Nintendo’s “Super Mario Galaxy Movie” continues its dominant run at the global box office, with the animated feature approaching $700 million in worldwide receipts. The film’s success represents another major victory for video game adaptations, which have historically struggled to find critical and commercial success.

The movie, which expands on the universe established in 2023’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” has grossed $320 million domestically and $375 million internationally as of Sunday. Industry analysts now project the film could ultimately surpass $900 million globally, placing it among the highest-grossing animated features of all time.

“Nintendo has cracked the code on video game adaptations,” said box office analyst Paul Dergarabedian of Comscore. “They understand that you need to respect the source material while creating something that works as cinema. The Mario movies are love letters to gaming that also happen to be great films.”

The success comes as rival “Project Hail Mary,” a science fiction adaptation starring Ryan Gosling, crossed the $500 million milestone globally. The two films have dominated the spring box office, providing much-needed momentum to theaters still recovering from pandemic-era disruptions.

Illumination Entertainment, which produces the Mario films in partnership with Nintendo, has already announced plans for a third installment. The studio is also developing animated features based on other Nintendo properties, including “The Legend of Zelda” and “Donkey Kong Country.”

The Mario franchise’s cinematic success has had a significant impact on Nintendo’s business beyond the box office. Sales of Mario-related video games have increased 35% since the first movie’s release, while merchandise revenue has nearly doubled. Nintendo’s stock price has risen 28% year-to-date.

“This is the ultimate virtuous cycle,” said gaming industry analyst Mat Piscatella. “The movies drive game sales, which drive interest in the movies, which drives merchandise sales. Nintendo has created a multimedia empire that rivals Disney at its peak.”

The films have also received surprisingly positive reviews from critics, who praise their faithful recreation of the games’ visual style and their genuinely funny scripts. Voice actor Chris Pratt’s performance as Mario, initially controversial among fans, has won over many skeptics.

“I was wrong about Pratt,” admitted gaming journalist Jason Schreier. “He brings a warmth and humor to Mario that I didn’t expect. These movies understand what makes these characters special to generations of players.”

With the third Mario movie already in development and Nintendo’s cinematic universe expanding, the company appears poised to dominate family entertainment for years to come. The question now is whether any other video game franchise can replicate this level of success.