The highly anticipated “Super Mario Bros.” movie based on the iconic video game character has been a massive success since its release on April 5, 2023. The movie grossed $204.6 million domestically during its opening weekend and is now expected to make over $1.1 billion at the worldwide box office.

Digital Release Date

The good news for those who have yet to see the movie is that the digital release date has been announced. The movie will be available for digital purchase on Tuesday, May 16. This marks a short theater premiere-to-streaming gap for a 2023 blockbuster.

Universal’s Release Strategy

Universal, the distribution company of “The Super Mario Bros.” movie, has had a similar progressive release strategy for recent animated movies. For example, “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” was released digitally only 16 days after its December 2022 theatrical premiere. “Minions: The Rise of Gru” hit video-on-demand just 32 days after its Summer 2022 debut. Therefore, the 41-day gap between the premiere of “The Super Mario Bros.” movie and its digital release is not surprising.

Audience Response

Despite receiving negative reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, the audience has been very receptive to “The Super Mario Bros.” movie. With its availability for digital purchase right around the corner, it is expected to perform even better.

Future Animated Movies

According to video game creator Shigeru Miyamoto, there will “no doubt” be more big Nintendo animated movies in the future. Given the massive success of “The Super Mario Bros.” movie, Universal is expected to continue to invest in more movies.

Streaming Services

While the movie will be available for digital purchase on May 16, it remains unclear when it will be available for streaming on a service like NBC’s Peacock. With such a massive box office success, Universal is not in a rush to make the movie available for streaming anytime soon.