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The Super Mario Bros. Movie Tops Estimated US$1 Billion Globally
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Entertainment news website Deadline reported on Sunday that the film earned the equivalent of US$14.3 million in its opening weekend in Japan, naming it the largest opening ever "for an animated studio movie." (Deadline's definition of "studio movie" apparently excludes Japanese productions, as several anime films such as Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train have earned more in their Japanese opening.)
The film has earned an estimated US$1,022,446,698 worldwide — the first film this year to top US$1 billion and only the fifth film to reach the milestone since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Deadline, it is the 10th animated film to earn US$1 billion worldwide, and thus is the #10 highest-grossing animated film worldwide. It is also the biggest animated film worldwide since 2019, and the fourth biggest film in general worldwide since 2019.
The film opened in the U.S. and in over 60 markets worldwide on April 5. The film earned US$31,702,735 in its opening day in the U.S., and US$204,630,730 in its first five days in the U.S. (the film opened on a Wednesday, and thus had a five-day opening frame). Deadline puts the movie's estimated US$377,628,865 opening worldwide as the highest-earning all-time worldwide opening for an animated film, beating Frozen II. (Frozen II opened over a regular three-day frame, as opposed to The Super Mario Bros. Movie's five-day frame.) The film also has the biggest all-time opening for a video game film adaptation, the biggest domestic and worldwide openings of 2023 so far, and the second-biggest all-time domestic opening for an animated film.
The film has been the highest-grossing film of 2023 worldwide. The film is also the highest-earning video game adaptation in history.
The film is now the #1 film of 2023 in 31 international markets including Australia, Germany, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain, and the U.K. and Ireland. It is also the top studio animation or family title since 2019 in France, Italy, Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru, and Bolivia.
Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic directed the film, with a script by Matthew Fogel. The movie's English voice cast includes Chris Pratt and Charlie Day as Mario and Luigi, respectively. Anya Taylor-Joy plays Princess Peach. Jack Black voices Bowser.
Other cast members include Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek, and Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike. Charles Martinet, who has voiced Mario and many other Nintendo characters in games, also voices "surprise cameos" in the film.
Illumination founder Chris Meledandri co-produced the film with Super Mario Bros. creator Shigeru Miyamoto. Meledandri stated that Miyamoto was "front and center in the creation of this film" and noted that the "original creative voice" is often absent from Hollywood film adaptations.
Sources: Box Office Mojo, The Numbers, Deadline (Nancy Tartaglione), Variety (Rebecca Rubin)
