Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Producer Discusses Trilogy, Budget, and Studio Growth
Hikaru Kondo, founder and producer of ufotable, spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about the production of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, the first film in a planned trilogy adapting the final arc of Koyoharu Gotouge's manga. The film has grossed $722 million worldwide, including $134.5 million in North America, making it the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time. Kondo described his role as sending creative prompts to the studio's roughly 300 in-house staff, with storyboards serving as a launch pad for animators to experiment with action sequences and camera motion. When asked about a reported $20 million budget, Kondo declined to confirm the figure but noted that a Hollywood sequel with similar box office performance would justify a budget of $100 million to $150 million. Aniplex producer Yuma Takahashi, who joined the conversation, said he would "sincerely try my best" regarding budget for future installments. Kondo also addressed ufotable's history of receiving offers from Hollywood studios, stating the company evaluates each project individually without changing its fundamental production approach. He emphasized that the studio's strength comes from long-term staff retention and a trial-and-error process blending 2D and 3D animation.