The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has crossed a major milestone, 10 weeks into its theatrical run: Nintendo and Illumination’s animated Mario movie has grossed more than $1 billion at the global box office, according to a report from Deadline. While The Super Mario Galaxy Movie trails its predecessor — 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie made $1.36 billion worldwide — it’s still the top-grossing movie of 2026, according to Box Office Mojo.
The movie’s billion-dollar milestone won’t be a surprise to anyone who monitored The Super Mario Galaxy Movie‘s box office. The film grossed $190.1 million in the United States in its first five days back in April. But in recent weeks, the movie’s ability to a reach a billion dollars at during its theatrical run looked uncertain.
The success of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie all but guarantees a third entry in the Super Mario film franchise. Nintendo and Illumination have an untitled project on the calendar for 2028, which could be a direct sequel. But given the expanded reach of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which includes characters like Star Fox’s Fox McCloud and Pikmin, it’s possible that Nintendo and Illumination might pivot to spinoffs or stand-alone character films next.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie‘s box office haul proves it’s a hit with audiences. But the sequel was less well-received with critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the original The Super Mario Bros. Movie has a 59% score, while Galaxy comes in far lower at 49%.
“Like its predecessor, Galaxy is stuffed with references to Mario games released over the past 40 years, and it relies on nostalgia and dazzling visuals to carry a paper-thin plot,” we said in our review of the film. “The sequel is even less focused, yanking in references from across the Nintendo IP library to fill the gaps between story beats.”
Nintendo’s next theatrical showing will be a live-action film based on The Legend of Zelda, which is scheduled to hit movie theaters on April 30, 2027. Directed by Wes Ball, The Legend of Zelda stars Bo Bragason as Princess Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is available for purchase digitally as of May 19. The digital launch will be followed by 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray editions releasing on June 16.
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