LOS ANGELES — "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" blasted past $629 million in global ticket sales Monday, cementing its status as Hollywood's highest-grossing release of 2026 so far and proving that families still flock to theaters for colorful Nintendo adventures despite mixed critical reviews.

'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' Drops 'Heroes' Teaser Trailer
Super Mario Galaxy

The animated sequel from Universal Pictures and Illumination added an estimated $69 million in its second weekend from 4,284 North American theaters, bringing its domestic total to $308.1 million. International markets contributed roughly $84 million over the weekend, pushing the worldwide cumulative to $629 million after just 12 days in release, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Produced on a budget of about $110 million, the film has already become the second-highest grossing movie of the year behind China's "Pegasus 3" and the top animated title of 2026. It ranks as the ninth-highest grossing Illumination film ever and the third-biggest video game adaptation worldwide, trailing only "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" ($1.36 billion) and "A Minecraft Movie."

Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic with a screenplay by Matthew Fogel, the movie expands the Mushroom Kingdom into cosmic territory inspired by Nintendo's 2007 "Super Mario Galaxy" game. Chris Pratt reprises his role as Mario, joined by Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser and Keegan-Michael Key as Toad. New voices include Brie Larson as Rosalina, Donald Glover as Yoshi, Benny Safdie as Bowser Jr. and Glen Powell as Fox McCloud from the "Star Fox" series.

The story follows Mario and friends as they venture through gravity-defying planets, battling Bowser's latest scheme with help from cosmic allies and plenty of power-ups. Reviewers noted the film's dazzling visuals, faithful Nintendo Easter eggs and breakneck pace, though some criticized a thin plot and reliance on nostalgia. Audience scores proved far stronger: families gave it perfect marks on PostTrak exit polls, while general viewers awarded an A- CinemaScore.

The film launched with explosive force over the Easter holiday. It earned $131.7 million over its three-day opening weekend and $190.8 million in five days domestically — the biggest opening of 2026 and the fourth-largest five-day debut ever in the U.S. and Canada. Globally, it opened to an estimated $372.5 million across 80-plus markets, setting records as the largest MPA animated opening since the first Mario movie and the only animated franchise with two films debuting above $350 million worldwide.

Mexico led international markets with $29.1 million, followed by the U.K. and Ireland. Strong turnout came from families taking advantage of spring break, with heavy play in premium large formats and IMAX screens that generated $15 million domestically in the opening frame alone.

In its second weekend, the movie held remarkably well with a 48% domestic drop — solid for a family film facing no major new competition. Overseas it added another $83 million to $84 million, showing resilience in key territories. Analysts project the film will comfortably surpass $700 million globally next weekend and could approach or exceed $1 billion with strong legs through the summer, especially as it rolls into Japan on April 24 and South Korea on April 29.

The success underscores Nintendo's growing clout in Hollywood following the record-breaking 2023 original. That film, also from Illumination, became one of the highest-grossing animated features ever and helped fuel expansion of Super Nintendo World attractions at Universal theme parks in Hollywood and Orlando. Universal Products & Experiences launched fresh merchandise tied to "Galaxy," while parks offered limited-time experiences including Yoshi meet-and-greets and themed food through mid-April.

Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri, who has overseen 16 consecutive hits for the studio, called the performance "extraordinary" in early comments. The company's partnership with Nintendo continues to deliver crowd-pleasing spectacles that translate game worlds into cinematic joyrides.

Industry observers noted the film's broad appeal. While critics landed at around 40% on Rotten Tomatoes, ticket buyers — especially parents with young children — embraced the colorful spectacle. The audience skewed 61% male overall but families showed near-even splits between moms and dads. Strong word-of-mouth and repeat viewings from kids powered the second-weekend hold.

Competitors felt the gravitational pull. Ryan Gosling's sci-fi drama "Project Hail Mary" held second place with about $24.6 million in its third weekend, pushing its worldwide total above $500 million. A24's "The Drama," starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, opened in third with roughly $8.7 million to $14 million depending on final tallies.

The box office dominance arrives amid a strong 2026 start for theaters, up significantly from the same period last year. "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" has provided a much-needed tentpole in early April, traditionally a softer month before summer blockbusters arrive.

Analysts credit several factors for the haul. Nostalgia for the Mario franchise remains potent, especially among millennials now raising families. The film's PG rating and family-friendly tone make it an easy choice for group outings. Vibrant animation, catchy score by Brian Tyler and imaginative set pieces — including gravity-flipping planets and orchestral remixes of classic Mario tunes — deliver the spectacle audiences expect from Illumination.

Yet challenges loom for long-term legs. The second-weekend multiplier trails the original Mario movie, which benefited from fresher franchise novelty and stronger reviews. Some parents noted the story felt more like a greatest-hits compilation than a tightly plotted adventure. Still, the film's modest budget relative to its earnings ensures robust profitability even if it falls short of the first film's $1.36 billion benchmark.

Nintendo and Universal have signaled confidence in the franchise's future. Shigeru Miyamoto, the legendary creator of Mario, remains closely involved as a producer. Plans for additional sequels or spin-offs could follow if "Galaxy" maintains momentum.

For theater chains, the movie provided a welcome boost. AMC Theatres CEO Adam Aron praised it as the "kind of broad, crowd-pleasing release that brings people into theatres." Chains reported healthy concession sales tied to Mario-themed promotions.

Internationally, performance has been uneven but generally solid. Strong openings in Latin America contrast with more modest results in parts of Asia ahead of key market debuts. Japan, home to Nintendo's headquarters, is expected to deliver a major surge later this month during Golden Week holidays.

As "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" continues its theatrical run, it faces upcoming competition from tentpoles including "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey," "Toy Story 5" and "Avengers: Doomsday." Whether it can hold the crown as 2026's top Hollywood earner will depend on sustained family turnout through May and June.

For now, the plumbers' cosmic journey has delivered another financial supernova. What began as a beloved 2007 Wii game has become a box-office force that continues to defy gravity, pulling in audiences worldwide with its signature blend of whimsy, music and Italian-accented heroism.

The film's rapid climb to $629 million in under two weeks reaffirms animation's enduring power at the multiplex and Nintendo's knack for turning pixels into profits. In an era of streaming fragmentation and superhero fatigue, simple joys — jumping on Goombas, collecting stars and saving the galaxy — still pack theaters.

With more markets yet to open and strong audience scores fueling repeat business, "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" appears headed for a lengthy orbit. It's-a me, Mario — and it's-a big hit once again.