Super Mario Galaxy The Movie becomes first 2026 release to reach US$1 billion

The film “Super Mario Galaxy The Movie” crossed the US$1 billion mark in worldwide revenue. The animated production became the first release of 2026 to reach this level.

Released at the beginning of April, the film accumulates results in around ten weeks of exhibition. The value confirms the good commercial performance of the sequel, which follows the success of the previous film in the franchise.

Universal Pictures produced the title in partnership with Illumination and Nintendo. The budget was US$110 million, which makes the financial return quite positive so far.

Main cast returns with new reinforcements

Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Keegan-Michael Key and Jack Black returned to voice the main characters. The sequel also brought Donald Glover, Glen Powell and Benny Safdie to the voice cast.

• Chris Pratt as Mario
• Anya Taylor-Joy as Peach
• Charlie Day as Luigi
• Jack Black as Bowser
• Keegan-Michael Key in supporting role

Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic once again directed the project. The story takes Mario and Luigi on adventures in cosmic worlds, inspired by the 2007 game Super Mario Galaxy for Wii.

The previous film, “Super Mario Bros.: The Movie,” ended its theatrical run with nearly $1.4 billion in global box office receipts. The new production is heading towards impressive numbers, but at a slightly more gradual pace.

Production bets on high-level animation

Illumination handled the animation, with studios in Paris. The neat visuals and fidelity to the game’s elements helped attract families and fans of the Nintendo franchise.

Divided reviews pointed to a more chaotic plot compared to the first film. Even so, the public approved it in a high percentage, which supported the stay in the theaters.

Universal has already signaled plans to continue the franchise. Other Illumination titles, such as the “Despicable Me” and “Minions” sagas, reinforce the studio’s consistency in large commercial deliveries.

Performance in Brazil and international markets

In Brazil, the film attracted more than a million viewers in its first weeks. The opening was the biggest of the year in the country, with significant revenue in reais.

Abroad, performance was divided between strong domestic box office in the United States and good numbers in other territories. The international total contributed significantly to surpassing one billion.

• Approximate domestic gross: US$428 million
• International collection: around US$572 million
• Worldwide total: US$1 billion

The result places “Super Mario Galaxy The Movie” as the highest grossing film of 2026 so far. Other releases of the year, such as productions from Lionsgate, Amazon MGM and Disney, appear behind the list.

Future of Nintendo’s animated franchise

The commercial success reinforces Nintendo’s interest in film adaptations. The partnership with Universal and Illumination proved successful once again.

Executives from the companies involved are already commenting on the possibility of new adventures with Mario and Luigi. The focus should continue on light, colorful and accessible stories for different ages.

Meanwhile, the film continues to be shown in several theaters. The arrival on the digital market should further expand the scope of production in the coming weeks.