Featured Image Credit: Universal Pictures
It's not just NASA's Artemis missions shooting for the stars in 2026, with Project Hail Mary and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie duking it out at the top of the box office as our obsession with space continues.
While we could be here all day listing failed video game movies that back up the idea that the genre is 'cursed', others like A Minecraft Movie and the ongoing Sonic franchise would suggest otherwise.
Even though none of the above are exactly critical darlings, with some calling A Minecraft Movie the 'worst' of 2025, they've more than made back their investment at the box office.
That's more than can be said for gaming duds like 2024's Borderlands being a certified film flop.
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With 2023's The Super Mario Bros. Movie defying expectations and becoming the highest-grossing film based on a video game, as well as the first movie based on a video game to reach $1 billion, there were high hopes that a sequel could do just as well.
A cryptic tease of Yoshi means Nintendo could've taken the Mario franchise in any number of directions, but soaring into the cosmos, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is causing a (big) bang at the box office.
Having officially overtaken Project Hail Mary, it's galloped past Sonic 3 and is the third highest-grossing video game movie of all time.
Even if its $629 million puts it a way off its predecessor's $1.3 billion, it's a great start for this cosmic caper.
It seems that the success of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is also having a knock-on effect, as one of the games it's based on is currently going under the hammer at auction.
As part of Heritage Auctions' gaming catalog, a VGA 95+ Mint Uncirculated Sealed version of 2010's Super Mario Galaxy 2 has a bid of $410.
Following the console domination of Super Mario 64 on the N64 and the disappointment of Super Mario Sunshine on the GameCube, Super Mario Galaxy made the most of the Wii's unique motion controls in 2007. In a rare turn of modern Mario games getting a full-blown sequel, Super Mario Galaxy 2 took the idea even further just three years later.
With over seven million copies sold, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is one of the Wii's best-selling games, and for some, it’s considered one of the best video games ever made.
Although coming along much earlier, Heritage Auctions also has a copy of the OG Super Mario Bros. for the NES, which is also currently listed for $410.
Over on eBay, a 10.0 A++ Certified Guaranty Company copy of the OG Mario Galaxy is listed for $6,750, while VGA Gold Graded 90+ NM+/M Uncirculated copies of both games are going for $6,000. These two beauties are signed by former Mario legend Charles Martinet, although it remains to be seen if they actually fetch these princely sums.
Despite these games being a far cry from a rare copy of Super Mario 64 fetching a jaw-dropping $1.56 million in 2021, we're again imploring you to head up into your attics and dust off your collections to see if there are any diamonds in the rough.
It's true that both Galaxy games are available on the Switch and got a glossy 4K update for the Switch 2, but your old copies could be worth an unexpected amount.
Mario games are always going to remain popular, and they're always going to sell a ton on whatever console they release on, but now more than ever, it could be time to check if you've got any unsealed copies of that portly plumber's adventures tucked away.
