Super Mario Bros. Movie leaps over Barbie to become 2023's top earner
Until last week, "Barbie" was leading the cinematic success stories of 2023. However, calculations by "Deadline" revealed the "Super Mario Bros. Movie" as the top-grossing production of the past season, edging out "Barbie."
May 8, 2024 | updated: 5:46 AM EDT, May 8, 2024
What led to this unexpected turnaround? The key factors were the animation's lower budget and reduced spending on promotional efforts. Globally, "Barbie" garnered $1.45 billion, while "Super Mario Bros. Movie" raised $1.36 billion. Despite the seemingly narrow margin of $90 million, the difference becomes significant when considering costs. The "Barbie" project, starring Margot Robbie, commanded a budget of $145 million compared to the animation's leaner $100 million. A significantly lower marketing expenditure propelled "Super Mario Bros. Movie" to its financial triumph.
According to "Deadline," "Barbie" achieved a profit of $421 million, falling behind the animation by $138 million—a substantial margin considering it had only a $45 million larger budget. This comparison highlights Warner Bros's extensive promotional expenditures. Animations and children's movies typically find a wider global audience more effortlessly, a trend underscored by "Super Mario Bros." being the third Illumination studio production (following "Minions" and "The Secret Life of Pets") to top "Deadline's" ranking.