Summary
The unexpected smash-hit filmNe Zha 2has surpassedThe Super Mario Bros. Moviein global box office earnings, knocking the beloved Nintendo plumbers out of fourth place on the list of the highest-grossing animated movies of all time.The Super Mario Bros. Moviewas a mega hit among audiences upon its initial release back in 2023, but an unlikely Chinese release has pushed the Mario brothers further down the charts.
First announced in 2018,The Super Mario Bros. Moviestayed quietly under the radar until the cast was revealed during a 2021 Nintendo Direct. In spite of early mixed reactions to some castings, audiences turned out in full force for therelease ofThe Super Mario Bros. Movie, quickly pushing it past the billion-dollar mark at the box office. Perhaps just as surprisingly, a brand-new animated feature from China has seen its own monumental returns, even surpassing the iconicSuper Mario Bros.film.
According toIMDb, the 2025 Chinese animated fantasy adventure filmNe Zha 2has already grossed over $1.5 billion, leapfrogging it past bothThe Super Mario Bros. MovieandFrozen 2to become the third highest-grossing animated movie of all time.Ne Zha 2is a direct sequel to the 2019 releaseNe Zhaand loosely combines the stories of a 16th-century Chinese novel,Investiture of the Gods, and the Chinese mythological figure Nezha the Crown Prince. As of July 10, 2025,Ne Zha 2has been released outside of China, giving the film the opportunity to climb even higher in the box office ranks. WhileThe Super Mario Bros. Moviehas now been officially knocked down in the rankings, it will be interesting to see if thenextSuper Mario Bros.filmwill see a similar “sequel success” toNe Zha 2.
Top 10 Highest-Grossing Animated Movies of All Time
Ne Zha 2is not the only sequel to have surpassedThe Super Mario Bros. Moviein global box office rankings. The 2024 releaseInside Out 2not only jumped pastThe Super Mario Bros. Moviebut skyrocketed to the number one spot as the highest-grossing animated film of all time. Other sequels to see greater returns than their predecessors include Disney’sMoana 2, as well as Pixar’sToy Story 3,Toy Story 4, andIncredibles 2. With this success of sequels continuing forNe Zha 2, this pattern could possibly give fans an idea ofwhat to expect from aMarioMoviesequel.
Both animated movies andvideo game screen adaptationshave seen a rise in popularity in recent years, withThe Super Mario Bros. Moviebeing among the standout offerings. The legendary Nintendo franchise has plenty of characters, settings, and stories to explore, so the potential to see even greater returns at the box office is certainly there. Interested fans will want to stay tuned for any news on when they can expect to see a sequel toThe Super Mario Bros. Movie.
