Universal and Illumination’s animated sequel The Super Mario Galaxy Movie continued its strong theatrical run, leading the North American box office on its second Friday with an additional $17.5 million in ticket sales. The film is projected to collect roughly $68.9 million over the weekend, representing a moderate drop from its opening performance but still reinforcing its position as one of the season’s biggest hits. By Sunday, the sequel’s domestic total is expected to climb to approximately $308 million.
Although the film’s second-weekend performance trails behind the momentum achieved by its 2023 predecessor The Super Mario Bros. Movie, analysts note that the earlier release benefited from the excitement of launching a brand-new franchise and strong early audience reception. Even so, the sequel’s continued box office strength suggests that the Mario brand remains a major draw for family audiences and longtime fans alike.
In second place, the science fiction adaptation Project Hail Mary delivered another solid showing with $6.8 million on Friday and is forecast to reach about $26 million by the end of the weekend. After four weeks in theatres, the film’s North American earnings are expected to approach $258 million, demonstrating steady audience interest and strong word-of-mouth support.
A24’s romantic drama The Drama, starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, followed closely behind with an estimated $2.8 million on Friday. The film, which explores the unraveling relationship of an engaged couple after a surprising revelation, opened strongly the previous weekend and is projected to add another $9.1 million by Sunday.
Meanwhile, newcomer You, Me & Tuscany entered the domestic charts with a modest debut, earning $3.1 million on its opening Friday from roughly 3,000 theatres. The romantic comedy, featuring Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page, is expected to reach around $8.3 million by the end of the weekend. Disney and Pixar’s Hoopers rounded out the top five with $1.1 million on Friday and a projected $4 million weekend total, bringing its four-week domestic earnings to approximately $157 million. According to Variety, the weekend results reflect continued dominance by established franchises while newer releases face tougher competition at the box office.
