The Super Mario Galaxy Movie enjoyed otherworldly success at the box office in its second weekend in theatres.
The Universal and Illumination sequel added US$69 million (S$88.1 million) from 4,284 theatres in the US and Canada, according to studio estimates Sunday (April 12).
That brings its running domestic total to US$308.1 million and its global total to US$629 million.
That’s a 48 per cent drop from the film’s first weekend in theatres, a fairly modest decline for a blockbuster.
But the chasm between this movie and the first continues to grow.
By its second weekend in 2023, The Super Mario Bros Movie — which was much better reviewed than its follow-up — had earned over US$353 million domestically.
Still, the sequel is an unabashed hit by any measure, having cost only US$110 million to produce.
Paul Dergarabedian, the head of marketplace trends for Comscore, said “it’s a very respectable” hold.
“For the film to already be over US$300 million is just astonishing,” Dergarabedian said, noting that the majority of tickets were likely sold at lower prices for children.
“To get to these box office milestones is all the more impressive.”
The movie is also helping power up box office momentum before the summer movie season begins in May.
The weekend’s big new opener was also a Universal release: The travelogue romantic comedy You, Me & Tuscany, starring Halle Bailey and Rege-Jean Page of Bridgerton fame.
It debuted in fourth place with an estimated US$8 million from 3,151 screens against a reported production budget of US$18 million.
Women made up an overwhelming 80 per cent of the audience.
Directed by Kat Coiro, the movie arrived in theatres with mixed to positive reviews.
According to a review by The Associated Press, it’s “a movie as frothy and insubstantial as the foam on a nice cappuccino”.
It currently holds a 68 per cent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Audiences seemed to enjoy it a bit more. According to PostTrak exit polls, 77 per cent of ticket buyers said they would “definitely recommend” it to friends.
It also got an A- on CinemaScore.
Jim Orr, Universal’s head of domestic distribution, said the audience reaction scores, “point to a very nice run at the box office”.
Second place at the box office this week went to Amazon MGM Studios’ Project Hail Mary, which is still drawing double-digit ticket sales in its fourth weekend.
It added an estimated US$24.6 million from Friday to Sunday, bringing its domestic total to US$256.7 million.
Worldwide, it has earned US$510.6 million.
The Drama took third place in its second weekend, with US$8.7 million.
The buzzy A24 movie about an engaged couple played by Robert Pattinson and Zendaya fell only 38 per cent, bringing its domestic total to US$30.8 million and its worldwide total to US$65 million.
Disney and Pixar’s Hoppers rounded out the top five in its sixth weekend with US$4.1 million.
The animated movie has made US$354.4 million globally to date.
Another bright spot was the Japanese video game adaptation Exit 8, which made US$1.4 million from only 490 theatres and landed in seventh place.
Directed by Genki Kawamura, the Neon-distributed film is sitting at 95 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Top 10 movies by domestic box office
With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at US and Canadian theatres, according to Comscore:
1. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, US$69 million.
2. Project Hail Mary, US$24.6 million.
3. The Drama, US$8.7 million.
4. You, Me & Tuscany, US$8 million.
5. Hoppers, US$4.1 million.
6. Faces of Death, US$1.7 million.
7. Exit 8, US$1.4 million.
8. A Great Awakening, US$1.3 million.
9. Reminders of Him, US$1 million.
10. Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, US$867,000.
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