Hollywood’s box office right now feels a bit one-sided — and honestly, it’s all because of one film. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is not just leading, it’s dominating in a way that’s making life difficult for everything else trying to release alongside it.
In its third weekend, the animated blockbuster pulled in a strong $35 million again. No big drop, no sudden crash — just steady numbers. And that consistency is exactly why the film is already sitting as the biggest hit of the year.
Domestically, it has crossed $355 million, while globally it’s racing toward $750 million. At this pace, the $1 billion mark doesn’t feel like a question anymore… it feels like a matter of when. And if that happens, don’t be surprised if Universal Pictures and Illumination fast-track another Mario story. Nintendo clearly has a goldmine here.
The Films That Tried… But Couldn’t Overtake Mario
Right behind it, Project Hail Mary is still doing solid business, even in its fifth week. The film added $20.5 million, pushing its domestic total close to $285 million. That’s a strong run for a sci-fi film, especially one that’s relying more on word of mouth than franchise hype.
But here’s the thing — even a film doing this well can’t catch Mario right now. That’s how wide the gap has become.
New releases, meanwhile, are clearly feeling the pressure.
The Mummy, directed by Lee Cronin, opened at $13.5 million. Not terrible, but not great either. Considering its modest $22 million budget, it might still recover, but this is nowhere near the level of Cronin’s Evil Dead Rise days.
Produced by James Wan and Jason Blum, the film sits somewhere in the middle of their horror track record — not as strong as The Invisible Man, definitely better positioned than Wolf Man. Still, it needed a bigger opening to really make noise.
Mid-Table Films Quietly Holding Ground
Then there’s The Drama, which is slowly building its own space. The Zendaya–Robert Pattinson pairing is clearly attracting audiences, with the film adding $4.8 million this weekend and reaching nearly $40 million overall.
It’s not blockbuster territory, but for a relationship-driven indie-style film, those are respectable numbers. Plus, with both actors appearing together again in upcoming big projects, the buzz around them isn’t going anywhere.
You, Me & Tuscany also continues its decent run. The romantic comedy added $3.8 million, taking its total to $14.4 million. Not huge numbers, but steady enough for its scale.
Smaller Releases Barely Make a Dent
Further down the chart, things get quieter.
Normal, starring Bob Odenkirk, opened with just $2.5 million. Directed by Ben Wheatley, the film leans into gritty action and conspiracy themes, but clearly didn’t find a wide audience in its opening frame.
Meanwhile, limited releases like Lorne — a documentary on Lorne Michaels — and Mother Mary stayed mostly under the radar, earning modest numbers in select theatres.
What’s Really Driving This Box Office Trend
The bigger picture here is simple — one film is sucking up most of the attention.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie isn’t just successful, it’s controlling audience interest across age groups. Families, casual viewers, even nostalgic gamers — everyone’s showing up. That kind of reach is rare.
And when that happens, new films don’t just compete… they struggle to even get noticed.
So What Happens Next?
Unless something big arrives to shake things up, this trend might continue for another week or two. Mario still has momentum, and nothing currently in theatres looks strong enough to slow it down.
The real test will be how long it can hold this pace — and whether it actually crosses that billion-dollar line.
Right now though, the message from the box office is pretty clear:
Mario isn’t just winning… it’s playing in its own league.
