Anya Taylor-Joy’s The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Debuts Rotten Tomatoes Score Unveiled

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The new release is almost here, and excitement is building! The first part was a surprise success when it came out in 2023.

For over forty years, Nintendo’s Mario has expanded beyond video games into books, comics, movies, and cartoons. The 2023 film, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, made by Illumination and Universal, was popular despite receiving mixed reviews. The new film, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, appears to be following a similar pattern, launching with even more negative initial reactions.

The new 2023 film currently has a 59% approval rating, while The Super Mario Galaxy Movie started with a lower 44%. These scores are likely to change as more reviews are published – right now, there are only 50 available. An audience score hasn’t been released yet, but initial reviews are generally good, suggesting the film will probably spark as much debate as the previous one.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Is Divisive

The new Mario movie takes the adventure beyond the Mushroom Kingdom and into outer space! Mario and Luigi, along with their friends, encounter Princess Rosalina while battling Bowser and his son, Bowser Jr. The original voice cast—Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, and Keegan-Michael Key—return, and Brie Larson joins as Princess Rosalina with Benny Safdie voicing Bowser Jr.

M.N. Miller from InSession Film praised the sequel, calling the animation some of the most beautiful and visually stunning they’ve ever seen, and at times, completely breathtaking.

Eli Friedberg of Slant Magazine didn’t enjoy The Super Mario Bros. Movie, describing it as technically impressive but creatively empty – a visually stunning film with little artistic depth.

Alissa Wilkinson of the New York Times found The Super Mario Bros. Movie to be disappointingly empty and lacking substance, even more so than the previous film. Rodrigo Perez of The Playlist described it as visually appealing but emotionally hollow, feeling like a product designed for branding rather than a genuine adventure.

Brooks points out that while Rosalina and Bowser Jr. are significant additions to the game, they aren’t used to their full potential. Bowser Jr. has a storyline that makes sense for his character, but Rosalina feels like she’s only there to move the plot forward, and neither character is particularly well-developed.

Part of the issue is the film’s brief 98-minute length. As one review put it, a movie this short sets high expectations, meets them only partially, and feels over before you know it, leaving you somewhat unsatisfied.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Was Divisive

The 2023 Super Mario movie, while not the first attempt to bring the famous character to the big screen, wasn’t without its issues. Critics pointed to a simple storyline, the casting of Chris Pratt (despite Mario’s Italian heritage), and a perceived lack of originality, as if the filmmakers were trying too hard to please everyone. Ultimately, the film received a 59% approval rating, just shy of being considered generally well-received.

Despite initial concerns, the movie was a hit with its target audience. It earned a 95% ‘Verified Hot’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with viewers particularly enjoying the animation, nods to the Nintendo universe, and overall entertainment value.

The movie was a hit with audiences and earned $1.36 billion worldwide, making it the second highest-grossing film of the year, just after Barbie.

The new movie, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, cost about the same to make as the first one. While the original had a $100 million budget, the sequel cost $110 million. Initial estimates suggest The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will have already earned enough to cover its costs after its first week in theaters.

Typically, a movie needs to earn about 2.5 times its production cost to become profitable. This is because theaters keep half of the ticket sales, and studios usually spend a similar amount on advertising. While Universal hasn’t officially said how much The Super Mario Bros. Movie needs to earn to break even, it’s off to a strong start with an estimated $350 million earned worldwide in its opening weekend.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie premieres in theaters on Apr. 1.

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2026-03-31 22:38