The Super Mario Bros. Movie has become the first blockbuster film of 2023 to hit US $1 billion at the global box office, smashing through records in its debut month.
According to Variety, the film has made US $490 million in North America alone, with the international market making up US $532 million. Since the start of the pandemic, only a handful of films have breached the coveted US $1 billion total – with this prestigious list including Spider-Man: No Way Home, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Top Gun: Maverick.
Less than a month on from launching in cinemas, it appears The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a veritable smash hit. Widespread middling reviews from critics have not dampened this success, as the box office has likely been driven by the film’s all-ages appeal, and the strength of Super Mario‘s brand recognition.
On the way to becoming the biggest movie of 2023, this adaptation has achieved a number of notable records, including the second-biggest weekend debut for an animated movie.
Read: The Super Mario Bros. Movie Review
Mario creator and
‘I did have a level of expectations that this movie would also do well … but I was very surprised that it went beyond what I could have imagined when it finally came out,’ Miyamoto recently told Japanese press, per VGC. ‘You need some luck to achieve this level of success for a film.’
While Miyamoto noted the film’s negative critical reception, he believes this aided the notoriety and buzz around the film.
Whatever the reason for its phenomenal success, it’s likely the continued popularity of The Super Mario Bros. Movie will contribute to plans for future
Before The Super Mario Bros. Movie exits theatres, it’s expected to continue smashing records. Just a month in, it’s already become one of the year’s most unexpected success stories.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is currently playing in theatres.
![The Super Mario Bros. Movie (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital) [4K UHD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51anO-45LBL._SL500_.jpg)
