Channing Tatum's Demon Slayer Role, Explained

Did you know that one of the biggest Hollywood actors around is currently credited on one of the biggest success stories of the 2025 box office? Channing Tatum certainly has a talent for lending his star power to some of the most popular blockbusters around, from the "Magic Mike" movies to the "Jump Street" franchise to, of course, his scene-stealing role as Gambit in "Deadpool & Wolverine." But even the ever-reliable superhero genre pales in comparison to what one anime saga has just pulled off. There's a reason why "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle" came out of nowhere to rule the box office this month, proving that anime has plenty of untapped potential among North American moviegoers. Fans are able to watch the trilogy-starter in one of two formats — either subbed or dubbed, naturally. Those who opted for the latter option would've encountered a very familiar face voice.

It's true: Tatum has a very minor role in "Demon Slayer" as a character named Keizo. For some background, this minor supporting character is a kindhearted widower with a daughter named Koyuki. As a martial arts master and owner of a dojo, he's more than capable of taking care of himself and those closest to him in need of protection. But it's his close relationship with his only child that makes up the core of a heartfelt and quietly moving dynamic in the midst of this much larger story. Admittedly, this might seem like a bit of an odd choice for a name-brand talent known more for his physicality and screen presence (although, to be fair, Tatum has done voice work before on animated films like "The LEGO Movie"). As it turns out, however, he had an awfully good reason for wanting to join this particular project.

Entertainment Weekly recently caught up with the actor, and he explained that he and his daughter Everly's love of the property helped draw him to this role. "We've been watching this for so long," he stated in reference to "Demon Slayer." The parallels between the real-life father and daughter and the fictional characters in "Demon Slayer" aren't exactly hard to miss, but it adds yet another layer to a narrative that audiences are clearly embracing.

As neat as Channing Tatum's involvement in "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle" is to casual fans and anime fans alike, this instance of stunt casting could be a sign of things to come. Other than Studio Ghibli movies and a handful of other exceptions, it's actually quite unusual for anime projects to recruit recognizable stars for cameos in circumstances such as this. Tatum's minor role is the one and only instance of this in "Demon Slayer" (not to be confused with the ongoing Netflix hit and worldwide sensation "KPop Demon Hunters," of course), but could the times be a-changing?

It's worth noting that the very idea of "Demon Slayer" breaking through in North America to the extent that it has already signals an abrupt shift in the anime scene. Sony Pictures, which bought the anime-focused streaming service Crunchyroll back in 2020, has put its entire marketing and distribution might behind putting the movie in as many U.S. theaters as possible. The backing of a major studio (and its resources) is the difference between this versus any number of anime flops that died on the vine in North America. This also helps explain the Tatum of it all, as well, considering his close working relationship with Sony over the years in movies like "21 Jump Street" and its sequel, a proposed (but since-cancelled) "Ghostbusters" movie, and his recent rom-com collaboration with Scarlett Johansson, "Fly Me to the Moon." With Sony using Crunchyroll as its own distributor for "Demon Slayer," the studio is in the exceedingly rare and enviable position of becoming a one-stop shop for all things anime ... and the massive profits that stand to be raked in.

Could we be looking at a new golden age for anime in the West? If so, get ready for even more headlines about stars on a similar level as Channing Tatum with surprise voice roles, too. Until then, "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle" is currently playing in theaters.