Super Mario Galaxy Movie becomes highest grossing debut of 2026 in the US
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has become the highest-grossing US debut of 2026, demonstrating the continued commercial success of the Super Mario franchise in film. The Universal/Illumination production earned $372.6 million worldwide and $190.8 million domestically during its first five days, with an opening day total of $34.5 million—surpassing the opening day performance of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which grossed $31.7 million.
This achievement makes Super Mario Galaxy a landmark success for the animated franchise. It is now the only animated film series with two entries that each opened above $350 million globally. While The Super Mario Bros. Movie performed strongly with $204.6 million in the US and $377 million worldwide during its opening weekend, the Galaxy sequel has exceeded those numbers across the same timeframe.
The film’s success underscores the enduring appeal of Nintendo’s Mario IP and the effectiveness of the Nintendo/Illumination partnership in translating gaming properties to cinema. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’s performance positions it among the most successful animated film debuts, building on the momentum established by The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s record-breaking release.