The success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie has shown how much potential there is in adapting video games for the big screen. After the first film earned over $1 billion in 2023, the sequel also performed well in theaters, though it didn’t quite reach the same level of financial success.
Despite any criticisms, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie was a massive hit in 2026, proving how much audiences love animated films. This isn’t surprising given how visually appealing animation is, but it’s a point often ignored by people who don’t consider animated movies as good as live-action films.
The success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a sign of things to come for animated films. It’s one of several 2026 animated releases already performing well, demonstrating the potential of animation in theaters and suggesting many more hits are on the way.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Is Currently 2026’s Second-Highest Grossing Movie
As of April 2026, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is the second highest-grossing film of the year, earning $631 million worldwide (according to Box Office Mojo). Only the Chinese sports comedy Pegasus 3 has made more money at the box office.
With many big movies already released in 2026, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has performed exceptionally well at the box office. Its success sets a high bar for other films to try and reach throughout the rest of the year.
The success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie highlights the often-overlooked potential of animated films. While animated movies are frequently made for or targeted towards children, they’re sometimes seen as less important than films with more adult themes. However, animated films offer significant financial benefits and have a great deal of artistic value.
The success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie proves that animated films can still be major box office draws and big events that get people excited to go to the theater. Even though the sequel has received mixed reviews from critics, audiences clearly still love it – its 89% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to a 43% critic score, is a great example of this disconnect.
Three Of 2026’s Current Top 10 Grossing Movies Are Animated Movies
While The Super Mario Galaxy Movie was a success, it’s just one example of a strong year for animated films. 2026 has already proven to be a great year for animation, with many films succeeding both creatively and commercially, drawing large audiences to theaters.
As of today, three animated movies are among the top ten highest-grossing films of 2026. Leading the way is The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, currently ranked second. The sci-fi comedy Hoppers holds the fourth spot, and the animated sports film Goat is currently tenth.
Animated films are already proving to be major successes in 2026, suggesting a bright future for the genre. What’s particularly exciting is the sheer variety on display – these films, while all animated, tell very different stories, ranging from a video game adaptation to a tale of humans switching bodies with robotic animals, and even a movie about a basketball team of animal characters.
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2026-04-18 16:50