The Super Mario Bros Movie, the animated offering from Universal and Illumination, has powered up with 204.6 million US dollars (£164.7 million) in its first five days in 4,343 North American cinemas, according to studio estimates.
This includes 146.4 million dollars (£117.9 million) over the weekend.
With an estimated 173 million dollars (£139.3 million) in international earnings and a global total of 377 million dollars (£303.5 million), Mario broke records for video game adaptations, passing Warcraft’s 210 million dollars (£169 million), and animated films, exceeding Frozen 2’s 358 million dollars (£288 million).
Its global total makes it the biggest opening of 2023 and the second biggest three-day domestic animated opening, behind Finding Dory.
It is also a record for Illumination, the animation shop behind successful franchises such as Minions, which has made more than five billion dollars (£4 billion) from its 13 films.
The PG-rated Mario is an origin story of Brooklyn plumbers Mario, voiced by Chris Pratt, and Luigi (Charlie Day), who fall into a pipe and come out in another world full of Nintendo’s most famous characters, from Bowser (Jack Black) to Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy).
Reviews were largely mixed – Mario currently has a 56% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
But audiences were more favourable, giving it an A CinemaScore.
Mario was not the only film based on a brand that opened in cinemas this week.
Ben Affleck’s Air, about the origins of Nike’s Air Jordan and how the corporation signed Michael Jordan, also debuted in 3,507 cinemas on Wednesday.
The film, which marks Amazon Studios’ first global theatrical release, has grossed an estimated 20.2 million dollars (£16.2 million) since opening on Wednesday in North America, with 14.5 million dollars (£11.67 million) coming from the weekend.
With an R-rating, Air, starring Matt Damon, Viola Davis and Affleck, was a bit of adult-targeted counter-programming to the Mario juggernaut.
Reviews were glowing (95% on Rotten Tomatoes) for the film, which debuted as a surprise screening at the South by Southwest Film Festival last month, helping to bolster buzz.
Audiences were 55% male and 39% over the age of 45.
Air is the first film from Affleck and Damon’s new company Artists Equity, which was formed last year in partnership with RedBird Capital.
In limited release, Kelly Reichardt’s art-centric Showing Up, with Michelle Williams and Hong Chau, also bowed on four screens, grossing 66,932 dollars (£53,895).
