Super Mario Galaxy Movie Crosses a Big Milestone for Video Game Movies

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has officially surpassed A Minecraft Movie, with a $964 million take at the global box office. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie marked the second installment in the series, reuniting audiences with characters like Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach, while also bringing in additional characters such as Fox McCloud, Bowser Jr., and Yoshi.

While adaptations of video games have existed for decades, studios are increasingly seeing the financial benefits of movies based on franchises from Nintendo, Sega, and more. A Minecraft Movie was a huge box office success, drawing in more than $960 million during its run in theaters.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’s Big Milestone

With the sequel reaching $964 million at the global box office, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has officially become the second highest grossing movie based on a video game. Nintendo now officially holds the top two spots on that list; The Super Mario Bros. Movie is still in the lead, having generated more than $1.3 billion during its theatrical run. Unsurprisingly, Nintendo and Illumination have plans for additional films based on the franchise, and rumors have been circulating about potential spin-offs. Charlie Day wants a Luigi’s Mansion movie, and Seth Rogen has also shared enthusiasm about Donkey Kong getting his own adventure.

Who’s That Character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Who’s That Character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)

It’s too early to tell what’s in store next for animated Nintendo movies. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie sets up a sequel, with a post-credit scene teasing another major Mario character. Illumination and Nintendo have a mystery movie set to be released on April 12, 2028, but it’s unclear if this will be a direct sequel to The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, or something else entirely. Three years passed between The Super Mario Bros. Movie and its sequel, so 2028 might be too soon to return to the series. Instead, it seems more likely that another Nintendo character will be getting the spotlight.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is likely the biggest video game adaptation of 2026, but it’s not the only one. Warner Bros. released Mortal Kombat 2 earlier in the month of May, and the movie has already earned back its budget. A Resident Evil movie is coming from director Zach Cregger, with a September 18 release date. Less than a month later, Paramount’s Street Fighter will be released in theaters on October 16. That’s not even taking into account multiple video game adaptations set for 2027, including Sonic the Hedgehog 4 and The Legend of Zelda.

Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.

Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)

At a time when movie theaters are desperate for success stories, adaptations of video games have become a very safe bet for Hollywood. As a result, there’s been something of a gold rush, with studios desperate to find the next Minecraft, Sonic, or Mario. Nearly every major game property seems to have a movie or TV series in the works, but there are also some deeper cuts that have been optioned, such as ToeJam and Earl. Not every video game adaptation is guaranteed to find the level of success of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, but studios can hardly be blamed for trying.