The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Announced During the Super Mario Bros. 40th Anniversary Nintendo Direct

 By Jon Scarr

Nintendo kicked off the Super Mario Bros. 40th Anniversary celebration in style during today's Nintendo Direct. The presentation opened with Shigeru Miyamoto stepping on screen to announce several surprises, including the long-awaited reveal of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.

The new animated film is a follow-up to 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which earned more than $1.3 billion worldwide. Once again, it’s being produced by Illumination’s Chris Meledandri and Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto. Universal Pictures will handle global distribution, starting April 3, 2026, in the US and rolling out through April in other markets, with Japan on April 24.

Returning Cast and Crew

Nintendo confirmed that the main voice cast is back for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie: Chris Pratt (Mario), Anya Taylor-Joy (Peach), Charlie Day (Luigi), Jack Black (Bowser), Keegan-Michael Key (Toad), and Kevin Michael Richardson (Kamek). Additional characters will be revealed later, but for fans of the first movie, it’s good news to hear the same group stepping back into the Mushroom Kingdom. 

Directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic return, joined once again by screenwriter Matthew Fogel and composer Brian Tyler. That consistency should give the sequel the same energy and humor that worked in 2023. With Illumination’s track record on hits like Despicable Me and Sing, expectations are high for what’s next.

A big year for Mario

The title The Super Mario Galaxy Movie hints at an adventure that could take Mario, Peach, and Luigi beyond familiar worlds. The Nintendo Direct didn’t confirm plot details, but naming the film after the hit Wii games feels like a nod to fans who loved exploring new planets and meeting characters like Rosalina and the Lumas. We don’t know yet if those cosmic elements will appear, but the potential for wild worlds and set pieces is huge.

Miyamoto also announced that Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 will launch on Nintendo Switch on October 2, 2025. Combine that with Mario Tennis Fever, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, and the Super Mario Bros. Wonder Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, and it’s clear Nintendo plans to celebrate Mario’s 40th year in a big way.

For me, seeing the Galaxy name back in both games and film hits a nostalgic note. I’ve been a huge Nintendo and Mario fan my whole life, and I loved every minute of The Super Mario Bros. Movie. I spent countless hours on the Wii collecting Star Bits and spinning through space, so the idea of seeing that world on the big screen again is honestly exciting. If Illumination can capture that same sense of wonder and Nintendo keeps its hands-on approach, 2026 could be another massive year for Mario fans.