MGM’s hope rested on building word of mouth to match advance critical reaction, spurring momentum into the weekend.įor Universal, the release date might have another incentive that’s tied to its PVOD strategy. Universal’s expectations of a huge gross for the animated film, combined with many school kids on vacation and a market starved for family films, made it a logical choice. “Super Mario Bros.” and “Air” chose the date for their own reasons. Movie' Italian Voice: 'That's a Little New Jersey' 'Super Mario Bros.' Is Not Enough: David Lowery's Case for Better Family-Friendly Movies (Column)Ĭhris Pratt Went Too 'Tony Soprano' with 'Super Mario Bros.

That said, the result for “Super Mario Bros.” would have been sensational even had it opened Friday. Pre-Easter Wednesday openings are traditionally reserved for faith-based releases like last year’s “Father Stu” and the 2014 “Heaven Is for Real.” The success of this weekend’s films could mean future release strategies will identify this long weekend as a fresh pre-holiday opportunity. Five-day projections for both films rose sharply just before opening to around $125 million and $16 million, respectively initial figures suggest we’ll see those expectations met for “Air” and significantly exceeded for “Super Mario Bros.” Movie” (Universal) opened to a stunning $31.7 million and Ben Affleck’s “Air” (MGM) grossed $3.2 million.

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