Nintendo’s expansion into movies and entertainment has delivered major financial results, with The Super Mario Galaxy Movie helping the company more than double its licensing revenue. The success of the animated film has strengthened Nintendo’s plans to bring its iconic characters to audiences beyond gaming platforms.
According to Nintendo’s fiscal 2027 first-quarter financial report, the company’s mobile and licensing business generated 34.8 billion yen (around $220 million), representing a 107.4% increase compared with the same period last year. The strong performance was largely supported by the continued popularity of Nintendo’s film projects.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie earned more than $1.012 billion worldwide, becoming one of the highest-grossing video game adaptations ever released. Combined with the previous Mario animated movie, Nintendo’s films have generated approximately $2.37 billion globally.
Nintendo stated in its financial report that movies and other video projects allow the company to introduce its characters to new audiences worldwide. The company explained,
“We believe that our film and video content projects can go beyond the specialized business of game platforms and give people around the world the opportunity to get acquainted with Nintendo characters.”
Following Mario’s success, Nintendo is preparing its next major adaptation, The Legend of Zelda, which is scheduled to release on April 30, 2027. Company representatives, including Shigeru Miyamoto, have also suggested that more Nintendo franchises could eventually receive film adaptations.
