Once again, Nintendo's iconic Italian plumber has shattered yet another record. But, this time, the new record is really quite unconventional.
Over the past weekend, The Super Mario Bros. Movie amassed an estimated $9.80 million at the box office. Despite experiencing a 22% decline from the previous weekend, this propelled its total domestic gross to a remarkable $549.29 million. Consequently, the film now holds the distinction of being the highest-grossing domestic movie with a "Rotten" score on Rotten Tomatoes, standing at 59%. This surpasses the previous record held by the 2019 Disney live-action film, The Lion King, which garnered $543.64 million with a 52% "Rotten" score.
Put simply, audiences have shown their unwavering love for Mario, regardless of what critics think of the film. However, it's important to mention that the digital release of the film has only been available for a week, and there could still be some pending reviews from critics that might influence the film's overall rating. If these reviews push the film to achieve a 60% score or higher, it could potentially relinquish this record to The Lion King.
Regardless of the outcome, Illumination will likely not be particularly concerned about holding onto this record, considering the other remarkable achievements the film has earned. Not only did it shatter the record for the biggest opening of an animated film in history, but it also claimed the top spot as the highest-grossing video game adaptation of all time.
After spending years perfecting the winning formula, Nintendo has finally cracked it, and now Mario's creator is determined to strike while the iron is hot. With other competitors, like Sony, whose CEO has already expressed admiration for the film, lurking in the background, Nintendo cannot afford to lose focus if they wish to maintain their edge in the market.
