Universal/Nintendo/Illumination’s The Super Mario Galaxy Movie arrived with a bang over Easter on an estimated $130.9m over three days and $190.1m over five for the biggest debut of the year to date.
Opening in 4,252 locations, the family sequel to the 2023 global smash delivered the biggest three-day debut since Wicked: For Good in December; the biggest five-day debut since Moana 2 in 2024; the second-biggest three-day bow for Universal and Illumination behind The Super Mario Bros. Movie; and the third-biggest three-day opening for a film based on a video game behind A Minecraft Movie and The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
The feature, which reportedly cost in the region of $110m, means the animated franchise becomes only the second after Shrek, Toy Story, and Minions to have two titles open to more than $100m over three days.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie debuted two years ago on $146.4m over three and $204.6m over five days and went on to gross $574.9m in North America and $1.36bn worldwide.
Imax screens delivered $15m, accounting for 8% of the film’s overall weekend gross and establishing the opening weekend as the second-highest domestic for an animation in North America in the format.
Chris Pratt and Charlie Day reprise their voice roles as brothers Mario and Luigi, who respond to a mysterious call to help that involves Princess Peach’s past. Anya Taylor-Joy also stars, alongside returning cast Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, and Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek. Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic directed from a screenplay by Matthew Fogel, and Universal Pictures and Nintendo co-financed.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie was the key driver in weekend box office, which produced an estimated $195.7m over three days. While that was 4% down against the same session in 2025 when Warner Bros’ A Minecraft Movie arrived on $162.8m, it has pushed ticket sales for the year-to-date to $2.048bn, tracking 26% ahead of last year by the same stage.
Amazon MGM Studios’ Project Hail Mary starring Ryan Gosling ranks second in its third session as a $30.7m haul from 3,907 sites following a 43% drop boosted the running total to $217.2m
A24’s comedy The Drama starring Zendaya and Robert Pattindon debuted in third place via A24 on $14.4m from 3,087. This was ahead of last year’s hit Materialists, which opened on $11.3m in June 2025. Exit polls indicated that 80% of the audience was aged under 35 for the story of an engaged couple whose wedding appears to be in peril after an unexpected revelation.
Rounding out the top five were Disney/Pixar’s Hoppers at number four on $149.6m after a fourth weekend that delivered $5.8m on a 52% drop; and Universal’s Reminders Of Him in fifth with $2.2m after a 53% decline for $43.4m after five weekends of release.
Placing eighth after three sessions is Dhurandhar: The Revenge, the highest-grossing Indian release of all time in North America. The crime epic added $1.9m from 464 sites via Moviegoers Entertainment for a $26.2m cumulative total.