MOVIE
Will ‘Super Mario’ captivate Korean audiences as well?
According to Box Office Mojo, the movie 'Super Mario Bros.', which was released globally on the 5th, achieved an opening score of $377 million (about KRW 498.3 billion), taking the title of No. 1 animation opening score of all time. . This record far surpasses the record set by the animated film ‘Frozen 2’ ($350 million) released in 2019.
In addition, 'Super Mario Bros.' received an explosive response, topping the box office in 60 countries around the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Germany, France, and Australia.
The reason for the success of 'Super Mario Bros.' is that it stimulated nostalgia based on familiarity by adding a narrative to the Super Mario character that is familiar to people around the world. Nintendo's 'Super Mario' series is a game that has been greatly loved for the past 38 years, not only selling 40.24 million copies worldwide, but also ranking first as the best game selected by the Guinness Book of World Records.
This animation depicts the adventure of Mario, an ordinary plumber in New York, who levels up to 'Super Mario' and rescues his younger brother Luigi, who has been kidnapped by Koopa, a villain from another world. Mario, who was only seen in games, was made into an animation, stimulating the curiosity of many fans.
Additionally, the stunning visuals, which are incomparable to games, also attract the attention of audiences. 'Super Mario Bros.' met with Illumination, which has established itself as a famous animation company through the 'Minions' and 'Thing' series, and was drawn on the screen with enchanting visuals, giving the pleasure of viewing. Fans' praise for the excellent graphics of 'Super Mario Bros.' continues.
In addition, the expansion of the worldview by adding dynamic actions never seen in games and hidden stories of popular characters such as Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Cuparo are also evaluated as meeting the audience's expectations.
The domestic box office success of ‘Super Mario Bros.’ is also worth looking forward to. 'Super Mario' has a strong fan base through Nintendo games, recording sales of approximately KRW 400 billion as of 2020 in Korea alone. As it is based on the public's familiarity and liking for the Mario character, it is predicted that if word of mouth is good in the early stages, it will be able to attract many audiences to theaters.
Choi Ji-ye, Ten Asia Reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr
