The highly anticipated film, "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie," has made an extraordinary debut, shattering multiple box office records worldwide on its opening day. This cinematic event has not only captivated audiences globally but has also outperformed its predecessor, solidifying its position as a major success in the entertainment industry. The initial figures reveal a groundbreaking performance, indicating widespread anticipation and enthusiasm for the latest installment in the Mario cinematic universe.
Following its initial release, the film garnered an impressive global box office revenue of $68.4 million on its first day. This figure notably exceeds the $66.4 million achieved by "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" on its opening day, highlighting the increased popularity and reach of the sequel. Industry reports from Deadline emphasize that this success wasn't confined to a single region but was a worldwide phenomenon, setting numerous new benchmarks across various markets.
In Mexico, the film achieved Universal's largest opening day ever in the country, raking in $6.7 million, and secured the second-highest animated film opening of all time. The United Kingdom and Ireland also saw significant success, with $4.3 million, marking the second-highest single-day preview for an animated feature. Germany registered $3.8 million, becoming the biggest animated opening and Universal's largest opening ever in the region. Spain's $3 million placed it as the second-highest animated opening day and the third-largest overall opening day in the country's history, trailing only "Twilight" and "Inside Out 2." France contributed $2.9 million, making it the second-largest Illumination opening outside of holiday periods. Central America also experienced a record-breaking day, with $1.8 million, second only to "Avengers: Endgame" for all-time opening days. Austria reported $700,000, setting new records for both Universal and animated films. Other notable contributions came from Italy ($1.5 million), Colombia ($1.1 million), and Australia ($0.7 million).
Domestically, in the United States, "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" earned $34 million on its opening day, making it the highest opening day of the year to date. This performance also surpassed the previous record for an "opening Wednesday" in April, which was held by the first Mario movie with $31.7 million. These figures collectively underscore the immense commercial triumph of the film across diverse geographical regions.
Despite its commercial triumph, the film has received mixed reviews from critics, holding a 42% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, audience reception has been overwhelmingly positive, with a 90% audience score. Our own review from Nintendo Life awarded the movie six out of ten stars, describing it as "a loyal but excessively packed continuation." The film's rollout continues later this month with releases in Japan and Korea, promising further growth in its already stellar box office performance.
In summary, "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" has demonstrably exceeded financial expectations, establishing new benchmarks in various international markets. Its robust global and domestic box office performance on its debut day signals strong audience engagement, setting a high standard for future animated releases, even as critical opinions remain divided.