The gang is getting back together for a follow-up inspired by the “Super Mario Galaxy” games.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie: All about the intergalactic sequel (and its new characters)

The gang is getting back together for a follow-up inspired by the "Super Mario Galaxy" games.

By Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn is a writer and editor at **. His work has previously appeared on *The A.V. Club, The Guardian, The Ringer*, and many other publications.

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and Allison DeGrushe

Allison DeGrushe

Allison DeGrushe is a timely SEO writer at **. She has been working at * *since 2025. Her work has previously appeared on Distractify.

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February 9, 2026 6:28 p.m. ET

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Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) in 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie'. Credit:

Illumination Entertainment/Universal Pictures

- Mario will bounce his way to outer space in *The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, *the sequel to 2023's *The Super Mario Bros. Movie*.

- The follow-up is inspired by the *Super Mario Galaxy* games, though producers promise it "holds surprises for fans of every Mario era."

- It stomps into theaters on April 1, 2026.

Along with the *Sonic the Hedgehog* film franchise, *The Super Mario Bros. Movie* helped usher in a new era for film adaptations of video games. The animated hit's $1.3 billion gross helped set the stage for the box office domination of *The Minecraft Movie*, as well as the upcoming *Legend of Zelda* adaptation.

A sequel was inevitable, and it arrives this year with *The Super Mario Galaxy Movie*. Franchise creator Shigeru Miyamoto has called it "the main event of the *Super Mario Bros.* 40th anniversary."

What does that mean exactly? And is it inspired by the *Super Mario Galaxy* games? Read on for everything we know so far about *The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.*

Will there be a Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel?

'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' logo.

Nintendo + Illumination

Yes, Miyamoto and Chris Meledandri, founder and CEO of the animation studio Illumination, officially announced a follow-up in March 2024.

"This time we're thinking about broadening Mario's world further," said Miyamoto, though he and Meledandri were hesitant to call it a sequel, per *Variety*.

That said, the announcement also came with the news that the creative team behind the original film — directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, screenwriter Matthew Fogel, and composer Brian Tyler — would all return for the next adventure.**

On Sept. 12, 2025, the follow-up was revealed to be titled *The Super Mario Galaxy Movie* during a Nintendo Direct livestream, with Miyamoto confirming a release date and sharing a brief teaser for the movie.

What is The Super Mario Galaxy Movie about?

Mario (Chris Pratt) and Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) in 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie'.

Illumination Entertainment/Universal Pictures

Nintendo and Illumination have yet to reveal a proper plot synopsis for *The Super Mario Galaxy Movie*, but as its title implies, the game will see Mario navigating the far reaches of outer space.

"What kinds of adventures do you think Mario and his friends will have in space?" Miyamoto teased during the livestream.

Space, of course, is no new frontier for Mario, as the character is tasked with navigating a multitude of planets, stars, and spaceships in 2007's *Super Mario Galaxy* and 2010's *Super Mario Galaxy 2. *The games, which find Mario defying gravity in an effort to save Princess Peach from Bowser, have been lauded by gamers as some of the best titles in the sprawling *Super Mario* canon.

In fact, ** hailed *Super Mario Galaxy* as "charming, brilliantly conceived, and utterly capable of making you feel like a kid all over again."

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"While the *Super Mario Galaxy* games are the *core* inspiration for our story, this next film holds surprises for fans of every Mario era," said Meledandri during the livestream.

In a 2024 interview with *Men's Journal*, Keegan-Michael Key, who voices the mushroom-headed Toad, shared some details about what's in store.

"I feel like what they've done creatively is they've really widened out the universe that these characters live in and we're going to meet some new folks," he said. "We're going to meet some new folks that are old favorites and some folks that I think are really deep cuts, but because of the way the story's laying itself out right now, those characters are going to be very intriguing."**

Is there a Super Mario Galaxy Movie trailer?

Back in September 2025, Nintendo and Illumination dropped a brief teaser that offered a fresh look at the world's bright, cozy Mushroom Kingdom. Two months later, the official trailer arrived to reveal that Bowser is still tiny after munching on a mini mushroom at the end of the first film.

He's trapped in a mini castle under Mario and Luigi's supervision, but hasn't given up on Peach (he's even painted a little portrait of them together).

We also meet some new faces: the comet-watching Rosalina and the masked Bowser Jr., the latter of whom is determined to save his teensy dad.

And remember how the first movie hinted at the imminent arrival of Yoshi with that green polka-dot egg? Well, looks like the long-tongued dinosaur is going to play a big role in the sequel.

The latest trailer finds Mario and Luigi stumbling upon the green lizard in a spooky cave. Later, we see glimpses of Mario and Peach dodging flaming traps in Bowser's castle, Luigi wearing a Frog Suit, and Peach going toe-to-toe with an egg-spitting Birdo.**

Who’s in the The Super Mario Galaxy Movie cast?

Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie) in 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie'.

Illumination Entertainment/Universal Pictures

It wouldn't be a *Super Mario* movie without Mario. Chris Pratt, the *Guardians of the Galaxy *star who voiced Mario in the first film, is confirmed to be returning as the voice of our hopping hero.

Also returning? Charlie Day (*It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia*) as Luigi, Anya Taylor-Joy (*Furiosa*) as Princess Peach, Jack Black (*A Minecraft Movie*) as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key (*Only Murders in the Building*) as Toad, and Kevin Michael Richardson (*Family Guy*) as Kamek.

Joining the cast is Oscar winner Brie Larson and actor and filmmaker Benny Safdie. Larson voices Rosalina, a princess tasked with watching the cosmos. Safdie, the *Smashing Machine* director with acting credits in *Oppenheimer* (2023) and *Happy Gilmore 2* (2025), voices Bowser Jr., the menacing child of the franchise's big bad.

Pratt said in a January 2026 interview that even more new characters are coming. "I'm not allowed to say what they are, but yes, there are some really incredible ones," he said, adding, "there's even a couple more that are not in the trailer that people should be excited to see."**

Is there a* Super Mario Galaxy Movie *release date?

Yoshi, baby Luigi, Toad (Keegan-Michael Key), and baby Mario in 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie'.

Illumination Entertainment/Universal Pictures

*The Super Mario Galaxy Movie *will blast off in theaters on April 1, 2026.

Where can I watch The Super Mario Bros. Movie?

Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson) in 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie'.

Illumination Entertainment/Universal Pictures

*The Super Mario Bros. Movie* is currently available to stream on Peacock.

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