Nintendo, Illumination, and Universal have another billion-dollar hit on their hands.
Over the weekend, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie became the first film of 2026 to cross $1 billion at the global box office. The animated sequel has earned $428.5 million domestically and $571.5 million internationally, bringing its worldwide total to just over $1 billion after nine weekends in theaters.
While the film won’t match the $1.36 billion haul of 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, its performance further cements Mario’s place among animation’s most reliable theatrical brands. The sequel, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic and produced by Illumination founder Chris Meledandri alongside Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto, opened to $372.6 million globally in April, the biggest debut of any Hollywood release this year, and has demonstrated legs powerful enough to launch a plumber through a block of bricks.
Mario’s success is another major win for Illumination, which has spent the better part of two decades establishing itself as one of Hollywood’s most consistent box office performers. For Universal and Nintendo, the result reinforces the enduring strength of the Mario franchise and gives both companies another powerful foundation as they continue expanding their big-screen ambitions.
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