Nintendo’s bold attempt: The successful transformation of its gaming IP and the astonishing box office record

Have you seen the movie version of “Super Mario Brothers”? The film has achieved impressive box office success not only in Taiwan but also in Japan and the United States. According to the American movie information site Box Office Mojo, as of May 18, 2023, the film has grossed over 60.92 million USD in Japan just three weeks after its premiere. Its global box office income has exceeded 1.218 billion USD, currently ranking 4th globally. It may even surpass “Frozen 2”, which holds the top spot with 1.454 billion USD. Besides the support of global Mario fans, the film owes its success to Nintendo’s production model. The 94-minute film is filled with Mario’s signature style, with no original elements created solely for the film. This was the original intent of the collaboration between Chris Meledandri, the founder of Illumination, and Shigeru Miyamoto, known as the father of Mario at Nintendo.

Nintendo’s transformation: Diversifying the application of its gaming IP