Super Mario Bros. Movie Eyeing $225 Million Worldwide Opening

The Super Mario Bros. Movie releases in theaters starting April 5, and the animated film is expected to have a gigantic opening run at the box office. According to Deadline, the movie could pull in $225 million or more for its first (extended) weekend in theaters.

The film opens on a Wednesday, and the $225 million-plus it's expected to earn covers the Wednesday-Sunday period as a opposed to the more traditional Friday-Sunday window.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is expected to earn $125 million or more in the US/Canada in the Wednesday-Sunday period and another $100 million-plus from international markets.

Comparisons to other films are difficult and unfair because The Super Mario Bros. Movie is opening on a Wednesday. Universal, which owns animation studio Illumination, is going big with its marketing efforts by way of TV and internet ads, and the stars--including Chris Pratt and Charlie Day--are making the interview rounds all over the place to hype the film.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie might also benefit from releasing as part of the Easter weekend when some schools are closed, along with April vacations in some school districts.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie could rise up the charts to become one of the highest-grossing video game movies ever, a list currently topped by Warcraft ($439 million). The film opens on April 5 and also features Anya Taylor-Joy as the voice of Peach and Jack Black as Bowser.