The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Theatrical release poster
Directed by
  • Aaron Horvath
  • Michael Jelenic
Written by Matthew Fogel
Based on Mario
by Nintendo
Produced by
  • Chris Meledandri
  • Shigeru Miyamoto
Starring
  • Chris Pratt
  • Anya Taylor-Joy
  • Charlie Day
  • Jack Black
  • Keegan-Michael Key
  • Benny Safdie
  • Kevin Michael Richardson
  • Brie Larson
  • Donald Glover
  • Luis Guzmán
  • Issa Rae
Music by Brian Tyler
Production
companies
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date
  • April 1, 2026 (2026-04-01)
Running time
98 minutes[2]
Language English

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is an upcoming animated adventure comedy film based on the 2007 video game Super Mario Galaxy and its 2010 sequel, as well as Nintendo's broader Mario franchise. The sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023), it was directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic and written by Matthew Fogel. Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, and Kevin Michael Richardson reprise their roles, with Benny Safdie, Brie Larson, Donald Glover, Luis Guzmán, and Issa Rae joining the cast. It is being produced by Illumination and Nintendo. In the film, Mario, Luigi and their new friend, Yoshi, join Princess Peach and Toad on an adventure into outer space where they meet Princess Rosalina and face off against Bowser and his son, Bowser Jr.

Nintendo's president Shuntaro Furukawa stated in May 2021 that Nintendo was interested in producing more animated films based on its properties if the then-untitled Mario film was successful. Illumination CEO and producer Chris Meledandri was asked about the possibility of a sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie before the film's release in April 2023. Following its box office success, a new animated Mario film was announced to be in development at Illumination in March 2024, with Horvath and Jelenic returning as directors and Fogel as screenwriter.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States on April 1, 2026, by Universal Pictures.

Premise

Mario and Luigi meet and quickly befriend Yoshi as they join Princess Peach and Toad on an adventure into outer space and across the galaxy. They face off against Bowser's son, Bowser Jr., and meet Rosalina.[3][4]

Voice cast

See also: List of Mario franchise characters
  • Chris Pratt as Mario,[5] a plumber originally from Brooklyn
  • Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach,[5] the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom
  • Charlie Day as Luigi,[5] Mario’s timid younger brother
  • Jack Black as Bowser,[5] the King of the Koopas
  • Keegan-Michael Key as Toad,[5] an anthropomorphic mushroom from the Mushroom Kingdom
  • Benny Safdie as Bowser Jr.,[6] Bowser's son and heir to the Koopa throne
  • Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek,[5] a Magikoopa serving as Bowser's advisor and informant
  • Brie Larson as Princess Rosalina,[6] a princess from outer space and the adoptive mother of the Lumas
  • Donald Glover as Yoshi,[7] a green dinosaur that Mario and Luigi befriend

Additional roles include Luis Guzmán as King Wart and Issa Rae as the Honey Queen.[7] Juliet Jelenic, daughter of co-director Michael Jelenic, returns as Lumalee, a nihilistic blue Luma who was held prisoner by Bowser in the previous film and now works as a prison guard,[8][citation needed] while Ed Skudder voices R.O.B., a robot that works at Gateway Galaxy.[9]

Production

Development

In May 2021, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said that Nintendo was interested in producing more animated films based on its intellectual properties if the then-untitled Mario film is successful.[10] In a Variety cover story before the film's release, Illumination CEO and producer Chris Meledandri was asked about potential sequels, or projects adapted from other Nintendo properties, and answered, "Our focus right now is entirely on bringing the film out to the audience, and at this time, we're not prepared to talk about what's coming in the future."[11] The film's post-credits scene hints at a potential sequel featuring Yoshi.[12] Jack Black has expressed interest in Pedro Pascal being cast to voice Wario in the future film.[13]

Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic speaking during a WonderCon panel for "Teen Titans Go!" in 2016
The film's returning directors, Aaron Horvath (left) and Michael Jelenic (right)

In April 2023, following the film's box office success, Nintendo stated that there would be more films based on their properties, though they did not directly confirm a sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie.[14] In June 2023, Chris Pratt said a sequel would be announced "soon", but with the caveat that the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike would have an effect on the production.[15] In December 2023, Black expressed interest in the sequel being a musical titled Bowser's Revenge.[16] In March 2024, during a Mario Day presentation, Meledandri and series creator Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed development of "a new Super Mario Bros. movie", with Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic returning to direct, and Matthew Fogel also returning to write the screenplay; Meledandri stated that Illumination's team was in the process of storyboarding and "developing set designs for new environments."[1] In October 2024, Keegan-Michael Key teased that the sequel would be "broader in scope" and feature "new folks and old favorites and some folks that [he thinks] are really deep cuts."[17] Producer Chris Meledandri said that, while the Super Mario Galaxy games were the film's core inspiration, it would additionally include "surprises for fans of every Mario era".[18]

Casting

Larson in 2018
Safdie in 2025
Guzmán in 2009
Rae in 2017
Glover in 2015
Top: Brie Larson and Benny Safdie join the sequel as the voices of Rosalina and Bowser Jr..
Bottom: Luis Guzmán, Issa Rae, and Donald Glover voice Wart, Honey Queen, and Yoshi.

In September 2025, during a Nintendo Direct presentation, the film's title was revealed as The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Black, Key, and Kevin Michael Richardson were confirmed to reprise their roles from the previous film, with Brian Tyler returning to compose the film's score.[5][19] Two months later, on November 12, a Nintendo Direct presentation for the movie's trailer was released.[20][21][22] With the Direct's release, Brie Larson and Benny Safdie were revealed to have joined the cast as Rosalina and Bowser Jr. respectively.[6] Larson had previously expressed being a fan of Super Mario Galaxy in 2020.[23] On March 9, 2026, with the release of the final trailer, it was revealed that Donald Glover, Issa Rae, and Luis Guzmán had joined the cast, with Glover voicing Yoshi.[7][8]

Animation and design

The film was animated by Illumination Studios Paris in Paris, France. Production was underway by March 2024,[1][24] with animation ending in November 2025.[25] In January 2026, Meledandri confirmed that animation had been completed and post-production had begun.[4]

Music

On September 12, 2025, it was reported that Brian Tyler, who composed the score for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, would be returning to compose the score for the sequel.[26] The score is performed by a 70-piece orchestra and features re-recorded themes from the Super Mario Galaxy series.[4]

Release

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States on April 1, 2026,[4] and in Japan on April 24,[27] in RealD 3D and IMAX formats.[28] It was originally going to be released on April 3.[1]

See also

  • List of films based on video games

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Lang, Brent (March 10, 2024). "New 'Super Mario Bros.' World Animated Movie in the Works From Illumination, Nintendo". Variety. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  2. ^ "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026)". Irish Film Classification Office. March 10, 2026. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  3. ^ Dunn, Jack (November 12, 2025). "'Super Mario Galaxy Movie' Trailer: Mario Heads to Space, Meets Brie Larson's Rosalina and Benny Safdie's Bowser Jr.'". Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d Phillips, Tom (January 25, 2026). "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Nintendo Direct: Everything Announced". IGN. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Dunn, Jack; Moreau, Jordan (September 12, 2025). "Super Mario Bros. 2 Officially Titled Super Mario Galaxy Movie". Variety. Archived from the original on October 2, 2025. Retrieved September 12, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c Shepard, Kenneth (November 12, 2025). "Mario Galaxy Movie Trailer Reveals Bowser Jr., Rosalina, And More". Kotaku. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
  7. ^ a b c Moreau, Jordan (March 9, 2026). "Super Mario Galaxy Movie Casts Donald Glover as Yoshi". Variety. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  8. ^ a b McWhertor, Michael (March 9, 2026). "Wow, Donald Glover is Yoshi in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie". Polygon. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  9. ^ @FocusFireNo10 (March 10, 2026). "We have the official voice for ROB! @edskudder #thesupermariogalaxymovie" (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
  10. ^ Evangelista, Chris (May 4, 2021). "More Nintendo Animated Movies on the Way Following Illumination's Super Mario". /Film. Archived from the original on May 5, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  11. ^ Shanfeld, Ethan; Lang, Brent (April 4, 2023). "Mario Powers Up: How Nintendo Visionary Shigeru Miyamoto and Illumination's Chris Meledandri Plan to Super Smash Hollywood". Variety. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  12. ^ Shanfeld, Ethan (April 5, 2023). "How 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' Post-Credits Scene Hints at a Sequel". Variety. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  13. ^ Tinoco, Armando (April 9, 2023). "Jack Black Wants Pedro Pascal as Wario in 'Super Mario Bros. Movie' Sequel". Deadline Hollywood.
  14. ^ Onder, Cade (April 21, 2023). "Nintendo Confirms More Video Game Movies in the Works". ComicBook.com. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  15. ^ Ahmed, Narzra (June 10, 2023). "Chris Pratt says Super Mario Bros Movie 2 has been delayed by writers' strike". Digital Spy. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  16. ^ Ankers-Range, Adele (December 18, 2023). "Jack Black Wants The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 to Be a Full-on Musical Called Bowser's Revenge". IGN. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  17. ^ Griffin, Griff (October 1, 2024). "The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 Features More Easter Eggs for Hardcore Fans". Mens Journal. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  18. ^ Edwards, Molly (November 12, 2025). "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie isn't just adapting the Wii classic, it's also taking inspiration from Super Mario Odyssey". GamesRadar+. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
  19. ^ "Brian Tyler to Return for Illumination Entertainment's 'Super Mario World". Film Music Reporter. Retrieved September 12, 2025.
  20. ^ Cripe, Michael (November 10, 2025). "Nintendo Direct to Deliver First The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Trailer Later This Week". IGN. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  21. ^ McWhertor, Michael (November 10, 2025). "A new Nintendo Direct is coming, with a catch". Polygon. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  22. ^ Gerblick, Jordan (November 11, 2025). "Nintendo announces Super Mario Galaxy Movie Nintendo Direct where we'll see the sequel's first trailer". GamesRadar+. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  23. ^ McFerran, Damien (July 2, 2020). "Random: Brie Larson's Boyfriend Said She Was Taking Super Mario Galaxy Too Seriously, So She Threw Him Out". Nintendo Life. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  24. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (March 10, 2024). "Super Mario Bros. Returns to the Big Screen with Second Illumination-Nintendo Movie". Animation Magazine. Retrieved November 14, 2025.
  25. ^ Romano, Nick (November 12, 2025). "'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' trailer reveals Bowser Jr. and Rosalina — meet the new cast". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 14, 2025.
  26. ^ "Bryan Tyler to Return for Illumination Entertainment's 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie'". Film Music Reporter. September 12, 2025. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
  27. ^ Starkey, Adam (March 11, 2025). "When is 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2' coming out?". NME. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  28. ^ "IMAX Investor Presentation October 2025". IMAX Corporation. October 23, 2025. p. 15. Archived from the original on October 23, 2025. Retrieved October 26, 2025.