News
The First Slam Dunk Anime Film Earns US$55.2 Million in 4-Day Opening in China
posted on by Joanna Cayanan
The film earned US$13.8 million on its opening day on Thursday, and US$38.5 million from Friday to Sunday. The film also had preview screenings in China on Wednesday, and the local firm Ent Group stated those 14,000 preview screenings earned US$3.16 million.
The film screened in 731 IMAX screens, and IMAX China reported that the film earned RMB38 million (US$5.51 million) in its first four days. The film now holds the record for the biggest opening for any foreign animation title on IMAX in China, and for any Japanese film on IMAX in China.
The film has also done very well in South Korea, and is currently the second highest-earning film this year in the country, having earned US$35,533,799 since it opened there on January 4. Comscore estimates the film has earned US$211 million globally.
The film opened in Japan on December 3, and ranked at #1 in its opening weekend. It sold 847,000 tickets and earned 1,295,808,780 yen (about US$9.50 million) over its opening weekend. The film is currently the 24th highest-earning film of all time in Japan. The film won Animation of the Year at the 46th annual Japan Academy Film Prizes.
Inoue personally directed the film at Toei Animation and wrote the script. Among the listed staff members are character designer/animation director Yasuyuki Ebara (Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress) and technical directors Katsuhiko Kitada (Attack on Titan episodes, Major: Yūjō no Winning Shot), Naoki Miyahara (Digimon Adventure, Popin Q), Toshio Ōhashi (LayereD Stories 0), and Yū Kamatani (Looking for Magical DoReMi, Precure Super Stars!).
Daiki Nakazawa directed the CG, and Yūta Ogura produced the CG. Kazuo Ogura directed the art. Yota Tsuruoka directed the sound with Koji Kasamatsu.
Toshiyuki Matsui, the film's producer, received this year's general award for Eiga Engeki Bunka Kyōkai's (Film Theater Culture Association) 42nd annual Fujimoto Awards.
Source: Variety (Patrick Frater)
