Super Mario Galaxy Movie Tops Box Office Despite Mixed Critical Reception
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The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has become the highest-earning film of 2026 so far, generating over $755 million in revenue. While critics have given the film mixed reviews, audiences have responded enthusiastically, awarding it an 89% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film, which features a crossover with the Star Fox character Fox McCloud, was released in Japan on April 24th.
Facts First
- The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is the top-grossing film of 2026, with over $755 million in revenue.
- Audience reception is strong, with an 89% score on Rotten Tomatoes, though critic scores average 49%.
- The film features a character crossover, including Fox McCloud from the Star Fox series.
- Shigeru Miyamoto was heavily involved, working with writer Matthew Vogel for nearly six years on pre-production.
- The film's Japanese release was on April 24th.
What Happened
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie was released in Japan on April 24th and has earned over $755 million globally, making it the highest-earning film of 2026 so far. Critical reviews have been mixed, with Eurogamer awarding it two stars and the film's average critic score on Rotten Tomatoes sitting at 49 percent. In contrast, the audience response score on Rotten Tomatoes is 89 percent. The film includes the character Fox McCloud, voiced by Glen Powell, a crossover that is unusual for Nintendo outside of the Super Smash Bros. series. Creative leader Shigeru Miyamoto worked closely with writer Matthew Vogel for nearly six years during the first film's pre-production, with plot outlines being redone several times.
Why this Matters to You
If you're a fan of Nintendo's franchises, this film's massive box office success likely means you will see more high-budget adaptations of its popular game worlds. The strong audience score suggests that, despite critical opinions, the movie delivers the fun and nostalgia many viewers seek in a family film. The inclusion of Fox McCloud could signal a broader strategy of connecting different Nintendo universes in future projects, which may lead to more unexpected and exciting crossovers in movies and games.
What's Next
The film's financial success makes a sequel highly likely. Furthermore, the prominent feature of Fox McCloud in the movie appears to be fueling speculation about a revival of the Star Fox game series. A current rumor suggests a Star Fox game for the Switch 2 could be announced before the end of April.