The Super Mario Bros. Movie' is a Box Office Smash

The recently released animated movie, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, has been a big hit in theaters worldwide. The movie, produced by Universal and Illumination, has earned an estimated $204.6 million in just five days, including $146.4 million over the opening weekend, in 4,343 theaters in North America. The movie has broken records for both video game adaptations and animated films, surpassing Warcraft and Frozen 2 respectively. The global total of $377 million also makes it the biggest movie opening of 2023.

The movie follows the story of the famous Brooklyn plumbers, Mario and Luigi, as they enter a new world filled with Nintendo's well-known characters. Despite mixed reviews from critics, audiences have given it an "A" CinemaScore, praising the directors and animators for creating a visually appealing and cartoony universe that matches the simplicity of the game. The film features Chris Pratt as the voice of Mario and has garnered broad audiences, with 59% being male and 45% between the ages of 18 and 34, according to exit polls.

The success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie has been a significant achievement for Illumination, the animation shop behind the successful Minions series. The studio has produced 13 films, earning over $5 billion in total. Jim Orr, a Universal executive, reported that theaters were surprised by the wide range of audiences and even saw some ticket buyers dressed in character costumes. The movie's success was not the only one over the weekend, as John Wick Chapter 4 and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves also did well in theaters, ranking second and third, respectively.