The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Now in its second frame, Universal’s animated video game adaptation easily repeats in first place with $87.0M, the #9 sophomore weekend of all time.
That ranking is even better than last frame, when it earned the #32 “traditional” three-day opening weekend of all time. It had also earned the #17 five-day total of all time, since it opened on a Wednesday instead of a Friday.
This weekend also marks the #1 animated sophomore frame of all time, beating the prior record holder, 2019’s Frozen II with $86.0M.
That ranking is also better than last frame, when it debuted as the #3 animated opening weekend of all time, behind 2019’s The Lion King ($191.7M) and 2018’s Incredibles 2 ($182.6M).
Mario was the 12th animated film to ever open above $100M. Compared to the others, its -41% sophomore drop was milder than most:
- 2016’s Finding Dory (-46%)
- 2010’s Toy Story 3 (-46%)
- 2016’s The Secret Life of Pets (-51%)
- 2019’s Toy Story 4 (-51%)
- 2018’s Incredibles 2 (-56%)
- 2007’s Shrek the Third (-56%)
- 2015’s Minions (-57%)
- 2022’s Minions: The Rise of Gru (also -57%)
- 2019’s The Lion King (-60%)
However, it was steeper than:
- 2004’s Shrek 2 (-33%)
- 2019’s Frozen II (-34%, although its sophomore frame fell on Thanksgiving weekend)
With $347.8M to date domestically, Mario is currently the highest-grossing movie in 2023 so far.
It ranks well ahead of December 2022 holdover Avatar: The Way of Water ($257.4M) and February’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania ($212.9M).
This weekend overseas, Mario declined only -28%, milder than its “already mild” -41% domestic drop.
Mario has earned $330.1M overseas and $677.9M globally. That makes it the top global release of 2023 so far, far ahead of Quantumania ($474.1M).
Mario’s top overseas market totals include:
- Mexico ($52.0M)
- U.K. ($43.7M)
- Germany ($29.6M)
- France ($21.2M)
- Australia ($19.7M)
- China ($16.9M)
- Spain ($15.4M)
- Italy ($13.7M)
- Brazil ($12.0M)
The Pope’s Exorcist
Sony Pictures’ horror, starring Russell Crowe, prayed its way to $9.1M in second place.
That’s better than pre-release industry projections, which were generally in the $5M to $7M range.
Nonetheless, that opening falls below many other similar films from recent years:
- -6% below 2014’s Deliver Us from Evil ($9.7M)
- -35% below 2016’s Ouija: Origin of Evil ($14.0M)
- -38% below 2011’s The Rite ($14.7M)
- -48% below 2012’s The Possession ($17.7M)
- -54% below 2014’s Ouija ($19.8M)
- -55% below 2010’s The Last Exorcism ($20.3M)
- -65% below 2019’s The Curse of La Llorona ($26.3M)
- -69% below 2005’s The Exorcism of Emily Rose ($30.0M)
- -72% below 2012’s The Devil Inside ($33.7M)
However, Pope’s did open +27% above 2022’s Prey for the Devil ($7.1M).
After opening in some overseas markets last weekend, ahead of its domestic release, Pope’s has earned $27.4M overseas and $36.5M globally.
In holdover markets, the film declined -28%, an unusual mild drop for the horror genre.
Note: the films currently in third, fourth, fifth, and sixth place in Sunday studio estimates are all between $7.3M and $7.9M.
That’s close enough that the final rankings may change when actuals are released on Monday afternoon.
John Wick: Chapter 4
Now in its fourth frame, Lionsgate’s R-rated action thriller declined -45% to $7.9M and third place.
That’s a milder fourth weekend drop than 2014’s John Wick (-46%) and 2017’s John Wick: Chapter Two (-49%), though steeper than 2019’s John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum (-33%).
With $160.1M total through 24 days, Chapter 4 has already far exceeded the totals of both the first ($43.0M) and second installments ($92.0M).
It’s also closing in on Parabellum’s $171.0M total. Through the equivalent point in release, it’s running +15% ahead.
Chapter 4 has earned $189.6M overseas and $349.7M globally.
That global total far exceeds both the first ($76.0M) and second installments ($171.3M), and this weekend also exceeds Parabellum’s $327.2M global total as well.
Top overseas markets include the U.K. ($12.2M), Germany ($10.6M), Australia ($8.7M), and France ($4.6M).
Read Boxoffice PRO’s interview with director Chad Stahelski here:
Renfield
Universal’s R-rated horror comedy, starring Nicolas Cage as Dracula, bit off $7.7M in fourth place.
That was below pre-release industry projections, which were generally in the $10M-$15M range, which mostly had the film opening in second place instead.
Compared to some other recent horror comedies from the past year or so, that’s:
- -74% below January’s M3GAN ($30.4M)
- -66% below February’s Cocaine Bear ($23.2M)
- -42% below December’s Violent Night ($13.4M)
- -13% below 2022’s The Menu ($9.0M)
- +9% above 2022’s The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, also starring Cage ($7.1M)
- +14% above 2022’s The Invitation ($6.8M)
Renfield’s audience was an estimated 78% ages 25 and older, 49% white, and 55% male – that final metric perhaps lower than would be expected for a film like this.
Audiences gave the film a “B-” CinemaScore.
The film opened with $2.2M overseas and $10.0M globally.
For context, that global start is lower than some pre-release industry projections forecast for the film’s domestic start alone.
Air
Now in its sophomore frame, the Amazon Studios and MGM sports business drama falls -47% to $7.7M and fifth place.
Compared to some other adult-themed sports drama movies, that sophomore drop is steeper than:
- 2015’s Concussion (-25%)
- 2017’s Battle of the Sexes (-25%)
- 2010’s Secretariat (-27%)
- 2014’s When the Game Stands Tall (-28%)
- 2015’s McFarland, USA (-29%)
- 2021’s American Underdog (-33%)
- 2014’s Million Dollar Arm (-34%)
- 2011’s Moneyball (-38%)
- March’s Champions (-40%)
- 2012’s Trouble with the Curve (-40%)
- 2015’s Draft Day (-42%)
- 2016’s Race (-44%)
However, it’s a milder drop than for:
- 2019’s Ford v. Ferrari (-50%)
- 2009’s Invictus (-51%)
It’s also milder than the -57% drop for 2021’s The Last Duel, the prior drama starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.
This weekend overseas, Air declined -34%, milder than its -47% domestic drop.
Air has earned $20.8M overseas and $54.1M globally.
Top overseas markets to date are the U.K. ($3.5M), Australia ($3.3M), Italy ($2.4M), Mexico ($1.8M), Japan ($1.2M), and Spain (also $1.2M).
The film is being distributed by Warner Bros. overseas.
Suzume
Crunchyroll’s Japanese anime Suzume, distributed domestically by Sony Pictures, started with $5.0M in seventh place. That’s in line with pre-release industry projections.
That more than doubles the openings for director Makoto Shinkai’s 2016 Your Name ($1.6M opening) and 2019’s Weathering with You ($1.8M).
Indeed, it already equals the total for Your Name ($5.0M), and is closing in on the total for Weathering ($8.0M).
However, compared to some other recent anime titles, it does open below several:
- -19% below 2021’s My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission ($6.2M)
- -46% below 2022’s One Piece Film: Red ($9.3M)
- -49% below 2019’s Dragon Ball Super: Broly ($9.8M)
- -50% below March’s Demon Slayer: To the Swordsmith Village ($10.1M)
Suzume opened with $11.3M overseas and $16.3M globally.
Elsewhere at the box office
- SDG Releasing’s R-rated psychological thriller Nefarious debuted with $1.3M.
- Bleecker Street’s R-rated comedy Mafia Mamma opened with $2.0M.
- A24’s Beau is Afraid opened in limited release with $320,396 on four screens, for an $80,099 per-theater average.
That’s not only the best average of 2023 so far, it also ranks #2 post-pandemic. It’s behind only the opening limited-release weekend for 2021’s Licorice Pizza, with an $86,289 average.
For comparison, Beau’s opening average is also +44% above the highest from 2022: The Whale, with a $55,359 average.
Weekend comparisons
Total box office this weekend came in around $138.8M, which is:
|
Weekend |
Total |
This weekend is: |
Notes |
|
Last weekend |
$205.1M |
-32% |
The Super Mario Bros. Movie led ($146.3M) |
|
Same weekend in 2022 |
$107.1M |
+29% |
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore led ($42.1M) |
|
Same weekend in 2019 |
$111.1M |
+25% |
Shazam! led, second frame ($24.4M) |
YTD comparisons
Year-to-date box office stands around $2.28B, which is:
|
Year |
YTD total |
2023 YTD now: |
2023 YTD after last weekend: |
Trend |
|
2022 |
$1.64B |
+38.6% |
+36.3% |
Up |
|
2019 |
$2.76B |
-17.4% |
-20.1% |
Up |
Top distributors
Thanks to Mario, Universal + Focus Features took the lead last weekend. However, Disney looks poised to likely retake the lead in May, thanks to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and The Little Mermaid.
Grouped by parent company, the YTD leaders are:
-
- Universal + Focus Features: $711.0M
- Disney + 20th Century + Searchlight: $518.2M
- Lionsgate: $250.6M
- Paramount: $239.9M
- MGM + United Artists + Amazon Studios: $195.0M
- Sony Pictures + Sony Classics + Crunchyroll: $159.3M
- Warner Bros.: $96.5M
Sunday’s Studio Weekend Estimates:
| Title | Estimated weekend | % change | Locations | Location change | Average | Total | Weekend | Distributor |
| The Super Mario Bros. Movie | $87,000,000 | -41% | 4,371 | 28 | $19,904 | $347,823,700 | 2 | Universal |
| The Pope’s Exorcist | $9,150,000 | 3,178 | $2,879 | $9,150,000 | 1 | Sony Pictures | ||
| John Wick: Chapter 4 | $7,925,000 | -45% | 3,033 | -574 | $2,613 | $160,112,705 | 4 | Lionsgate |
| Renfield | $7,770,000 | 3,375 | $2,302 | $7,770,000 | 1 | Universal | ||
| AIR | $7,720,599 | -47% | 3,507 | $2,201 | $33,283,549 | 2 | Amazon Studios | |
| Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves | $7,350,000 | -47% | 3,324 | -532 | $2,211 | $74,070,000 | 3 | Paramount |
| Suzume | $5,000,000 | 2,170 | $2,304 | $5,000,000 | 1 | Sony Pictures | ||
| Mafia Mamma | $2,044,875 | 2,002 | $1,021 | $2,044,875 | 1 | Bleecker Street | ||
| Scream VI | $1,455,000 | -58% | 1,288 | -998 | $1,130 | $106,793,000 | 6 | Paramount |
| Nefarious | $1,330,000 | 933 | $1,426 | $1,330,000 | 1 | Soli Deo Gloria [SDG] | ||
| Sweetwater | $350,000 | 1,204 | $291 | $350,000 | 1 | Briarcliff | ||
| Champions | $347,000 | -28% | 183 | -244 | $1,896 | $16,117,310 | 6 | Focus Features [Universal] |
| Beau is Afraid | $320,396 | 4 | $80,099 | $320,396 | 1 | A24 | ||
| Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | $231,000 | 4% | 117 | -134 | $1,974 | $185,536,830 | 17 | Universal |
| How to Blow Up a Pipeline | $185,000 | 60% | 142 | 130 | $1,303 | $338,475 | 2 | Neon |
| Avatar: The Way of Water | $166,000 | -64% | 160 | -205 | $1,038 | $682,988,582 | 18 | 20th Century [Disney] |
| Showing Up | $128,080 | 102% | 28 | 24 | $4,574 | $217,591 | 2 | A24 |
| Jesus Revolution | $95,000 | -76% | 222 | -386 | $428 | $51,975,122 | 8 | Lionsgate |
| Cocaine Bear | $88,000 | -60% | 106 | -173 | $830 | $64,377,795 | 8 | Universal |
| A Thousand and One | $85,000 | -86% | 130 | -796 | $654 | $3,311,320 | 3 | Focus Features [Universal] |
| Wild Life | $46,718 | 2 | $23,359 | $46,718 | 1 | National Geoaphic | ||
| Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania | $44,000 | -85% | 75 | -445 | $587 | $212,913,215 | 9 | Walt Disney |
| Sick of Myself | $20,212 | 2 | $10,106 | $20,212 | 1 | Utopia | ||
| Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman | $7,400 | 2 | $3,700 | $7,400 | 1 | Zeitgeist | ||
| Violent Night | $4,000 | 166% | 21 | -4 | $190 | $50,057,430 | 20 | Universal |
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