More than Frozen II, more than any other animated film ever made. Super Mario Bros from video game goes to the big screen and smashes. In a single weekend. The 5-day worldwide release in the United States is estimated to have earned $377 million, setting a record higher than Frozen II, which stopped at “only” $358 million. On the first day of screening it grossed $204.6 million, surpassing even Pixar’s “The Incredibles 2,” which brought the record to $182 million. In Italy, the Nintendo and Illumination film reached 3.7 million euros, winning 70 percent of domestic box office on the days it debuted simultaneously around the world.
But the records do not stop there. Among films created as adaptations of video games, the story of the plumber with the mustache and unmistakable overalls is the “richest” ever: it surpasses “Sonic the Hedgehog 2,” which grossed $721 million last year, and the 2016 record held by “Warcraft”
“This weekend’s record-breaking debut proves that audiences of all ages and demographics will flock to theaters for a rollicking, fun and authentic adventure of an already iconic character,” said Jim Orr, Universal’s president of distribution. “The creative synergy of Nintendo and Illumination along with the extraordinary leadership of Shigeru Miyamoto and Chris Meledandri has created a fun behemoth that is sure to fuel the box office for weeks to come…”
Thanks in large part to “Super Mario Bros.” overall weekend estimates rose to $194 million, 76 percent higher than the same weekend in 2019.
