Released on April 29, “Super Mario Galaxy” initially started at second place, trailing behind “The Devil Wears Prada 2.” However, it staged a dramatic comeback, climbing to number one by May 1, the first day of the holiday and its third day of release. After holding the top spot for four consecutive days, it surpassed 1 million viewers on Children’s Day, marking the fastest record for a foreign film this year, beating “Project Hail Mary.”
This fever isn’t just limited to Korea. Before its domestic release, “Super Mario Galaxy” took the global market by storm with overwhelming sales in North America, Japan, and France. According to Box Office Mojo, global earnings as of the 3rd reached 894.22 million USD (approximately 1.32 trillion KRW), making it the number one global hit of the year so far.
“Super Mario Galaxy” is a sequel to the 2023 hit “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” and it is seeing explosive success, perfectly timed with May’s “Family Month.” It has established itself as the ultimate family movie, offering nostalgia for the 30s and 40s generation who grew up with Super Mario games, while providing dazzling visuals and intuitive fun for children.
Audiences are praising the film’s deep understanding and faithful implementation of the original source material. With Nintendo directly involved in production, everything from the story and character designs to the OST and even the smallest sound effects faithfully reflect the identity of the original game series that began in 1985.
Along with the movie’s success, there is a renewed interest in the original games, leading to a surge in sales for related merchandise and collaboration products. Industry analysts predict that the film is likely to maintain its long-term success as positive word-of-mouth continues even after the holiday period.
