Hollywood celebrates its first $1 billion blockbuster of 2026

As 2026 reaches its midpoint, the global film industry has finally celebrated its first billion-dollar box-office success of the year.

As 2026 reaches its midpoint, the global film industry has finally celebrated its first billion-dollar box-office success of the year. The milestone belongs to The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which has become a major hit with audiences around the world and continues to perform strongly in cinemas.

Released in April, the animated adventure has maintained impressive momentum throughout its theatrical run. Now in its tenth weekend on the big screen, the film has continued attracting moviegoers of all ages, proving the enduring popularity of Nintendo’s iconic video game characters. Its strong word-of-mouth and family-friendly appeal have helped it remain one of the year’s most successful releases.

At the domestic box office, the film has generated an outstanding $428.5 million. Internationally, it has performed even more impressively, earning approximately $571.5 million from audiences across overseas markets. Combined, these figures have pushed the movie beyond the coveted $1 billion global mark, making it the first film of 2026 to achieve this remarkable feat.

The movie’s success further strengthens the growing popularity of video game adaptations in Hollywood. For years, studios struggled to turn beloved gaming franchises into successful films, but recent releases have shown that audiences are eager to see their favorite virtual worlds brought to life on the big screen. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has become one of the clearest examples of this trend, demonstrating the massive commercial potential of well-executed game-to-film adaptations.

Within the Mario cinematic franchise, the latest installment now ranks just behind The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which remains the highest-grossing entry in the series. Together, the two films have delivered extraordinary results at the global box office, helping establish Mario as one of the most successful animated franchises in recent years.

Thanks to the latest achievement, the Super Mario film series has now generated more than $2.3 billion worldwide from just two movies. This impressive total places the franchise among some of the most successful animated film series ever created.

The rankings of the highest-grossing animated franchises worldwide continue to be led by Despicable Me, which has earned an estimated $5.64 billion from six films. It is followed by Shrekwith $3.98 billion across six movies. Toy Story ranks third with $3.28 billion from five films, while Ice Age has accumulated $3.22 billion through five installments.

Other major franchises include Zootopia with $2.89 billion from two films, Frozen with $2.73 billion from two releases, and Inside Out, which has generated $2.56 billion from its two movies. Kung Fu Panda follows with $2.37 billion from four films.

The Super Mario franchise now occupies ninth place with $2.30 billion from just two entries, narrowly ahead of Madagascar, which has earned $2.26 billion across seven films. With its latest box-office triumph, Mario’s cinematic future appears brighter than ever.