga Precure Miracle Leap: Minna to Fushigi na 1-nichi) is the CG director, Yoshiko Sakuma (Fresh Pretty Cure) is the color designer, and Kenji Takahashi (Precure Miracle Universe) is the director of photography.

Brave: Gunjō Senki, the live-action film adaptation of Masaki Kasahara's Gunjō Senki manga, dropped from #5 to #10 in its third weekend. The film earned 49,679,800 yen (about US$451,900) from Friday to Sunday, and has earned a cumulative total of 622,446,700 yen (about US$5.66 million).

The manga's story centers on Aoi Nishino, a fan of history who practices archery at his school's archery team. While his school has long dominated in many athletic competitions, the student body is divided into many cliques and harsh heirarchies. Aoi laments being born into the modern world, and thinks that his skill in archery is such that if he were in Japan's divided Sengoku period, he might have been able to earn fame and glory. When a mysterious event covers the school in fog, he gets his wish, as all the school's students are transported into the Sengoku period. Now the students, including Aoi, must use their athletic and martial skills to excel in a world of violence.

Katsuyuki Motohiro (Psycho-Pass, live-action Ajin, Atom the Beginning) directed the film, with a script by Masahiro Yamaura and Toru Yamamoto. The film opened on March 12.

The live-action film adaptation of Hiroyuki Ohashi's Zokki manga ranked at #2 in the mini-theater ranking in its opening weekend.

The Detective Conan: The Scarlet Alibi (Meitantei Conan: Hiiro no Fuzai Shōmei) compilation film dropped off the top 10 in its seventh weekend.

Sources: Kōgyō Tsūshin (link 2), Eiga.com, comScore via KOFIC