The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Achieves $1 Billion Milestone

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“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” is the first film to surpass $1 billion at the box office in 2026. This success comes in its tenth weekend post-release. A collaborative effort from Illumination, Nintendo, and Universal, the movie debuted on April 1, 2026, and has become the highest-grossing movie of the year. It leads by more than $100 million, with the Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” earning $888 million and “Project Hail Mary” at $679 million, according to Box Office Mojo.

Aside from this, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” ranks as the second-highest-grossing film based on a video game, only behind “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” The first movie, launched in 2023, collected $1.3 billion worldwide, setting the record for video game adaptations and surpassing the billion-dollar mark first.

Together, these films have solidified “The Super Mario” series as one of the most profitable in the industry. The combined gross of $2 billion places them ninth among the top animated franchises worldwide. They have outperformed the seven-film “Madagascar” series, which grossed a total of $2.26 billion, with only two releases. This achievement marks the third time Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri has placed a franchise in the top ten since founding his company in 2007.

Biggest Animated Franchises of All Time

Below are the top ten highest-grossing animated franchise films, reflecting all entries’ combined box office results:

Despicable Me, $5.64 billion, 6 films
Shrek, $3.98 billion, 6 films
Toy Story, $3.28 billion, 5 films
Ice Age, $3.22 billion, 5 films
Zootopia, $2.89 billion, 2 films
Frozen, $2.73 billion, 2 films
Inside Out, $2.56 billion, 2 films
Kung Fu Panda, $2.37 billion, 4 films
Super Mario films, $2.30 billion, 2 films
Madagascar, $2.26 billion, 7 films

Universal has experienced a successful 2026, with upcoming releases including Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi drama “Disclosure Day” and Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” the latter expected to achieve over $1 billion in revenue. Universal is also collaborating again with Illumination on “Minions & Monsters,” releasing on July 1, 2026. Another “Super Mario Bros” installment is anticipated around 2028.

Top 10 Highest-Grossing Films of 2026

Currently, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” holds the top spot in 2026’s box office earnings, totaling $1,000,028,930 globally. Here is the top ten list:

“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” — $1,000,028,930
“Michael” — $888,066,424
“Project Hail Mary” — $679,728,026
“The Devil Wears Prada 2” — $663,570,934
“Pegasus 3” — $656,459,523
“Hoppers” — $372,010,783
“Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” — $293,622,349
“Wuthering Heights” — $241,601,072
“Obsession” — $224,795,930
“Blades of the Guardians” — $215,363,913

‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ Cast

The movie features Chris Pratt as Mario and Charlie Day as Luigi. Anya Taylor-Joy, Keegan-Michael Key, and Jack Black reprise their roles as Peach, Toad, and Bowser respectively. Below is the complete cast list: