‘The Super Mario Bros Movie’ Off To Peachy Start In Early Offshore Play – International Box Office

Nancy Tartaglione

Illumination/Universal’s The Super Mario Bros Movie began its international rollout today in 44 markets, and will expand to 70 through Friday. While we are waiting on numbers from a great many of today’s debuts, early word out of Asia Pacific is encouraging at $7.95M including sneaks.

Note that the full Wednesday opening number will come tomorrow and will include such majors as France, Germany, Spain and Italy. Today is a snapshot.

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In the lead so far for Asian markets on Wednesday, ever-mercurial China launched Mario to $4.95M at No. 3 during the Qing Ming festival. The Chris Pratt-starrer is facing off against the continued stellar run of Japanese animation Suzume and local holdover Hachiko. Still, Mario set the biggest opening day for a Hollywood animation since the start of the pandemic in 2020 as well as the second-biggest opening day for a studio title in 2023. Today’s numbers are above Minions: The Rise of Gru and The Secret Life of Pets (+42% and +43%, respectively, on a Friday); and in line with Aladdin and Incredibles 2. Maoyan has given Mario a 9.4 score from audiences; the best for a Hollywood animation in the last five years. Maoyan is currently predicting a $20M finish in the market; these numbers can certainly fluctuate.

Elsewhere in APAC, Australia gave Mario a No.1 $1.1M start on Wednesday. At 311 locations, this accounted for 62% of the total market on the day. The first day gross is more than 5x second-placed John Wick 4. It is also the biggest opening day of the year, best Illumination opening day ever, top animated April start of all time and above the standard Thursday opening days of Frozen 2, Incredibles 2, Finding Dory, The Jungle Book, Aladdin, Toy Story 4; and more than double Minions.

Hong Kong kicked off with $700K on Wednesday across 62 locations, claiming the biggest opening day of 2023, the biggest opening day for any Universal animation, and the biggest April animation opening day ever.

This is in line with the opening Thursday of Minions, and above the opening Thursdays of Incredibles 2, Beauty and the Beast and Toy Story 4

New Zealand got into the game with $66K on Wednesday at No.1 in the market from 140 screens, with 47% of the Top 10. That was good for the the 2nd biggest opening day for Illumination and is in line with the opening Thursday for Sing 2, above Minions and Minions: The Rise of Gru.

Much more to come through the weekend…

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