The Super Mario Bros. Movie Was the Most Profitable Movie of 2023

From The Last of Us and Fallout to Cyberpunk and more, we’ve seen a number of major game adaptations over the last couple of years that have enjoyed both critical and commercial success. The Super Mario Bros. Movie is another prominent name that has figured frequently in those conversations- and, in fact, was even 2023’s biggest movie bar none in terms of net profits.

As per a report published by Deadline, The Super Mario Bros. Movie was the most profitable movie of 2023, beating the likes of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Oppenheimer, and Barbie. The animated film’s production costs of $100 million were split 50-50 by Nintendo and Universal, and with several other expenses added on top, it had a total budget of $400 million.

Against that, across its theatrical run, home entertainment release, and TV and streaming viewings, The Super Mario Bros. Movie brought in total revenues of $959 million, for a net profit of $559 million, making it the most lucrative movie of the year.

In March, Nintendo announced that it had started working on a follow-up to The Super Mario Bros. Movie, targeting an April 2026 release.

Nintendo is currently also working on a live-action adaptation of The Legend of Zelda with Sony Pictures, to be directed by Wes Bell (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Maze Runner).