‘Super Mario’ craze is back in theaters as the sequel to the ultra-popular 2023 blockbuster grossed a ridiculous $35M on Wednesday. That means $180M+ over the five-day weekend is very likely — no other film will come close, not even ‘Project Hail Mary,’ which earned a very respectable $4.3M yesterday.
Internationally, ‘Super Mario’ is also doing very well — $150M by Monday is a real possibility. Despite critical bashing (41% on RT), audiences are eating this one up with an “A-“ on CinemaScore and 91% on RT’s popcorn meter. These ‘Mario’ movies are critic-proof. All the bad reviews in the world cannot stop people from buying a ticket.
Don’t kid yourself — a much-needed boost for exhibitors worldwide, this ‘Super Mario’ sequel is a cultural event, one that might reach $1.5 billion by the end of its run and, much like “A Minecraft Movie” and “Sonic the Hedgehog,” serves as further proof that video game adaptations have overtaken Marvel as the most popular IP among movie audiences.