The Super Mario Galaxy film has delivered Nintendo and Illumination's biggest opening weekend yet, surpassing early projections to cross $120 million globally by Saturday evening, according to preliminary tracking figures released by Universal Pictures. The strong performance comes despite a notably mixed critical reception that saw the film earn a Rotten Tomatoes score in the low 50s at launch — a sharp contrast to the enthusiasm from general audiences, who awarded it an A CinemaScore.
Theatre owners reported packed Saturday matinee screenings at major multiplexes across North America, with the AMC Empire 25 in New York and the ArcLight Cinerama Dome in Hollywood both logging near-capacity audiences for morning and afternoon showings. Family groups with children dominated the demographic breakdown, consistent with the franchise's broad appeal established by the 2023 original Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Nintendo's entertainment division issued a statement Saturday afternoon calling the opening 'a testament to the enduring global love for Mario and the creative vision brought to the Galaxy universe.' The company's stock ticked upward on Tokyo markets overnight, with analysts pointing to the film as validation of Nintendo's long-term strategy to expand its IP into theatrical entertainment ahead of additional projects rumoured to include a Metroid animated feature.
Critics who panned the film largely cited an overly plot-dense script and rushed emotional beats compared to its predecessor, but audiences have proved resistant to those concerns. Social media engagement metrics tracked by Comscore showed the film trending in the top three entertainment topics across all major platforms through Saturday, with fan-created content and reaction videos generating tens of millions of views within 24 hours of Friday's wide release.
The opening sets up what industry observers are calling a dominant two-week run before major summer competition arrives. Rival studios are watching closely, as the result further cements the video game adaptation genre — following successes from Sony, Netflix, and now Nintendo again — as one of Hollywood's most bankable categories heading into the second half of 2026.