The Super Mario Bros. Movie is the box office champion of 2023 so far, but there are some upcoming movies that could rival its success. Heading into the year, Illumination’s animated movie starring Nintendo’s most iconic video game character was expected to be a hit at the box office. The studio’s track record for making massively successful animated movies for the whole family, which have been lacking in theaters, spoke for itself. The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s box office performance has not disappointed, as the movie opened big and has had incredible legs as the summer season approaches.
Following its gigantic opening weekend of $146 million domestically, The Super Mario Bros. Movie has retained the audience’s attention for weeks. It is well on its way to surpassing $1 billion and has earned more than double the next highest-grossing 2023 release. The animated hit might very well end the year as the biggest movie released, but there are other upcoming 2023 movies that could rival The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s box office success – even if none of them ultimately surpass the film’s final worldwide total.
10Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3
Guardians of the Galaxy 3 is the first 2023 movie that could take The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s box office crown. The highly anticipated Marvel Cinematic Universe film is the first from Marvel Studios this year. It also is the final entry in the trilogy directed by James Gunn and the last time audiences will see Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot together. The first two Guardians of the Galaxy films made a combined $1.5 billion worldwide. Due to the continued popularity of the characters and the finality that comes with the film’s release, Guardians of the Galaxy 3‘s box office potential rivals that of The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
9Fast X
Fast X is likely to be one of the year’s biggest box office hits. The Fast & Furious franchise has developed a massive following over the years and has proven to be a lucrative series for Universal. The main Fast Saga films were on a streak of releasing two straight $1 billion earners before F9 hit theaters during COVID-19 and finished with $726 million. With Fast X the first movie in a planned two-part finale for Dominic Toretto’s story, the Vin Diesel-starring film once again holds massive potential. If everything goes right, Fast X could earn over $1 billion and be an upcoming 2023 movie that could rival The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s box office.
8The Little Mermaid
Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid is another film that could potentially make a massive amount of money worldwide. The updated take on the classic Disney princess musical stars Halle Bailey as Ariel and features older and new songs. Disney has found that the live-action remakes of beloved animated films can often generate large box office totals, as seen with The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast. If The Little Mermaid hits with audiences ready to see Ariel’s story like never before, the idea that it too could rival The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s record-breaking box office is not out of the question.
7Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
It is possible that Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will also surprise Hollywood with its financial performance. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was far from an animated hit the size of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, as Sony’s animated superhero movie made $384 million worldwide. However, the film has earned a much larger place in pop culture since then, leading to even greater excitement for the sequel. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will be the first new wide-release animated movie in two months once it arrives, which could put it in a good position to follow in The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s footsteps with a surprisingly high box office performance.
6The Flash
Warner Bros. and DC Studios could have a superhero-sized hit on their hands with The Flash. The upcoming 2023 movie could rival The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s box office thanks to the mixture of its blockbuster nature and dose of nostalgia. While the film stars controversial performer Ezra Miller, the return of Michael Keaton’s Batman has been heavily focused on in the marketing to garner more interest. The Flash‘s importance to DC’s future has even been tipped with the tease that it resets the DC Universe for James Gunn’s plans. Those wanting to get an understanding of where DC is going could help drive The Flash‘s box office higher.
5Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny
There is an opportunity for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny to also rival all Hollywood releases in 2023. The film is definitively the last time audiences will see Harrison Ford play the iconic archeologist and adventurer. This should give the film a decent chance of becoming the highest grossing entry in the franchise and top Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull‘s $790 million. If it captures the hearts of younger and older generations in the same way that Top Gun: Maverick did in 2022, Indiana Jones 5 could end the series on a high note financially, as well as potentially critically.
4Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1 marks the return of Tom Cruise to movie theaters, and that gives it a chance to replicate The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s box office success. The Mission: Impossible movies have become more popular in recent years, but it was Top Gun: Maverick that helped prove just how great Tom Cruise’s star power still is. Paramount is heavily emphasizing the spectacle and daring stunts that come with Mission: Impossible 7 to sell audiences on coming to theaters to experience the action flick. Considering Mission: Impossible – Fallout earned $791 million worldwide, Dead Reckoning Part 1 could exceed that if Cruise delivers.
3Oppenheimer
There is a chance that Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer will be a bigger box office success than expected for a thriller about the invention of the atomic bomb. Nolan is no stranger to making massive box office hits thanks to the Dark Knight trilogy and Inception. However, his war movie Dunkirk was a surprising box office hit after making over $500 million worldwide. It might be unfair to put expectations on Oppenheimer that it could beat The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s box office, but it does not need to top the animated film to rival its success.
2The Marvels
The Marvels is another upcoming 2023 movie that could rival The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s box office success. The MCU Phase 5 film is a sequel to Captain Marvel, which starred Brie Larson as Carol Danvers and made over $1 billion worldwide. Despite some negative trolling upon the release of the first trailer, The Marvels looks to be a big, fun, cosmic adventure for the MCU. If director Nia DaCosta delivers a sequel that improves upon the first movie and more directly sets up the MCU’s future, The Marvels‘ box office could climb quite high.
1The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
There is also a chance that The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes could be another big box office success story in 2023. The upcoming movie is a prequel to the Hunger Games franchise and releases 8 years after the last movie starring Jennifer Lawrence came out. The prequel will look to replicate the success of the original movies and recapture the hearts of young adults around the world. Considering the last film is the lowest grossing, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will need to get audiences on board for young Snow’s story to rival The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s box office.
