Audiences said let鈥檚 go to the movie theater for 鈥� 鈥� this weekend. The animated offering from Universal and Illumination powered up with $204.6 million in its first five days in 4,343 North American theaters, including $146.4 million over the weekend, according to studio estimates on Sunday.
With an estimated $173 million in international earnings and a global total of $377 million, 鈥淢ario鈥� broke records for video game adaptations (passing 鈥淲arcraft鈥檚鈥� $210 million) and animated films (鈥淔rozen 2鈥檚鈥� $358 million).
Its global total makes it the biggest opening of 2023 and the second biggest three-day domestic animated opening (behind 鈥淔inding Dory鈥�). It鈥檚 also a record for Illumination, the animation shop behind successful franchises like 鈥淢inions,鈥� which has made over $5 billion from its 13 films.
鈥淭his partnership between Nintendo and Illumination is just incredible and led to this extraordinary performance,鈥� said Jim Orr, Universal's president of domestic distribution.
The PG-rated 鈥淢ario鈥� 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鈥檚 most famous characters, from Bowser (Jack Black) to Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy). Critics were largely mixed. 鈥淢ario鈥� currently has a 56% on Rotten Tomatoes. But audiences were more favorable, giving it an A CinemaScore.
Orr said that theater owners were surprised by just how broad the audiences were and reported seeing some ticket buyers decked out in character costumes for the movie. According to exit polls, 59% of the audience was male and 45% were between the ages of 18 and 34.
鈥�$377 million worldwide is just astounding and a testament to how important outside of the home activities are for families,鈥� said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. 鈥淜ids and their parents collectively were able to go out, have an outside the home event for the whole family at a relatively bargain price compared to a trip or a sporting event.鈥�
Also, Dergarabedian noted, there is a long runway before 鈥淕uardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3鈥� opens on May 5.
鈥淭his was a perfect release date,鈥� Dergarabedian said.
鈥淢ario鈥� wasn鈥檛 the only movie based on a brand that opened in theaters this week. Ben Affleck鈥檚 鈥淎ir,鈥� about the origins of Nike鈥檚 Air Jordan and how the corporation signed Michael Jordan, also debuted in 3,507 theaters Wednesday. The film, which marks Amazon Studios first global theatrical release, has grossed an estimated $20.2 million since opening Wednesday in North America, with $14.5 million coming from the weekend to give it a fourth place start.
With an R-rating, 鈥淎ir,鈥� starring Matt Damon, Viola Davis and Affleck, was a bit of adult-targeted counter programming to the 鈥淢ario鈥� 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.
鈥溾�橝ir鈥� found its audience. It鈥檚 a solid gross,鈥� Dergarabedian said. 鈥淭his one is in it for the long haul.鈥�
鈥淎ir" is the first film from Artists Equity which was formed last year in partnership with RedBird Capital.
Second place went to 鈥淛ohn Wick Chapter 4鈥� which made $14.6 million in its third weekend, bringing its total grosses to $147.1 million. Close behind was 鈥淒ungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves鈥� which placed third with $14.5 million in its second weekend, while 鈥淪cream VI鈥� rounded out the top 5 with $3.3 million.
In limited release, Kelly Reichardt鈥檚 art-centric 鈥� ,鈥� with Michelle Williams and Hong Chau, also bowed on four screens, grossing $66,932.
鈥淭his is such an important weekend for theaters, a home stretch heading into the summer movie season, and this is a perfect scenario,鈥� Dergarabedian said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 game on for movie theaters when a lot of people thought it was game over.鈥�
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. 鈥淭he Super Mario Bros. Movie,鈥� $146.4 million.
2. 鈥淛ohn Wick: Chapter 4,鈥� $14.6 million.
3. 鈥淒ungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves,鈥� $14.5 million.
4. 鈥淎ir,鈥� $14.5 million.
5. 鈥淪cream VI,鈥� $3.3 million.
6. 鈥淗is Only Son,鈥� $3.3 million.
7. 鈥淐reed III,鈥� $2.8 million.
8. 鈥淪hazam! Fury of the Gods,鈥� $1.6 million.
9. 鈥淧aint,鈥� $750,000.
10. 鈥淎 Thousand and One,鈥� $600,000.
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Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr.
Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press
