Kayla Oaddams/FilmMagic
Channing Tatum’s role in the record-breaking Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba The Movie — Infinity Castle, released in North American theaters this weekend, was small but significant.
For Demon Slayer enthusiasts who haven’t explored the manga, their introduction to Tatum’s character likely came through the feature-length film that became the top opening ever for an anime title at the North American box office. [Warning: Spoilers ahead if you haven’t seen the movie or read the manga.]
Tatum lends his voice to Keizo in the English dub version of the film. The backstory of Keizo is poignant: he is a kind widower whose wife tragically took her own life shortly after giving birth to their daughter, Koyuki. Keizo manages a dojo where he cares for his sick daughter while teaching students the Soryu fighting style.
At the same time, another boy named Hakuji (voiced by Lucien Dodge) is caring for his ill father and resorts to thieving to buy medicine. However, after repeatedly witnessing his son’s punishment for these crimes, Hakuji’s father ultimately hangs himself.
This is where Keizo enters the narrative. The dojo master finds Hakuji and takes him in, training him to fight, while Hakuji also tends to Koyuki (voiced by Rebecca Wang). A romantic bond develops, and they plan to marry.
One day, Hakuji visits his father’s grave. Upon his return, he discovers that a rival dojo has poisoned and killed both Keizo and Koyuki. In a fit of vengeance, Hakuji avenges their deaths by eliminating 67 members of that dojo.
Such acts draw the attention of Muzan Kibutsuji, the head of all demons, who transforms Hakuji into a demon himself, resulting in him becoming the Upper Rank demon known as Akaza. Despite his fierce nature, Akaza’s dormant love for Keizo’s daughter compels him to refrain from harming women.
Akaza becomes a crucial character within the Demon Slayer story arc, having killed a prominent demon slayer named Kyojuro Rengoku, who was a mentor to the series’ protagonist, Tanjiro Kamado. Rengoku’s death profoundly influences Tanjiro’s commitment to becoming stronger and ultimately seeking revenge against Akaza and Muzan.
Regarding his involvement in the film, Tatum recently shared with Entertainment Tonight that he and his 12-year-old daughter, Everly, are longtime fans of the anime. The duo attended the film’s premiere together.
“We’ve been watching this for so long,” he stated on the red carpet, to which his daughter added, “It’s beautifully made and has an incredible storyline. I love anime in general; it’s beautifully animated.”
Tatum also expressed his excitement on X, saying, “Walking the #DemonSlayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Infinity Castle carpet with Evie by my side was honestly a dream come true. She’s been my anime inspiration from the start, and sharing this moment with her made my first time voicing Keizo extra special. Having a project we both love in theaters now just feels unreal—heart is full and fanboy levels are off the charts!”
The film surpassed expectations over the weekend, earning an estimated $70 million across 3,315 theaters. Released in Japan in July before its North American debut, it is the first film in a trilogy based on the Infinity Castle arc of the manga.
Handling the film’s distribution in North America, as well as a variety of foreign territories, except Japan and select Asian markets, is Sony-owned Crunchyroll, which also streams the show on its platform alongside Netflix.
The English dub cast includes notable voices such as Zach Aguilar, Abby Trott, Aleks Le, Bryce Papenbrook, Johnny Yong Bosch, Kira Buckland, Erika Harlacher, Brianna Knickerbocker, Zeno Robinson, Ray Chase, Griffin Burns, Erik Scott Kimerer, Kaiji Tang, and Crispin Freeman.
Based on reporting by Hollywood Reporter. Read the full story at Hollywood Reporter.