Reviews don’t matter when you have a starred plumber
It seems that the critics did not like the mushroom of power. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie premiered with reviews that we could describe as… lukewarm. A 40% on Rotten Tomatoes isn’t exactly a standing ovation.
But do you know who did applaud? The mass public. And with the wallet.
The animated sequel grossed $130.9 million in its opening weekend alone in the US and Canada. In five days, the figure rises to 190.1 million. Worldwide, the debut points to an astronomical 372.5 million.
“It’s exactly the kind of wide, crowd-pleasing release that makes people go to theaters,”
said Adam Aron, CEO of AMC.
And boy were they. The film was shown in 4,252 theaters in North America alone, including more than 400 IMAX screens. In Mexico it was a phenomenon, leading international sales with 29.1 million.
The paradox of millennial success
Here’s the funny thing: this is a success despite. Despite regular criticism. Although it grossed less than the first film in its domestic debut (204 million in 2023).
But it is also a success thanks to. Thanks to the proven formula: Chris Pratt, Jack Black and company returning to voice these icons. Thanks to a production that cost around 110 million, a safe bet for Universal and Illumination.
And above all, thanks to that family audience that gave it five out of five stars in PostTrak surveys. The CinemaScore was a solid A-.
The data shows that 61% of the audience was male, but among the families there was a slight majority of mothers (52%). Nostalgia is a family business.
Meanwhile, the rest of the box office seemed like another universe. Project Hail Mary in second place with 30.7 million seems like a joke next to the power of the mushroom kingdom.
That’s how the zeitgeist works now: You can have all the bad reviews in the world, but if you hit the right nostalgic chord (and have a stellar voice cast), the theaters still fill up. One more reminder that sometimes pop culture and dollars speak very different languages.
