Super Mario Galaxy Movie Sets 2026 Opening Record

Universal Pictures, Illumination, and Nintendo’s The Super Mario Galaxy Movie opened to $372.5 million USD worldwide in the first five days of release. It marks the biggest global launch of 2026 so far, setting a new record for animated franchises, as reported by Deadline. The performance makes Super Mario the first animated film series to produce two titles exceeding $350M in global opening weekend revenue, following the 2023 film’s $387.8M start.

The film, released on April 1, 2026, with a reported $110M budget, generated $190M domestically, ranking as the fourth-largest five-day opening ever.

Meanwhile, international markets contributed $182.4M from 80 territories and more than 54K screens. The result stands as the fifth-largest global debut in Universal’s history. It also ranks as the fourth-largest opening for a U.S. animated movie, behind Zootopia 2, Moana 2, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Global Box Office Performance and Market Records

Strong performances across major territories drove the launch:

• Mexico: $29.1M
• UK and Ireland: $19.7M
• Germany: $15.8M
• France: $13M
• Spain: $10.8M
• Italy: $7.8M
• Australia: $6.4M
• Central America: $7.4M
• China: $8.4M, ranking as the top film in the market

The opening also marked Illumination’s second-biggest global debut and the second-largest launch for a video game adaptation. Additional benchmarks included becoming the only animated franchise to post two international openings above $170M.

Critics Split, but Audience Response Remains Strong

Reception has diverged between critics and viewers.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 42% critics' score compared to an 89% audience rating. The data indicates continued appeal among its target demographic, though there's a decline from the first film's 59% critic and 95% audience scores.

Despite mixed reviews, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie ranks among the biggest animated launches and reinforces strong global demand for video game adaptations.