EntertainmentSuper Mario Bros. Movie leaps over Barbie to become 2023's top earner

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."

Chris Pratt - dubbing star of "Super Mario Bros. Movie"

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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.

With a net profit of $559 million, the computer-animated film's success was significantly bolstered by Chris Pratt, who lent his voice to the titular role in the original version. Pratt is no stranger to audiences, having played notable characters like Star-Lord in the Marvel universe and Owen in the "Jurassic World" series. His previous voice work includes the lead in "LEGO Movie" (2014) and roles in its sequel and the Pixar film "Onward."

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.

Last year's top five highest-grossing films in cinemas also included "Oppenheimer" (earning $972 million), "Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3" ($846 million), and "Fast & Furious 10" ($705 million). Remarkably, only "Oppenheimer," an Oscar winner, secured a spot in "Deadline's" TOP 5 with a $202 million profit, ranking fifth. Due to their substantial budgets and marketing expenses, other noted titles were outperformed by two animations.

The third and fourth most profitable titles last year were "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" ($328 million) and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" ($204.5 million), respectively. The latter achieved an impressive ranking despite earning only $180 million at the box office, thanks to revenue from disc sales, digital distribution, and broadcasting rights, coupled with relatively low production costs.