Midnight movie screenings are officially making a comeback, and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is leading the charge. Tickets go on sale today, March 9th, 2026, and when fans started checking showtimes, something jumped out that the industry has not seen in over a decade: true 12:01 AM screenings on Tuesday night, March 31st, at Regal, AMC, Cinemark, and Harkins locations across the country. That is not a Thursday night early access showing. That is a genuine midnight premiere, and it is a big deal.
Why Midnight Showings Disappeared. For years, midnight openings were how serious moviegoers kicked off a big release. Then one night ended all of that. On July 20, 2012, a gunman opened fire during a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado, killing 12 people and injuring 70 more. The tragedy changed theater culture overnight. Audiences grew uncomfortable with late-night crowds in dark auditoriums, and studios quietly backed away from the format.
What replaced it was the Thursday night premiere. Instead of a 12:01 AM Friday start, theaters began opening big films on Thursday evenings, often as early as 3 PM or 7 PM. Studios still have their opening weekend numbers. Fans still got early access. But the actual midnight showing vanished, and for more than ten years, nobody brought it back.
Until now.
The Return. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie opens officially on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, with multiple 12:01 AM screenings confirmed for the night of March 31st at Regal, AMC, Cinemark, and Harkins. This is not a single-screen, limited event. Multiple showings are listed at midnight across all four chains. If you have not seen the latest trailer yet, we broke down everything in January, and it is worth a watch before tickets sell out. Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, and Jack Black all return, with Brie Larson joining as Rosalina, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, following Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach on an adventure across the galaxy. The film runs 1 hour and 38 minutes.
The Yoshi Popcorn Bucket Changes the Equation. Here is why the midnight showing matters even more this time around. We covered the Yoshi Popcorn Bucket in full earlier this week, and the demand has been enormous. The bucket is coming to theaters at launch, available at AMC, Regal, Cinemark, Harkins, Marcus Theatres, and more.
The bucket is designed to look like Yoshi himself, holding a Yoshi Egg-shaped bowl for your popcorn, with the full character detail: big round head, blue eyes, orange shoes, and the red shell on his back. It holds 105 ounces and is expected to retail around $50.
That bucket is going to sell out. Mario merchandise demand has been massive since the first film, and collectible theater buckets at this price point and detail level do not sit on shelves long. Going at midnight puts you ahead of every person who waits for the Wednesday crowd. By the time April 1st hits, some locations will already be gone.
The Yoshi bucket is not the only collectible coming either. Luma Popcorn Buckets in yellow, green, red, purple, and blue are set to be announced on MAR10 Day, March 10th. Cinemark’s Super Ticket for $35 includes a mini Bowser Cauldron popcorn container, a Luma keychain, a poster, and a popcorn tub.
Should You Go at Midnight? For collectors, the answer is yes. Tickets are on sale now at Fandango and through each theater chain directly. March 31st midnight showings are live at Regal, AMC, Cinemark, and Harkins. This is not a Thursday 7 PM premiere. This is midnight. Get your tickets now and get there early for the bucket.
