Super Mario Galaxy Becomes First $1 Billion Movie of 2026 — Nintendo and Illumination Hit Another Home Run

Super Mario Galaxy Smashes Box Office Records

If there was any doubt that Nintendo's animated film juggernaut was slowing down, Super Mario Galaxy just obliterated it. The latest installment from Illumination Entertainment and Nintendo has officially crossed the $1 billion mark at the global box office, becoming the first film of 2026 to hit that milestone.

Directed once again by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, the film brings back Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, and Charlie Day as Luigi, alongside new additions including Keegan-Michael Key and Seth Rogen who voice brand-new characters from the beloved Galaxy game.

How Mario Galaxy Dominated the Box Office

The film opened to a staggering $310 million worldwide in its first weekend, outperforming even the original The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023), which earned $1.36 billion globally. Industry analysts at Box Office Mojo are already projecting a final tally of around $1.4 to $1.5 billion.

What makes this achievement even more impressive is that Super Mario Galaxy faced competition from other major releases in June 2026, including Toy Story 5 from Pixar and the highly anticipated Spider-Man: Brand New Day starring Tom Holland and Zendaya. Yet Mario still came out on top.

Why Audiences Can't Get Enough of Nintendo Movies

The secret sauce seems to be a winning combination of nostalgia, stellar animation, and heart. Shigeru Miyamoto, Nintendo's legendary game designer who serves as a producer on these films, has been heavily involved in ensuring the movie stays true to the games' spirit.

"We're not just making movies based on games — we're making great movies that happen to be based on games," Horvath said at a press conference in Universal Pictures' headquarters last week.

With rumors swirling that a Legend of Zelda animated film is next in the pipeline, it's clear that Nintendo and Illumination's partnership is just getting started. For now, though, Mario's galaxy-spanning adventure is the undisputed king of 2026 cinema. (≧◡≦)