Even though Air cost a reported $90M before P&A, and Amazon shelled out $125M to land the Artists Equity/Skydance Sports/Mandalay project, forget about the economics of it all (as the tech conglom has deep pockets), and let’s celebrate the fact that a streamer has ponied up and fully embraced a theatrical release for the second time –and they didn’t hide grosses. Also, you have to think that Apple’s ears are pricking up as they embrace a theatrical model for their big movies going forward, with Ridley Scott’s Napoleon and Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. At $14M+, it’s Amazon’s second-best opening at the domestic box office, after MGM/UAR’s Creed III ($58.3M) back in March.

By far, the biggest factor working in favor of Air is its release date. There’s nothing really competitive going up against this older skewing (49% over 35) title in the weeks to come, especially as far as R-rated dramedies go. April is filled with genre movies and female skewing titles like Book Club 2, Love Again, and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. It’s not until you get to Memorial Day weekend when Lionsgate’s Sebastian Maniscalco comedy, About My Father, arrives in theaters. That lack of competition, plus Air‘s exit scores, is what can leg it out in the weeks to come.

Amazon shelled out $50M+ stateside in marketing to open the movie, and made it known to audiences that they should show up. There were two premieres for Air: SXSW’s surprise closing night and LA with stars showing up to all three.

The pic’s change-up to theatrical came at the end of January, with a marketing campaign that kicked off with a global trailer on Feb. 9, followed by a custom 60-second Super Bowl spot on Feb. 12. That trailer was also attached to all screens of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which, before Super Mario Bros., owned 2023’s biggest opening weekend at $106.1M, or 7M admissions (per EntTelligence). The trailer also ran on Creed III and John Wick: Chapter 4.

Other marketing stunts for Air included a national sneaker-cleaning activation across multiple markets, an exclusive partnership with Jason Markk, and a social rollout that brought to life the nostalgia of the ’80s in a reimagined and authentic way.

AIR partnered with creators and influencers from the sneaker community – rallying behind the “A shoe is just a shoe” mantra from the film – to further bring life to Michael Jordan and Nike’s legacy, and build a narrative around greatness and triumph.

Also fueling Air‘s profile were 550 global word-of-mouth screenings across the U.S. and 43 international markets between March 20 and April 4. Those attending included sports fans, sneakerheads, cinema loyalty membership programs, military/army bases, college/HBCUs, AARP, and multicultural targets. The program launched with specialty tastemaker screenings in NY, LA, Atlanta, Miami, Chicago, and London.  

Early Saturday, the CMO of the No. 3 chain in the nation celebrated the big box office weekend:

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s strong performance with the family audience this weekend is just another example of the consistent consumer enthusiasm for seeing great films on the big screen,” said Wanda Gierhart Fearing, Cinemark Chief Marketing and Content Officer. “Moviegoers have demonstrated time and time again that they crave the immersive, cinematic experience only theaters can provide, and Cinemark looks forward to welcoming them as fantastic new movies continue to come to our auditoriums. Congratulations to our partners at Illumination Animation and Universal Pictures for generating so much excitement around such a beloved brand.”

Meanwhile, IFC’s Paint didn’t turn out to be a record opening, as industry estimates forecast on Saturday AM, but did post $750K for a $916 theater average at 819 locations.

The chart…

1) Super Mario Bros Movie (Ill/Uni) 4,343 theaters, Wed $31.7M Th $26.5M Fri $54.8M Sat $56.87M Sun 3-day $146.36M, 5-day $204.6M/Wk 1

2.) John Wick: Chapter 4 (LG) 3,607 (-248) theaters, Fri $4.8M (-39%), Sat $5.9M Sun $3.8M 3-day $14.6M (-48%), Total $147M/Wk 3

3.) Dungeons & Dragons (Par/eOne) 3,856 theaters, Fri $4.85M (-68%), Sat $5.8M Sun $3.85M 3-day $14.5M (-61%), Total $62.2M/Wk 2

4.) Air (Amazon) 3,507 theaters, Wed $3.2M Thu $2.4M Fri $5M Sat $5.8M Sun $3.5M 3-day $14.46M, 5-day $20.2M/Wk 1

5.) Scream VI (Par) 2,286 theaters (-156), Fri $1.2M (-20%) Sat $1.37M Sun $690K 3-day $3.31M (-38%), Total $103.8M/Wk 5

6.) His Only Son (Angel) 1,930 theaters, Fri $1M, Sat $1.25M Sun $1M 3-day $3.25M (-41%), Total $11M/Wk 2

7.) Creed III (MGM) 2,002 theaters (-825), Fri $1M (+112%) Sat $1.1M Sun $681K 3-day $2.8M (-44%), Total $153.2M/Wk 6

8.) Shazam! Fury of the Gods (WB) 2,203 (-1,248) theaters, Fri $600K (-50%) Sat $600K Sun $400K 3-day $1.6M (-65%), Total $56.6M/ Wk 4

9.) Paint (IFC) 819 theaters, Fri $293K, 3-day $750K/Wk 1

10.) Thousand and One (Foc) 926 theaters Fri $200K Sat $240K, Sun $160K 3-day $600K (-66%), Total $2.9M /Wk 2

SATURDAY AM: Illumination/Universal’s Super Mario Bros Movie is still coursing for a $195.3M 5-day domestic opening, which as we told you, is second-best ever after 2009’s Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen‘s Wednesday-Saturday haul of $200M. This is even after a $55M Friday, and a still projected $137M 3-day.

However, the bigger deal is that the movie is headed for a $368M Global start, making the Nintendo production the biggest animated opening of all-time, ahead of Frozen 2‘s $358M. Nancy has all the particulars, as this must-see movie is minting $173M overseas. Worldwide, it’s also the biggest opening for a movie based on a video game after Warcraft‘s $210M. Stateside for a video game, Super Mario Bros squashes Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s 3-day of $72.1M.

More brags for Super Mario Bros:

–Biggest global opening and 3-day domestic to date for 2023, outstripping Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania ($225.3M WW, $106.1M U.S./Canada).

–Biggest domestic opening ever for Illumination, besting Minions‘ 3-day of $115.7M and Despicable Me 2‘s 5-day of $143M.

–Second-biggest opening ever for an animated film in U.S./Canada after Incredibles 2 ($182.6M)

Getting into the inner circuits of Super Mario Bros: Comscore/Screen Engine’s PostTrak shows that their polled crowds love the movie too, at 94% positive, 82% recommend; the pic already scored an A CinemaScore off of Wednesday first-day audiences. Kids under 12 loved it as well at 94% positive and 64% recommend. I smell a sequel being announced at CinemaCon, duh.

Moviegoers were guys at 60%, with 62% between 18-34, with the largest quad being 18-24 years old at 33%. Diversity demos showed Latino and Hispanic audiences in the lead at 41%, Caucasian at 30%, Black at 15%, and Asian/other at 14%. Super Mario Bros conquered everywhere, with East and West coasts dominating, with eight of the top ten coming from California. AMC Burbank is the richest theater in the U.S. with a gross of $270K+ since the pic opened on Wednesday. Imax and PLF are driving 27% of Super Mario Bros’ ticket sales so far.

Amazon’s first global day-and-date movie, Air, had a $5M Friday, putting it on course for a $12.7M 3-day in fourth place, $18.5M 5-day. This is at the top of projections. Amazon is to be applauded for getting behind this adult-skewing film with what I hear was at least $50M in marketing stateside. Many expect this Ben Affleck-Matt Damon reteam to leg out to bigger numbers in the spring. Good vibe adult movies (read George Clooney and Julia Roberts’ Ticket to Paradise), do have a shot at the box office in the post-Covid era, despite adult counterprogramming’s track offbeat record last fall. Ticket to Paradise grossed $68.2M stateside, $168.4M WW.

Air had an A CinemaScore on Wednesday, and PostTrak also mirrors happy moviegoers at 93% positive, 83% recommend. The Artists Equity/Skydance Sports/Mandalay production skewed 57% guys, with 49% between 18-34, and the largest demo being 25-34 at 27%. Diversity demos were 49% Caucasian, 23% Latino and Hispanic, 14% Black, and 14% Asian/other. Air over-indexed in the West, but was relatively even throughout the U.S., with the big cities taking the lead.

IFC’s acquisition of Brit McAdams’ comedy Paint, starring Owen Wilson as a Bob Ross type TV artist, looks to be scoring an opening record for the distributor, with an estimated $826K at 819 theaters. If that keeps up, it could beat the opening of IFC’s Watcher, which did $826K back in June 2022. Critics didn’t find the movie funny at 31% Rotten, and audiences weren’t falling out of their seats at 48%. PostTrack moviegoers thought it was funnier at 83% positive, but only giving it a 33% recommend (that’s quite a disparity). Movie leaned 67% women, 42% between 18-34, with 45-54 really showing up at 55%. Diversity demos were 50% Caucasian, 25% Black, 17% Asian/other, and 8% Latino and Hispanic.

All movies look to gross $195M for the 3-day Easter holiday weekend, which is 63% ahead of Easter weekend a year ago, when Warners Bros had Fantastic Beasts 3. This weekend is also 64% ahead of the respective weekend a year ago, too, which interestingly enough was when Paramount had Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog 2. By Sunday, the total running cume for the 2023 domestic box office will be an estimated $2.3 billion, +33% over the same Jan. 1-April 9 period a year ago, and +511% over the same period for 2021. Theatrical is regaining its pre-pandemic footing.

1) Super Mario Bros Movie (Ill/Uni) 4,343 theaters, Wed $31.7M Th $26.5M Fri $55M 3-day $137M, 5-day $195.3M/Wk 1

2.) Dungeons & Dragons (Par/eOne) 3,856 theaters, Fri $4.84M (-68%), 3-day $13.65M (-63%), Total $61.4M/Wk 2

3.) John Wick: Chapter 4 (LG) 3,607 (-248) theaters, Fri $4.8M (-39%), 3-day $13.6M (-52%), Total $146M/Wk 3

4.) Air (Amazon) 3,507 theaters, Wed $3.2M Thu $2.4M Fri $5M 3-day $12.7M, 5-day $18.5M/Wk 1

5.) Scream VI (Par) 2,286 theaters (-156), Fri $1.2M (-20%) 3-day $3.36M (-37%), Total $103.8M/Wk 5

6.) Creed III (MGM) 2,002 theaters (-825), Fri $1M (+112%) 3-day $2.99M (-40%), Total $153.4M/Wk 6

7.) His Only Son (Angel) 1,930 theaters, Fri $850K (-61%), 3-day $2.4M (-56%), Total $10.1M/Wk 2

8.) Shazam! Fury of the Gods (WB) 2,203 (-1,248) theaters, Fri $600K (-50%), 3-day $1.73M (-62%), Total $56.7M/ Wk 4

9.) Paint (IFC) 819 theaters, Fri $293K, 3-day $826K/Wk 1

10.) Thousand and One (Foc) 926 theaters Fri $190K (-11%), 3-day $540K (-70%), Total $2.9M /Wk 2

UPDATED FRIDAY MIDDAY: The Super Mario Bros Movie is cleaning up at the box office, with an expected Friday of $59 million that puts it on course for a $137M three-day and $195M five-day opening. It’s a three-day and five-day record for Illumination, beating Minions’ $115.7M three-day and Despicable Me 2‘s five-day of $143M. Among Easter three-day openers, it’s third behind Batman v. Superman ($181M) and Furious 7 ($161.2M).

Among five-day figures, Super Mario Bros is second only behind 2009’s Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, which opened to $200M.

Amazon’s Air also looks to come in at the high end with $18.7M for the five-day holiday frame.

People DO go to the movies. They don’t just watch movies at home.

More updates as they come.

FRIDAY AM UPDATE: Illumination/Universal’s The Super Mario Bros Movie‘s Thursday came in at $26.5 million, higher than estimated, for an ease of 16% from Wednesday’s opening day. Two-day cume is $58.2M. As of this morning, Uni is sticking to its $92M three-day figure and $141M five-day as it waits to assess matinees and early-evening advance ticket sales, however it’s clear this movie will set a five-day record opening for Illumination, ranking above Despicable Me 2′s $143M.

Its current combined worldwide running total is $120.7M after a $27.6M Thursday offshore for a two-day international total of $62.5M.

RelishMix reports that there’s been nothing but positive buzz for Super Mario Bros on social saying that “Tone is filled with excitement about the movie as some fans adore casting choices including Chris Pratt, Seth Rogen, Anya Taylor-Joy and Jack Black. Others are impressed by the detailed references to Mario video games, such as Rainbow Road and Mario and Donkey Kong’s team-up — and the thrilling sound effects, actions, and animation is giving fans goosebumps, with some commenting that ‘This is what’s gonna bring people back to theatres’ and that ‘More grown-ups are excited than kids for this one — my childhood is back!’ Other chatter compares Mario to The Incredibles, Minions, Lego Batman and Secret Life of Pets.”

Earlier this week, Super Mario Bros social reach ounted a massive 644.1M across Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok built across Universal Pictures at 47.4M, Illumination at 4.1M and Nintendo at 34.4M. Super Mario Bros’ social media universe sits 22% above genre norms in the range of top family animated supertitles including The Incredibles (667.2M SMU, $182.7M), Minions: Rise of Gru (659M SMU, $107M) and above Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (462.9M, $72M).

Cast-members on Super Mario Bros are socially activated including Chris ‘Pratt Pratt’ at 61.2M fans, Jack Black at 23.8M, Anya Taylor-Joy at 10.1M and Keegan-Michael Key at 2.5M, all of who are fed engaging cast specific materials.

Taylor-Joy in Peach-themed get-up at last Saturday’s world premiere: