‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ Quickly Beats DCU’s ‘Superman’s Box Office Worldwide

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James Gunn’s Superman kicked off the new DC Universe with the Man of Steel saving the day from Lex Luthor. However, when faced with a threat that could destroy the entire galaxy, you need some serious help. Surprisingly, that help comes in the form of two Italian plumbers, a talking mushroom, a small green dinosaur, and two princesses – which, actually, isn’t that strange. While Superman earned a respectable $618 million worldwide, it didn’t reach the billion-dollar mark some predicted. But a movie coming out in 2026 has already surpassed Superman’s box office numbers, becoming the year’s biggest hit so far.

Since its release on April 1, 2026, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie—the follow-up to 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie—is proving to be a huge success, quickly outpacing other films in theaters. After only two weeks, it has become a major challenge for Superman, earning $628 million worldwide – $10 million more than Superman has made. While The Super Mario Galaxy Movie hasn’t yet surpassed Superman‘s $354 million domestic earnings, it’s a massive hit internationally, bringing in $320 million compared to Superman‘s $264 million, and those numbers are still rising.

Michael Jelenic and Aaron Horvath directed The Super Mario Bros. Movie, bringing back Chris Pratt as Mario, Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach. The film also features Brie Larson as Princess Rosalina, Benny Safdie as Bowser Jr., and Donald Glover as Yoshi. Glen Powell appears in a brief cameo as Fox McCloud, also known as Starfox.

‘Super Mario Galaxy’ Has Been Slated by Critics, and Still Beat ‘Superman

While The Super Mario Bros. Movie wasn’t a critical darling, it was a huge success with audiences, earning over $1 billion worldwide and guaranteeing a follow-up. That sequel, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, faced similar criticism upon release, with many negative reviews. Currently, it has a low 43% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. However, despite the critical reception, the film is clearly popular with viewers, as it holds an 89% audience score on the same site.

Everyone expected The Super Mario Bros. Movie to be a financial success for Illumination and Nintendo. However, many found it surprising that it outperformed Superman at the box office, especially considering Superman was widely considered one of the best superhero films in recent years. Superman‘s performance was likely hurt by mixed reviews, doubts about another reboot, and a strong boycott campaign led by Zack Snyder fans who wanted a sequel to Man of Steel. It’s time to move on from that request.

Can ‘Supergirl’ Keep the DCU Moving Forward?

James Gunn seems to be avoiding the biggest pitfall of the previous DC Universe: trying to build everything too quickly. While Superman introduced many characters and the new DCU’s world, it told a complete story without strongly hinting at future sequels. Now, Supergirl is next, starring Milly Alcock as Superman’s cousin, who leaves Earth to help an alien girl get revenge for her family. And fans are especially excited to finally see Jason Momoa as Lobo!

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2026-04-13 17:03