The Super Mario Galaxy Movie opened on April 1, 2026 to $131.7 million domestically in its first weekend. By its tenth weekend it had crossed $1 billion worldwide — the first film of 2026 to reach that milestone.
Its Rotten Tomatoes critics score is 42%. Its audience score is 87%.
Both numbers are accurate. The gap between them is the most interesting thing about this movie.
What the Critics Said
The critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes reads: the film features "colorful world-building" but a "threadbare story [that] ultimately loses its Milky Way." Metacritic has it at 37/100 — "generally unfavorable."
Across 224 reviews, the complaints are consistent: the pacing is frenetic, the story has no emotional weight, and the spectacle overwhelms everything that made the 2023 original work. The first Super Mario Bros. Movie was lightweight too, but it had charm and a clear emotional throughline. Critics felt Galaxy traded that for larger setpieces and a louder soundtrack.
The CinemaScore dropped from A on the first film to A−. PostTrak exit polling put "definitely recommend" at 62%, down from the first film's stronger numbers.
What Audiences Said
Audiences gave it 87% on Rotten Tomatoes and an A− CinemaScore. They bought $1.012 billion worth of tickets.
The film opened to a $190.8 million five-day debut — the fourth-biggest five-day domestic opening ever. Its global opening weekend of $372.6 million was the fifth-biggest for any animated film of all time. At $1.012 billion, it is now the second-highest-grossing video game film ever made — behind only its own predecessor.
The disconnect is not hard to explain. Audiences came for the spectacle, the Nintendo nostalgia, and the cast — and the film delivers all three. Donald Glover as Yoshi. Brie Larson as Rosalina. Glen Powell as Fox McCloud — the protagonist of Nintendo's Star Fox franchise, and the clearest signal yet that Illumination is building a broader Nintendo cinematic universe beyond the Mario series. The animation is genuinely stunning and the world-building is inventive.
Critics wanted a story to go with the spectacle. Audiences did not require one.
Editorial take: The gap between 42% and 87% isn't an error — it's a difference in expectations. Critics evaluated Galaxy as a narrative feature. Audiences treated it as an immersive theme-park ride. Both groups got exactly what they came for.
What the Movie Is Actually About
Mario and Luigi are summoned to investigate a disturbance and encounter Yoshi. Bowser Jr. — voiced by Benny Safdie — becomes the film's primary antagonist: he kidnaps Princess Rosalina to drain her cosmic powers and fuel a universe-destroying cannon.
The group travels through space to rescue her, and the film's central twist reveals that Peach and Rosalina are sisters, both with cosmic powers — a reveal that gives Anya Taylor-Joy and Brie Larson the film's best dramatic material.
The climax takes place on Planet Bowser. The sisters terraform it. There is a lot happening.
Directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic — who made the 2023 original — return for the sequel. Runtime is 98 minutes.
The Numbers, in Context
| The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) | |
|---|---|
| Release date | April 1, 2026 |
| Budget | $110 million |
| Worldwide gross | $1.012 billion |
| Domestic opening | $131.7 million (3-day) / $190.8 million (5-day) |
| RT Critics | 42% (224 reviews) |
| RT Audience | 87% |
| Metacritic | 37/100 |
| CinemaScore | A− |
| Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) | Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) | |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | $100 million | $110 million |
| Worldwide gross | $1.361 billion | $1.012 billion |
| Domestic 3-day opening | $146.3 million | $131.7 million |
| RT Critics | 59% | 42% |
| RT Audience | 95% | 87% |
| CinemaScore | A | A− |
Galaxy finished below its predecessor's ceiling — but cleared $1 billion on a $110 million budget. The franchise is not in trouble. The audience for these films is enormous, loyal, and not primarily reading the critics.
The Verdict: Who Is This Sequel Actually Built For?
- Watch it if: You enjoyed the 2023 original and want expanded visual scale, new Nintendo universe cameos, and fast-paced family entertainment. The animation is more ambitious and the space setting delivers sequences the original couldn't pull off.
- Skip it if: You expected the sequel to deepen character development or address the narrative criticism of the first film. The story is thinner, not deeper.
The critic/audience divide tells you exactly what kind of film this is. Whether that's a problem depends entirely on what you came for.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Super Mario Galaxy Movie a sequel? Yes. It is a direct sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023), produced by Illumination and Nintendo, distributed by Universal Pictures. The same voice cast returns.
Who are the new cast members? Benny Safdie voices Bowser Jr. (the main villain), Donald Glover voices Yoshi, Brie Larson voices Princess Rosalina, and Glen Powell voices Fox McCloud from the Star Fox franchise.
How much did The Super Mario Galaxy Movie make? $1.012 billion worldwide — the first film of 2026 to cross $1 billion. It opened to $131.7 million domestically in its first three-day weekend.
Why did critics dislike it? Critics (42% on Rotten Tomatoes, 37 on Metacritic) found the story threadbare and the pacing frenetic — more spectacle than substance compared to the first film.
Why did audiences like it? Audiences gave it 87% on Rotten Tomatoes and an A− CinemaScore. The animation, new cast additions, space setting, and Nintendo nostalgia landed well with the family audience the film was made for.
Where can I watch The Super Mario Galaxy Movie? The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is now available to stream on Peacock. It is also available for digital purchase or rental on Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. The physical release (4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD) is available from June 16, 2026.