Illumination’s Follow-Up To The Super Mario Bros. Movie Is Now Streaming On Netflix & Its Runtime Is Perfect (2024)

Illumination had huge success in 2023 with The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and followed up the success with another modest hit, Migration, which is now available to stream on Netflix. The Super Mario Bros. Movie broke the box office when it earned well over $1.3 billion and became the most profitable animated film of all time (via Box Office Mojo). However, that wasn't the only great movie to be released by Illumination that year.

Illumination may be best known for its flagship franchise, Despicable Me, and the spin-off movies based on the beloved Minions, but the studio regularly releases other great family films in between the biggest titles. However, while movies like Despicable Me have grown to be large franchises that are widely celebrated, and Super Mario is a global IP, the smaller titles can occasionally get lost in the sea of new releases. However, the 2023 movie, Migration is well worth watching, and now that it's on the biggest streaming platform, it's easier than ever to watch at home.

Illumination's Migration Movie Is Now Streaming On Netflix

Making It Easier To Watch Than Ever

After Migration moved from theaters to streaming, it initially had a limited release on Peaco*ck. However, Peaco*ck is by no means the biggest or most popular streaming site. Due to a more limited catalog of movies and shows, Peaco*ck has far fewer subscribers than the titans of streaming, Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video. While Peaco*ck has a respectable 28 million users, the largest sites range between 150 and 247 million users, with Netflix at the very top (via Forbes).

Just based on the number of users alone, by moving to Netflix, Migration will get access to almost 10 times the number of users on Netflix, which means it has more of a chance to be seen. If it can also rank on the charts, or get a featured spot in the family movies category, Migration will automatically see a huge uptick in views thanks to the change of platform. However, it needs to get views in order to chart.

Super Mario Had A Fantastic Run On The Netflix Charts

Of course, the goal for any movie on streaming is to get in front of as many people as possible. Simply being a movie by Illumination is not going to get the movie seen if it doesn't resonate with audiences and find a following on Netflix. When The Super Mario Bros. Movie arrived on Netflix, it spent an incredibly long time in the top 10 trending titles. This meant it was being watched by a lot of people, and that it recieved a prominent placement on the site, which in turn continued to boost its views.

Presumably, Illumination will be hoping for more of the same success with their other titles, and Migration could be in a prime position to start charting on Netflix. The movie managed to earn a respectable $300 million at the box office upon release, which, considering the original story, is a great figure. Compared to other movies by Illumination, it is among the lowest earners (via The Numbers), but compared to other animated films in general, Migration is just outside the top 100 highest earners of all time (via The Numbers), which is no small feat.

Why Migration Is A Worthwhile Movie For Families

Migration Is A Perfect And Easy Watch For The Whole Family

One of the most important details to consider when picking out a film for families, especially those with young children, is the runtime. Most kids struggle to sit still or stay engaged with a movie when the film has an excessively long runtime. Fortunately, Migration runs for a total of 83 minutes, which means it is below the one hour and 30 minute mark. This is perfect for young kids.

On top of that, Migration was generally a really well-received movie. The film scored an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes with audiences, and 73% Fresh score from critics. It's fun, wholesome, and light, which makes it easy to enjoy for the whole family, while still being engaging enough for adults to find some bright and funny moments in the movie's runtime. It may not be earning huge accolades, but Migration is another great example of how Illumination balances subtle humor for the adults with laugh-out-loud moments for the kids.

Migration

3.5

PG

Animation

Adventure

Comedy

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

*Availability in US

Migration is an animated adventure-comedy from Illumination and features an ensemble cast including Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks, Awkwafina, and Keegan-Michael Key. The cast takes on the role of a family of mallards who has lived in the safety of their pond all their lives and decide to migrate for a vacation. However, when the family discovers they migrated the wrong way, they end up in New York City, forcing them to find a way out and down to the Caribbean.

Director

Benjamin Renner

Release Date

December 22, 2023

Studio(s)

Illumination Entertainment

Distributor(s)

Universal Pictures

Writers

Mike White

Cast

Kumail Nanjiani , Elizabeth Banks , Keegan-Michael Key , David Mitchell , Carol Kane , Danny DeVito , Casper Jennings , Tresi Gazal