‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ nears $750m at worldwide box office; ‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’ unwraps $34m debut

Worldwide box office: April 16-18

Credit: Comscore. All figures are estimates.

‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ is biggest film of 2026

Illumination/Nintendo’s The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has overtaken Chinese hit Pegasus 3 ($641.1m) to become the biggest global box office hit so far of 2026.

The Universal release added an estimated $83.2m in its third weekend of play, taking the total to $747.5m worldwide – $355.2m in North America and $392.2m across international markets.

For domestic, Galaxy Movie fell 49% from the previous session, while for international the drop was 44%.

Three years ago, The Super Mario Bros. Movie stood at $871.8m at the same stage of release (ie after three weekends), and the rate of erosion was gentler. Galaxy Movie is running 14% behind the pace of its predecessor. If it continues at 86% of the box office of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, then Galaxy Movie would hit $1.17bn by the end of its run.

While Galaxy Movie is falling behind The Super Mario Bros. Movie, it remains ahead of last year’s A Minecraft Movie after three weekends of release ($720.8m). Warner Bros’ A Minecraft Movie went on to achieve a global total of $960.4m.

In cumulative, Mexico leads international markets on Galaxy Movie with a $55.5m total, ahead of UK/Ireland ($44.1m). France ($34.0m) is gaining on Germany ($34.3m) and challenging for third place in the international ranking.

Galaxy Movie belatedly landed in Israel at the weekend, grossing $731,000 – which compares with a $1.35m opening in the market for The Super Mario Bros. Movie in April 2023. Conditions remain challenging for cinema exhibition in Israel.

Among key markets yet to receive The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Japan welcomes the film this coming Friday (April 24), with South Korea to follow on April 29. The two markets combined grossed $120m for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, so should make a handy contribution this time around.

Combined box office for the two Super Mario films now exceeds $2bn, making Super Mario the 10^th-biggest animated franchise of all time. The list is led by Universal/Illumination’s Despicable Me/Minions franchise ($5.62bn across six films).

‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’ boosted by international markets

A stronger performance in international markets than in North America helped Warner Bros’ Lee Cronin’s The Mummy achieve an estimated $34.0m weekend opening. The split is $13.5m for domestic, and $20.5m across 77 international territories.

Across international markets, horror-friendly Mexico leads with an estimated £2.2m, ahead of UK/Ireland ($1.4m), Spain ($1.1m) and France ($1.0m). Indonesia (an estimated $993,000) is ahead of key markets such as Germany ($928,000), Italy ($877,000), Brazil ($771,000) and Australia ($683,000). Malaysia ($835,000) is also over-performing.

With a production budget reported at $22m, the horror could be headed for reasonable profitability, although significant marketing costs must be factored in, as well as revenue splits with cinemas.

Lee Cronin writes and directs the tale of a family that lose their daughter in Egypt, who eight years later is discovered in a sarcophagus, alive and in a mummified state. Jack Reynor and Laia Cota lead the cast.

Previously for Cronin, Evil Dead Rise opened in 2023 with $41.3m – $24.5m in North America and $16.8m across 58 international markets. Final total was $147.1m worldwide – a tally that The Mummy appears unlikely to reach.

‘Project Hail Mary’ posts another strong hold in fifth weekend

A lack of powerful new releases helped Amazon MGM Studios’ Project Hail Mary achieve another strong hold at the weekend – its fifth of release – especially in North America where the drop was just 15%. For international, the space adventure fell 33% in holdover markets.

In cumulative, international has now overtaken domestic, with a $288.0m total vs $285.1m for North America. Worldwide total is $573.1m

UK/Ireland leads international markets with $40.3m, ahead of China on $36.7m. Next come Australia ($22.5m), Germany ($18.0m) and South Korea ($17.2m).

Project Hail Mary is closing in on the $630.6m grossed by Fox’s The Martian in 2015, although this comparison is not adjusted for inflation. Science fiction novels by Andy Weir provide the source material for both films.

Local hits pepper worldwide chart

There are three films in Comscore’s worldwide weekend top 10 chart that are playing in a single market.

In Japan, Toho’s Detective Conan: Fallen Angel Of The Highway (aka Detective Conan: Highway No Datenshi) added an estimated $12.3m, taking the total after two weekends to $30.5m. This is the 29^th film in the Case Closed anime series. A year ago, Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback reached a $97m lifetime total in its home market, and $166m worldwide.

In South Korea, Showbox’s Salmokji: Whispering Water added an estimated $4.4m in its second weekend, taking the total to $9.5m. Lee Sang-min’s folk horror tells the story of a film crew sent to a remote reservoir to reshoot footage, and experiencing supernatural events.

In France, Gaumont’s Juste Une Illusion has opened with an estimated $3.7m. This is the latest comedy from writer-directors Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano, whose past hits include 2011’s The Intouchables (19.3million admissions in France, $426.6m worldwide), and were last in cinemas with 2023’s A Difficult Year (898,000 admissions in France). The new film centres on a 12-year-old boy in 1985 suburban Paris, navigating a distant older brother and quarrelling parents. Louis Garrel and Camille Cottin play the parents.

Hindi horror comedy Bhooth Bangla has opened with an estimated $10.1m across 20 markets worldwide including India. Director Priyadarshan was last in cinemas in 2023 with Appatha.

Propping up the top 10 chart is Ben Wheatley’s Normal, released by Magnolia Pictures in North America (where it landed with an estimated $2.7m). Modest takings across 11 early international markets push the opening number to an estimated $3.1m. Bob Odenkirk stars, and co-writes with John Wick’s Derek Kolstad.

Local Sony title Boulevard expanded to Mexico at the weekend, grossing an estimated $1m, as well as to Peru and Ecuador. The Spanish teen drama is based on a popular novel by Flor M Salvador. Weekend gross was $1.8m from four markets including Spain, which added an estimated $215,000 in its second session. Cumulative total is $2.5m. Sonia Méndez directs.

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