The sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie is going beyond the Mushroom Kingdom. During Friday's Nintendo Direct presentation, Nintendo confirmed that the title of the sequel to Illumination's 2023 animated blockbuster film will be The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
The announcement confirms speculation that dates all the way back to the original film, when Princess Peach mentions, "There's a huge universe out there. With a lot of galaxies."
The title of the sequel was also leaked ahead of the Nintendo Direct when fans spotted that NBC Universal had registered domains that pointed to Super Mario Galaxy being the title.
Nintendo also shared some casting announcements for the film, confirming that Chris Pratt (Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy) will return as the voice of Mario. He's joined by fellow returning cast members Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen's Gambit) as Princess Peach, Charlie Day (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) as Luigi, Jack Black (A Minecraft Movie) as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, and Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek. There was no mention of Seth Rogen or Fred Armisen returning as Donkey Kong or Cranky Kong, respectively.
"What kind of adventures do you think Mario and his friends will have in space? This movie will be the main event of The Super Mario Bro.'s 40th anniversary," teased Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto.
Details about the film's plot still remain largely under wraps. Although Illumination's co-producer Chris Meledandri did nte that The Super Mario Galaxy games are the "core inspiration" of the upcoming movie, it will feature surprises for fans "of every Mario era."
"As we celebrate Mario's 40th anniversary, it's an opportunity to reflect on the four decades of creativity, imagination, and adventure that Mario has brought to life for fans across generations and around the world. From its groundbreaking worldbuilding to its iconic characters and unforgettable music, the Super Mario Bros. have left a lasting impact on the very fabric of our culture. All of us at Illumination feel so fortunate to continue our collaboration with Nintendo as we expand the life of Mario in movies," Meledandri said. "And while The Super Mario Galaxy games are the core inspiration of our story, this next film holds surprises for fans of every Mario era."
"Our directors Michael Jelenic and Aaron Horvath, along with the extraordinary team of artists at our studio in Paris, are very busy working to deliver a film that aspires to earn its place in the history we're here to celebrate," Meledandri concluded.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a monumental success at the global box office, grossing more than $1.3 billion worldwide. It was the highest-grossing animated film of 2023, and the first film based on a video game to surpass the $1 billion mark. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will hope to achieve that same success, or better, when it releases on April 3, 2026.