Double the Ticket Price? — What the U.S. Proposal to Tariff Foreign Films 100% Means for Anime Movies, Studios and Fans

If you’ve seen the headlines “U.S. to impose 100% tariff on films produced outside the United States” you’re not imagining things. In 2025 the White House again floated a policy that would slap enormous import duties on movies made abroad, and that sudden announcement sent shockwaves through Hollywood, international partners, and yes anime fandom. Before anyone panics about getting charged double at the theater for the next Demon Slayer film, let’s figure out what the industry might do next.

President Trump publicly announced plans to impose a 100% tariff on films produced outside the U.S., framing the move as protection for American film jobs and a response to foreign tax incentives that lure productions overseas. The announcement has been repeated multiple times across 2025 and generated immediate coverage and industry alarm. But it’s not the same as a detailed, implemented law with clear rules yet. Key questions remain about what counts as a “foreign film,” how the tariff would be collected, especially for digital releases, and whether the President can impose such a broad levy without Congress. Policy proclamations from the White House can start a process, but tariffs this sweeping would face immediate legal and political challenges. Law and trade experts have asked how you would even apply an import duty to streaming content or a co-produced film, is it “imported” when data crosses a border?, and Congress has tools to review or block tariff moves in fact a 2025 bill called the Trade Review Act would require Congressional review and justification for sweeping new tariffs. Expect court fights, WTO questions, and months of messy negotiation before anything close to a real 100% duty takes effect — if it ever does. If a 100% tariff were applied literally to theatrical distribution of foreign films, several immediate effects would matter to anime. Imported theatrical tickets could get meaningfully more expensive. Distributors could try to pass tariff costs to moviegoers via higher ticket prices or simply choose not to release some films theatrically in the U.S. at all. That affects big blockbuster anime films whose U.S. openings contribute heavily to their global profile. Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, for example, had blockbuster theatrical results in the U.S. this year, theatrical releases are no longer niche events. But theatrical revenue is only one slice of anime income. Anime’s global business model leans heavily on streaming/licensing, international merchandise, disc sales, and global distribution deals not only box office. Industry data shows merch and streaming are massive. Some Analytics estimated anime pulled in nearly $20 billion globally in 2023, with a large share from merchandise and streaming; U.S. anime merchandising alone was estimated in the hundreds of millions in 2024. That means a tariff only on theatrical receipts would hurt, but it wouldn’t be the whole story. Co-productions and international shoots complicate everything. Many “Hollywood” films are shot abroad for tax reasons; conversely, some US companies distribute anime internationally through partnerships (e.g., Crunchyroll/Sony). How do you tax a film co-financed by a U.S. company, animated in Japan, released on a U.S. streaming platform? The practicalities are murky, which is why commentators immediately flagged the plan as legally and logistically fraught.

Japanese studios and publishers will likely lobby via trade groups and seek carve outs for cultural exports, or push distributors to secure alternative deals. Expect intense behind-the-scenes diplomacy. U.S. distributors (Crunchyroll, Sony, Toho’s partners) may re-evaluate release strategies. Bigger emphasis on streaming premieres, compressed windows, or creating subsidiary “U.S.-produced” versions to evade duties, though that’s legally complex. With higher potential ticket prices, exhibitors could choose to screen fewer imported films, reducing fan opportunities for theatrical events and theatrical box-office cascades. Social media reactions have ranged from panic to analysis threads pointing out that merchandise and streaming matter more than theatrical box office. Expect heated threads, calls to petition lawmakers, and targeted campaigns to protect anime access.

Don’t panic-buy tickets yet. There’s a long legal and political process ahead, and many outlets are already reporting uncertainty. Support your favorite shows in ways that matter: legit streaming subscriptions, official merch and Blu-rays, and attending local licensed screenings when they happen, those revenue streams directly help creators.