Full Breakdown
Global Box Office Showdown: “The Devil Wears Prada 2” Leads May 1-3, 2026 Weekend
5/4/2026, 9:32:58 PM
May 1-3, 2026 Box-Office Overview
Disney’s sequel The Devil Wears Prada 2 opened atop the U.S. domestic chart with $77 million, outpacing Lionsgate’s Michael ($54 million) and Universal’s The Super Mario Galaxy Movie ($12.1 million). The Prada sequel’s overseas haul of roughly $156 million lifted its global debut to $233–$234 million, according to three separate reports. The Mario sequel, now in its fifth weekend, added $12.1 million domestically, raising its U.S. total to $402.6–$402.7 million and its worldwide gross to about $894 million. Project Hail Mary earned $8.5 million, while indie horror Hokum debuted with $6.4 million.
International Highlights
- South Korea: KOBIS data show the Mario film earned $3.8 million (575 467 admissions) and captured 31.5 % of the market; the Prada sequel posted $3.3 million from 736 033 admissions. The three-day market total was $12.2 million, nearly double the prior week.
- Japan: The Mario sequel led with a cumulative $22.7 million, surpassing recent animated releases.
- Australia: The Prada sequel grossed A$13.1 million (?US$9.1 million), edging Michael’s A$6.2 million.
Financial Breakdown
Domestic per-theater averages:
- The Devil Wears Prada 2 – $18,554 (4,150 venues)
- Michael – $13,658 (3,955 venues)
- The Super Mario Galaxy Movie – $3,539 (3,419 venues)
- Project Hail Mary – $2,822 (3,017 venues)
- Hokum – $3,402 (1,885 venues)
Internationally, the Mario sequel contributed $32.2 million in its fifth weekend (12.3 % decline), while the Prada sequel added $156 million overseas. The top five titles combined for a domestic gross of roughly $108 million.
Official Statements & Responses
- Disney’s 20th Century Studios confirmed a $100 million production budget for the Prada sequel, noting that director David Frankel told the *New York Times* the budget “mostly went to the cast.”
- The Korean Film Council’s KOBIS released the South Korean figures, highlighting the Mario film’s 27 % share of the five-day weekend.
- comScore’s Box Office Essentials service described its real-time data-collection methodology in a press release accompanying the weekend report.
- *Variety*’s analysis labeled the Prada debut the “fourth-best start of the year,” trailing only Michael, the Mario sequel, and Project Hail Mary.
Critical Reception & Audience Scores
The Prada sequel received mixed critical reviews but earned an A- CinemaScore grade. The Mario sequel faced no major critical dissent in the sources. Horror entry Hokum secured a B grade, praised as strong for the genre. Angel Studios’ animated adaptation Animal Farm recorded a C- CinemaScore and was described as “saddled with lousy reviews.”
Conflicting Figures & Gaps
- Prada worldwide total: *Variety* cites $233.6 million, *The Nerdy* reports $223.6 million, and *Dark Horizons* lists $234 million.
- Mario global gross: reported as $894 million (Animation Magazine), $894.2 million (Dailyhunt), and $894.22 million (The Nerdy).
- Mario domestic total: appears as $402.6 million (Seat42f) and $402.7 million (Variety). Discrepancies stem from differing reporting windows and rounding conventions.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Very few dramedies do this kind of business once, let alone a second time that’s bigger,” — David A. Gross, Box-Office Analyst, FranchiseRe
- “I never had any idea that my lines would get quoted to me every single week of my life since the movie has come out,” — Emily Blunt, Actress (Variety interview)
- “mostly went to [the cast].” — David Frankel, Director (New York Times interview)
- “Audiences are generally in some state of agitation at the end of a horror movie,” — David A. Gross, Box-Office Analyst (Variety)
- “It’s also the highest opening weekend ever for a Meryl Streep film, either domestically or overseas, and the same goes for an Emily Blunt film.” — Dark Horizons analysis
Outlook: Upcoming Weeks
School holidays in South Korea—including Children’s Day on May 5—along with spring-break schedules across Asia are expected to sustain strong attendance for family-oriented titles such as the Mario sequel. Analysts project the Prada sequel to remain in the domestic top-five for at least two more weeks, while the Mario franchise is poised to approach the $1 billion worldwide milestone by late May.
