Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Thursday, April 9, 2026
Super Mario Galaxy Movie Delivers 2026’s Biggest Opening at $190M Domestic, $372.5M Global
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie delivered 2026’s biggest opening weekend, earning $190 million domestically in its first five days and $372.5 million globally. The Illumination sequel ranks as the fourth-largest five-day domestic debut ever, trailing only Moana 2, the original Super Mario Bros. Movie, and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Universal’s campaign included Winter Olympics tie-ins, a Super Bowl spot, a March 10 Mario Day event generating 160 million media impressions in a single day, and physical installations at Columbus Circle in New York and Westfield Century City in Los Angeles. RelishMix measured the film’s social media reach at 775.6 million, 21% above animated franchise genre norms.
Sources: Deadline | Rotten Tomatoes | The Numbers
A24’s “The Drama” Wedding Campaign Courts Controversy at $14M Opening
A24’s marketing campaign for The Drama drew criticism after the film opened to $14 million domestically. The studio positioned Zendaya and Robert Pattinson’s dark comedy as a quirky romantic comedy, running a fake Boston Globe engagement announcement, a surprise Zendaya appearance at a Las Vegas wedding chapel, and a March Los Angeles premiere styled with Champagne towers and tiered cakes. But the film’s actual subject matter — which includes a character’s backstory involving a planned school shooting — prompted gun safety group March for Our Lives to publicly condemn the campaign as “deeply misaligned with the reality it engages.” The film opened to $28 million globally.
Michael Jackson Biopic “Michael” Final Trailer Out; Lionsgate Eyes $55M+ Record Opening
Lionsgate dropped the final trailer for Michael this week, the long-awaited biopic of pop legend Michael Jackson directed by Antoine Fuqua, ahead of its April 24 theatrical release. The studio now projects a $55 million-plus opening, which would set a record for musical biopics. The campaign’s first trailer already set a benchmark: 116.2 million global views in 24 hours, surpassing Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour’s 96.1 million to become the most-watched launch for any music biopic or concert film. Lionsgate reports that early test screenings have drawn “extraordinarily positive” responses across multiple international regions, signaling strong global appeal.
TikTok and Samba TV Report 172% Box Office Lift from Ad Campaigns
TikTok and Samba TV have published findings from a meta-analysis of 38 U.S. theatrical campaigns, showing a median 172% lift in ticket purchase rates among audiences exposed to TikTok advertising versus those who were not. The study found a $1.70 incremental return on ad spend, a 15x efficiency advantage over linear TV on a CPM basis, and 60% non-duplicated reach versus linear TV audiences — meaning TikTok expands the audience rather than duplicating existing reach. Horror films performed best with a 215% lift. TikTok has also launched Box Office Lift, a third-party measurement product using Samba’s household-level data to connect ad exposure to verified ticket purchases.
Sources: PPC Land | Social Media Today
Emmy FYC Season Shifts as Streamers Abandon the House Model
The Emmy FYC eligibility window is open — submissions run through June 10, 2026 — and the industry is marking a significant shift in campaign strategy. Netflix, which pioneered the large-scale FYC house experience, opted out of the traditional all-in-one installation model last year, and Prime Video and Apple TV+ are now following suit. Streamers are moving toward boutique, show-specific campaigns that play to individual title strengths and keep creative teams more closely involved in the process. Netflix’s more targeted approach, prioritizing curated screenings and smaller events over sprawling experiential venues, is now widely seen as the template for effective Emmy season campaigning.
Sources: Gold Derby | Allied Global Marketing
Curated by JD — samwise.agency