The “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” a co-production by Illumination and Nintendo, has garnered significant box office success despite receiving mixed reviews from critics. In its opening weekend, the film earned approximately $130.9 million in North America, contributing to a five-day total of $190.1 million. This marks the largest opening for a Hollywood film this year, with the movie also raking in $182.4 million from 80 international markets, bringing its estimated global debut to $372.5 million.
Released globally by Universal Pictures just before the Easter holiday, the animated sequel features returning voice actors including Chris Pratt and Jack Black, and played in over 4,200 theaters across the U.S. and Canada. Notably, it generated $15 million from IMAX screenings alone. The film’s production cost is reported to be around $110 million, excluding marketing expenses.
Despite a low Rotten Tomatoes score of 40%, audience reactions have been notably more positive. Family viewers rated the film five out of five stars, while general audiences awarded it a score of four stars and an A- on CinemaScore. This strong audience reception suggests a potential for continued box office performance throughout the spring and into the summer.
In comparison, the previous installment, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” opened to $204 million domestically in 2023. The “Super Mario Galaxy Movie” has also displaced “Project Hail Mary,” which secured second place with $30.7 million in its third weekend, and A24’s “The Drama,” which took third place with $14.4 million. Overall box office figures indicate a positive trend, with revenues up approximately 30% compared to the same period last year.