Anya Taylor-Joy’s $1 Billion Sci-Fi Blockbuster Is Officially Taking Over the World

2026 has been the year of Anya Taylor-Joy so far, and she isn’t slowing down as she’s poised to star in one of the biggest sci-fi movies of the year. We’re talking, of course, about Dune: Part Three, the third and final chapter in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune saga starring Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides. The film is coming to theaters on December 18, the same day as Avengers: Doomsday. Earlier in the summer, Taylor-Joy returned to Apple TV to star in one of the most-watched shows of the summer, Lucky, co-starring Timothy Olyphant. Her return to the platform was made that much more exciting thanks to her last Apple TV movie, The Gorge, doing so well. Taylor-Joy is one of Hollywood’s most successful breakout stars, and she’s even added over a billion to her career box office total thanks to one 2026 hit.

Earlier this year, Taylor-Joy returned to her role as Princess Peach in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which was also the first feature film of the year to reach $1 billion at the global box office. The 2026 sequel did not earn as much as the 2023 original, but it still easily did well enough to warrant another movie, which Keegan Michael-Key said likely won’t be released anytime before 2029 — three years between movies isn’t that surprising, though. After the theatrical success of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, the film went on to become a smash hit on VOD platforms like Prime Video and Apple TV. It’s now streaming on Peacock in America, where it’s still one of the most-watched titles on the platform weeks after its debut.

Did People Like ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’?

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The Super Mario Galaxy Movie was not liked by critics, who rated the film a Rotten 42% score on the aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes. It was, however, a smash hit with fans, who rated it a Verified Hot 87% on the audience-driven Popcornmeter. In addition to Chris Pratt as Mario and Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie features a loaded ensemble of voice talent, including Brie Larson as Rosalina, Benny Safdie as Bowser Jr, Charlie Day as Luigi, Donald Glover as Yoshi, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Jack Black as Bowser, Issa Rae as Honey Queen, and more.