'Super Mario Bros. Movie' Leaps Past 'Frozen' to Become Second-Biggest Animated Movie at Box Office

'Super Mario Bros. Movie' is now the second-highest grossing animated film worldwide, just behind 2019's 'Frozen II'

Super Mario Bros. Movie; Frozen
Photo:

Nintendo and Universal Studios; Walt Disney Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is giving the Frozen franchise a run for its money.

The video game adaptation starring Chris Pratt has now passed Disney's 2013 hit Frozen at the worldwide box office, becoming the second-highest grossing animated film of all time — just behind 2019's Frozen II, which remains No. 1.

Super Mario Bros. has so far accumulated $1.283 billion, according to Box Office Mojo, which tallies Frozen with $1.28 billion and Frozen II with $1.45 billion.

When Super Mario Bros. hit theaters in April, it accounted for the biggest worldwide opening weekend for an animated film, outdoing Frozen II's rollout. It also became the biggest opening weekend for a video game movie, besting 2022's Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

Super Mario Bros.
Universal

Pratt voices Mario, the Brooklyn plumber who is accidentally transported to the magical Mushroom Kingdom, where he helps Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) fight off the evil turtle Bowser (Jack Black).

The cast also includes Charlie Day as Luigi, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, and Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong.

Sebastian Maniscalco, Jack Black, Seth Rogen, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Melendandri, CEO of Illumination, Chris Pratt and Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto attend a Special Screening of Universal Pictures' "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" at Regal LA Live on April 01, 2023 in Los Angeles, California
From left: Sebastian Maniscalco, Jack Black, Seth Rogen, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Meledandri, Chris Pratt and Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto in April. Amy Sussman/Getty

Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, Super Mario Bros. comes from Nintendo and Illumination, the studio behind the Despicable Me and Minions franchises.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Black, 53, told PEOPLE at the film's Los Angeles premiere that he was proud of the project.

"I feel like we really did it. I think we mission-accomplished it. We wanted to make a funny, exciting, action adventure, and by God, we did it," he said.

"And you know what else we did? We also used all the characters from the Nintendo universe. And if you like playing Mario Kart or any of those Nintendo video games, when you see this movie, you're going to go, 'Whoa,' because there's a bunch of little Easter eggs that only the gamers will really recognize and really appreciate. I'm really happy about that."

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is now in theaters and available to rent or buy on demand.

Related Articles