The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is delivering a major boost to the spring box office. The family-friendly sequel opened to an estimated $372.5 million worldwide. It marks the biggest global debut since Avatar: Fire and Ash launched over Christmas 2025. It also stands as the top Hollywood opening of 2026 so far.
Strong Domestic and International Debut
The film earned an estimated $190.1 million domestically over the five-day Easter corridor. That includes $130.9 million for the three-day weekend. Overseas, it added $182.4 million across 80 markets.
For comparison, the first The Super Mario Bros. Movie debuted to $204 million domestically over five days, including $147 million across three days. That release became one of the strongest holiday openings ever. Galaxy now joins that elite group.
Record-Setting Performance
Super Mario Galaxy posted the biggest three-day opening of the year across North America, international markets, and globally. The record had briefly been held by Project Hail Mary.
Globally, the sequel ranks as the fifth-biggest opening ever for an animated film. It is also the fourth-largest debut for a Hollywood studio release, behind Zootopia 2, Moana 2, and Super Mario. It is the only animated video game franchise to deliver two openings above $350 million worldwide. The film also becomes one of Universal Pictures’ top five launches of all time.
Domestic Milestones
In North America, Super Mario Galaxy recorded the third-highest opening weekend ever for a video game adaptation. It trails A Minecraft Movie and Super Mario.
The franchise now joins Shrek, Toy Story, and Minions as one of the few animated brands with multiple $100 million-plus three-day openings. It also delivered the biggest five-day domestic debut since Moana 2.
Studio Reaction and Audience Scores
“Our opening frame for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is a powerful result for an iconic franchise and a terrific outcome for the marketplace,” said Jim Orr, president of domestic distribution at Universal. He pointed to strong audience scores and predicted a long theatrical run. He also highlighted the track record of Chris Meledandri, founder and head of Illumination.
The film earned an A- CinemaScore from audiences, despite mixed critical reviews. The 2023 installment received an A and went on to gross $1.36 billion worldwide.
Expanding the Mario Universe
Illumination partnered with Nintendo to bring the franchise back to theaters. The sequel follows Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach as they face Bowser and his son, Bowser Jr. The story expands across the galaxy and introduces new characters, including Princess Rosalina and Yoshi.
Project Hail Mary Holds Strong
Project Hail Mary continues to perform well in its third weekend, even after losing IMAX and premium screens. The Ryan Gosling-led film crossed $400 million globally and $200 million domestically over the holiday.
It placed second domestically with $30.6 million from 3,902 theaters. The film dropped 43 percent and reached a North American total of $217.2 million by Easter Sunday.
The Drama Lands in Third
The Drama opened in third place with an estimated $14.1 million from 3,097 locations. The film stars Zendaya and Robert Pattinson. It earned a B CinemaScore and holds an 81 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The top 12 movies of the weekend, as of Sunday April 5, are as follows.
| # | Title | Distributor Name | Weekend Total | # of Locs | Loc Avg | Cume Total | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Super Mario Galaxy Movie, The | Universal | $130,940,000 | 4,252 | $30,795 | $190,053,000 | |
| 2 | Project Hail Mary | Amazon MGM Studios | $30,653,869 | 3,907 | $7,846 | $217,181,000 | -43% |
| 3 | Drama, The | A24 | $14,380,198 | 3,087 | $4,658 | $14,380,198 | |
| 4 | Hoppers | Disney | $5,800,000 | 3,290 | $1,763 | $149,624,515 | -52% |
| 5 | Reminders of Him | Universal | $2,200,000 | 2,361 | $932 | $45,352,000 | -53% |
| 6 | Great Awakening, A | Roadside Attractions | $2,113,565 | 1,289 | $1,640 | $2,113,565 | |
| 7 | They Will Kill You | Warner Bros. | $1,930,000 | 2,778 | $695 | $8,757,000 | -61% |
| 8 | Dhurandhar The Revenge | Moviegoers Entertainment Ltd | $1,852,523 | 464 | $3,993 | $26,243,990 | -60% |
| 9 | Ready or Not 2: Here I Come | Searchlight | $1,800,000 | 2,050 | $878 | $20,173,331 | -56% |
| 10 | Scream 7 | Paramount | $915,000 | 1,130 | $810 | $120,548,000 | -65% |
| 11 | GOAT | Sony | $800,000 | 1,114 | $718 | $102,468,000 | -63% |
| 12 | Rabb Da Radio 3 | Omjee’s Cine World | $704,388 | 50 | $14,088 | $704,388 |
