Let’s-a go to the movies! Box office projections are expecting the Super Mario Bros. Movie to have one of Illumination’s best openings.
The box office haul for The Super Mario Bros. Movie is projected to be $127.5 million over its five-day opening, throwing a blue shell at previous estimates, which put it between $85-$90 million. Breaking it down, Wednesday–its official opening day–was looking at $26 million alone, while the three-day total is shaping up to be just over $86 million.
These box office numbers would make The Super Mario Bros. Movie the second-best five-day opening for Illumination, following 2013’s Despicable Me 2. While Pixar and Disney are still the kings of box office when it comes to animated features, Illumination has been making its presence known for over a decade now, with the Despicable Me franchise actually being one of the highest-grossing animated franchises ever. Through its five entries, it has raked in nearly $1.6 billion, topping even Toy Story (albeit with only four entries). Ahead of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Illumination has a worldwide take of just over $8 billion, with much credit going to the minions.
Deadline notes that the current champ of a three-day opening for a movie based on a video game is Sonic the Hedgehog 2 with $72.1 million. This would set up a Super Smash Bros. showdown at the box office this week, with Mario easily coming out on top of the blue speed demon.
Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad aren’t looking at much competition at the box office over the weekend. Ben Affleck’s Air (read our 8/10 review here), which chronicles the development and success of the Air Jordan sneaker, hits an entirely different demographic and is looking at around $16 million. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is expected to drop from its $37.2 opening but still hold onto the number two spot.
Will you be gassing up the go-kart and upping Mario and company’s box office numbers? How do you think the movie will do over the weekend? Let us know below!