world
Super Mario Galaxy Movie Leads US Box Office for 2026
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie earned $48.3 million on its opening day in the US and is projected to reach $129 million over the opening weekend. It is set to surpass the previous record held by Project Hail Mary, which opened with $80.5 million. Globally, the film is expected to gross over $370 million, making it the top Hollywood release of the year so far.
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie achieved the highest opening day gross of the year in the United States, earning $48.3 million on Friday. This performance positions it to exceed $129 million domestically over its opening weekend. The film is an animated sequel that continues the adventures from the original video game series.
Prior to this, the record for the year's highest-grossing opening weekend was held by Project Hail Mary, a sci-fi film starring Ryan Gosling, which earned $80.5 million domestically. The Independent reported that The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is on course to become the highest-grossing Hollywood film of 2026 so far.
This shift highlights ongoing competition in the film industry for box office dominance.
Globally, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is projected to earn more than $370 million during its opening weekend, according to reports from Deadline. This would make it the biggest Hollywood release of the year, trailing only the Chinese film Pegasus 3, which grossed $392 million in its opening weekend. The success reflects the international appeal of animated films based on popular franchises.
The original Super Mario film, released in 2023, was a major box office success, grossing over $1 billion worldwide and ranking as the second highest-grossing animated film of all time, behind Frozen II. This background provides context for the sequel's expectations, as the franchise has demonstrated strong audience draw.
The stakes involve not only financial returns but also the influence on future productions in the animation sector.
The film features returning cast members including Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, and Donald Glover as Yoshi. New additions include Glen Powell as Fox McCloud, Brie Larson as Princess Rosalina, and Issa Rae as Honey Queen. These actors bring the video game characters to life in this animated adventure.
