DEMON SLAYER STAR TEASES LIVE-ACTION NETFLIX HOPES AFTER INFINITY CASTLE BOX OFFICE SUCCESS

Demon Slayer star Zach Aguilar has shared his wishlist for a potential live-action adaptation of the wildly successful Japanese anime phenomenon.

Aguilar lends his voice to protagonist Tanjiro Kamado in the English-language version of the series, portraying a youthful apprentice demon slayer from modest beginnings who sets off on a perilous mission to save his sister after she's gruesomely turned into a demon.

The animated sensation has been commanding cinema screens throughout the year following the launch of its latest instalment, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Infinity Castle, distributed by the anime streaming service Crunchyroll in the UK and the US.

• 'I tried popular Christmas dessert for first time and realised I'd been living a lie'
• Most popular dog names in Britain for 2025 ranked - is your pooch's name on the list?

Beyond becoming Japan's most commercially successful film ever, it currently ranks as 2025's fifth biggest earner with an eye-watering $780 million in worldwide ticket sales, surpassing blockbusters including Superman, F1 and How to Train Your Dragon.

Speaking exclusively with Reach, leading man Aguilar acknowledges the franchise's triumph has felt "surreal", reports the Express.

Reflecting on the film's debut at Hollywood's Chinese Theatre, he recalled: "The energy in that room, it was just ecstatic. Everybody laughed, everybody cried. Everyone was just glued to their seats watching the movie.

"For me that felt like a once in a lifetime event. I just I can't believe I lived that night."

Notwithstanding the series' phenomenal achievements, Aguilar discloses he maintains a certain "anonymity" as a voice performer, though he's considered a "superstar" within fan convention circles.

"I don't really have a desire to be like famous or like well-known or anything like that," he concluded. "I think all I want to do in my life is just make really good stuff that I'm personally proud of and things that I can show to my friends and family. It is nice to kind of have the Hannah Montana thing. You kind of get the best of both."

As Demon Slayer rapidly becomes one of the most popular anime series ever made, sitting alongside heavyweights like Pokemon and One Piece, supporters may eventually see a live-action version of the fantasy epic.

Several anime properties have been transformed into live-action in recent years, with Netflix's versions of Death Note, Cowboy Bebop and One Piece among the most prominent.

A September report from Screen Time claimed Netflix is supposedly "fast-tracking" a live-action adaptation, although the platform hasn't made any formal confirmation.

Whilst Aguilar welcomes the prospect, he acknowledges numerous considerations are needed to keep Demon Slayer's expanding fanbase content.

"It's really interesting, I think it could [happen]," he said. "It's kind of weird, my own personal thoughts on live-action adaptation, I think it's cool because maybe it reaches an audience who wouldn't necessarily watch animation. I know a lot of people like that... my parents watch anime because I'm in it, but otherwise they wouldn't watch anime at all.

"I think I could see it being adapted, for sure, as long as they do it all right and do everything authentically and the casting... Just remember the heart and soul of Demon Slayer and where it takes place."

Despite being packed with mysticism and fearsome creatures, Demon Slayer remains firmly rooted in Japan, weaving in numerous nods to early 20th century heritage. Aguilar elaborated: "It has a lot of Japanese themes," adding: "So I think it would be cool to add that and have the right people behind it, the right producers and directors making sure everything is the way it's supposed to be.

"Maybe having the whole team from Demon Slayer involved with it, I think that's super important too. I've been enjoying the live-action One Piece, it's super well-done, and that's because [creator Eiichiro] Oda was also a part of that creation process. I think that's important, if it does happen."

Demon Slayer is available to stream on Netflix and Crunchyroll.

2025-12-04T14:13:37Z