In the year since The Super Mario Bros. Movie became the second-biggest theatrical release of 2023 and one of the best video game adaptations of all time, there has been a lot of buzz surrounding a potential sequel. Well, no surprise, but not only is The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 (or whatever it ends up being called) happening, we actually know quite a bit about one of the most anticipated releases of the next few years.
So, if you’re someone who has been eagerly awaiting what will probably be one of the biggest upcoming video game movies on the horizon, stick around and come with us down the “Rainbow Road” of awesome details about the film and its future. Here’s everything we know about The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2, including its release date, the creative team making it happen, and so much more…
What Is The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 Release Date?
There’s good news and there’s great news when it comes to The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2, as we don’t only know when the upcoming sequel will hit the big screen, but we also know it won’t be that long of a wait because it has a release date of April 3, 2026. The official Nintendo of America X (formerly Twitter) account shared the news on March 10, 2024, a.k.a. “Mario Day,” saying that the animated movie will land in other territories throughout April 2026.
Who's Returning Or Joining The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 Cast
Though we have a release date for The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2, Nintendo has yet to reveal exactly who will be returning from the first film’s cast. That being said, we can still make some educated guesses as to who’ll be returning to the franchise once Mario returns to the Mushroom Kingdom, or wherever the sequel takes place.
Chris Pratt, who voiced the iconic plumber in the first film, has teased the sequel over the past year, so it appears the Marvel and Jurassic World star will once again be leading the cast the second time around. We would assume Bowser will, again, be voiced by Jack Black, who even found a spot on the Billboard charts with his “Peaches” song, but the actor described the situation as “radio silence” in late 2023.
Nothing’s been said about Anya Taylor-Joy and Charlie Day’s Princess Peach and Luigi, respectively, but it’s hard to imagine The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 cast not including any of those staples from the first film. Expect to hear more about casting news in the weeks and months ahead.
Though Plot Details Haven’t Been Revealed, The Super Mario Bros. Movie Will Have A ‘Bright And Fun Story’
There are so many directions The Super Mario Bros. Movie could take when it comes to its story, but Nintendo has yet to make those plans public at the time of this writing. However, in the same X post where Nintendo of America revealed the film’s release date, the iconic video game publisher teased a “bright and fun story” for Mario’s next adventure:
We’re thinking about broadening Mario’s world further, and it’ll have a bright and fun story. We hope you’ll look forward to it.
Well, not only are longtime fans of the franchise looking forward to what the film’s creative team has cooking for the sequel, but some have even begun to share theories about its potential story and where it could be taking us in April 2026. And, with so many games having been released under the Mario banner over the past 40 years, there are certainly some wild adventures the movie could pull from. The dynamic worlds of Super Mario Galaxy, the satisfying callbacks and mechanics of Super Mario Odyssey, and even the wild direction of Super Mario Bros. 2 (the Western version) could make for a fun sequel.
The New Mario Movie Will Once Again Be A Collaboration Between Nintendo And Illumination
The worlds of video games and animated films came together magically (and successfully) for The Super Mario Bros. Movie with the collaboration between Nintendo and Illumination Entertainment, and the two powerhouses of their respective industries will attempt to capture lightning in a bottle a second time with the film’s sequel.
In a Mario Day 2024 video announcing The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2, the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto revealed that Nintendo would be working in concert with Illumination yet again. Best of all, it sounds like the animation team responsible for crafting the worlds and characters seen in the 2023 box office juggernaut will once again be doing what they do best with the 2026 release.
Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic Are Returning To Direct The Video Game Sequel
Not only will the producers from the first film be returning for The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2, but the filmmaking duo who led the charge will also be back for another round of action. During the aforementioned Mario Day 2024 video, Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri revealed that Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic were already busy at work with the animation team to come up with ideas and storyboard various scenes in the early stages of development.
Though production hadn’t gotten started at the time of the March 10th video, Meledandri noted that the process would begin soon, so expect to hear much more about that aspect of the process in the coming months, if not sooner.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 Isn’t The Only Nintendo Cinematic Project In The Works
The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 is certainly the biggest Nintendo adaptation on the way, but it’s far from being the only upcoming project based on the publisher’s great characters. Back in November 2023, Nintendo announced that a live-action The Legend of Zelda movie was in development at Sony Pictures with Wes Ball serving as its director. There hasn’t been much in terms of updates since the announcement, but with Zelda being one of video game’s most beloved franchises, it’s only a matter of time before we hear more.
But there could also be even more movies based on Nintendo games on the way. Several Easter eggs, including The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s post-credits scene, also set up further movies set within the character’s expansive universe like Yoshi, and maybe even a Luigi’s Mansion spinoff if we’re lucky.
Expect to hear much more about The Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel in the coming months and years as we look toward its eventual release. In the meantime, however, don’t forget to check out our breakdown of the 2024 movie schedule, which includes several high-profile video game films.
