Super Mario Galaxy Movie becomes highest grossing debut of 2026 in the US

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has achieved the highest-grossing US debut of 2026.

Produced by Universal’s Illumination and Nintendo, the film grossed $372.6 million worldwide and $190.8 million in the US in its first five days. According to Deadline, it earned $34.5 million on opening day, surpassing The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s $31.7 million.

Galaxy is now the only animated franchise with two titles opening above $350 million globally. By comparison, Super Mario Bros. earned $204.6 million in the US and $377 million worldwide during its opening weekend.

Galaxy now holds the second-largest global opening for a video game adaptation and the second-best opening for an Illumination film, both behind Super Mario Bros.

“With a record-breaking launch, The Super Mario Galaxy movie firmly cements Nintendo and Illumination’s powerhouse partnership as one of the most successful collaborations in modern animation,” said NBCUniversal.

“As Mario, Peach, Yoshi and friends continue their galactic adventure across theatres worldwide, the film is poised to sustain its box office dominance and cultural impact into the coming weeks.”

Nintendo confirmed the sequel in September 2025, following the success of the first movie, with its first trailer debuting during a Nintendo Direct in November 2025.