Marlon Wayans Slams Anime as ‘Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle’ Dominates Box Office Instead of His Own Latest Movie

Marlon Wayans, star of the new horror comedy Him, didn’t hide his frustration after the film was beaten at the box office by Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle.

Speaking during a recent interview, Wayans joked about the situation, saying, “Can I say it? F*** anime! We came at number two! Him first! F*** anime! I was up against it, Him came out that same week against whatever it was… Demon Slayer! I want to wax your beard off your face!”

Co-star Tyriq Withers stepped in to calm him down, reminding Wayans, “You can’t disrespect anime.” The comments were made in jest, but they reflected the tough competition Him faced against the anime juggernaut.

@editbybigb Marlon wayans said fuck anime 😂😂😂. All this is said on the shxt&gigs podcast. Demon slayer making the haters hate. #anime #HIM #wayans #comedian #fyp ♬ original sound – 👨🏿‍💻

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle has been breaking records worldwide. In Japan, it earned ¥1.64 billion (around $11.1 million) on its opening day with 1.15 million tickets sold, marking the highest opening day in Japanese box office history.

Its second day brought in ¥1.84 billion ($12.5 million) and the third day earned ¥2.03 billion ($13.8 million), setting a new single-day revenue record. The film’s opening weekend total reached ¥5.52 billion ($37.4 million), the largest ever for a Japanese movie.

Within eight days, it had crossed ¥10 billion (roughly $71 million), breaking the record previously held by Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train. In the U.S., the film earned $70 million during its opening weekend, setting records for the biggest international film opening and the largest opening for an R-rated animated movie.

Meanwhile, Him, released in the United States on September 19, by Universal Pictures, struggled to match that success. The comedy earned $6.5 million on its first day, including $2 million from Thursday previews, and went on to debut at $13.5 million, finishing second behind Demon Slayer.

Critics were mostly negative toward Him, and as of October 2, the film has grossed around $22 million in the U.S. and Canada, and $479,247 internationally, for a worldwide total of $23 million.

There can only be one. #HimMovie is only in theaters September 19. pic.twitter.com/aFqUTu9txB

— HIM (@himmovie) June 17, 2025

The film was released alongside A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, and while Him didn’t top the charts, Wayans’ comments show the personal stakes actors feel when their projects face stiff competition at the box office.

It’s clear that Demon Slayer’s continued dominance highlights the growing global power of anime films. Do you think horror comedies like Him can ever compete with these blockbuster anime releases? Share your thoughts in the comments.