The Super Mario Bros. Movie pulled in a whole lot of gold coins at the box office. The animated film starring Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Jack Black, and Anya Taylor-Joy powered up to more than $1.36 billion worldwide. With that kind of haul a sequel—and likely many more—was always inevitable. Now we know exactly when we’re going to get one. Nintendo has announced a new film in the franchise will arrive in theaters on April 3, 2026. But we have no idea what it’s about… But we do know that it will feature some “really deep cut characters.”
Keegan-Michael Key, the voice actor of Toad, recently chatted about The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2. He revealed, “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.” Additionally, Key shared, The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 would be “a little broader in scope, and where it takes place is very intriguing lore and the Mario world.” That doesn’t exactly narrow it down, but it does pique our interest.
What We Already Know About The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2
Nintendo celebrated MAR10 Day 2024 with some big (screen) news. Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto said the company is partnering with Illumination studio once again for an animated film set in the world of Super Mario Bros. Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri also appeared in the announcement video to say work has already begun on the movie and actual animation will start “soon.”
Neither offered up any details about the film’s plot, location, or even which characters it will focus on. It might ultimately be a direct sequel to the smash hit 2023 film, but Miyamoto’s video and accompanying social media post indicates it could expand the world introduced in the first film by going in a very different direction.
The untitled film is “based on the world of Super Mario Bros.” That doesn’t preclude it from focusing on Mario and Luigi again, but even if it does the sibling plumbers will likely find themselves in an entirely new location. Nintendo said it’s “thinking about broadening Mario’s world further” with a “bright and fun story.”
Could this mean we’re getting the Donkey Kong spinoff starring Seth Rogen previously reported? A hybrid sequel/spinoff that adapts a specific Super Mario Bros. game? A payoff to the first film’s Yoshi tease? Or is this idea something no one can predict? Nintendo and Illumination says they’ll share more information when they’re ready. At least we know the absolute maximum amount of time we’ll have to wait to find out.
Originally published on March 11, 2024.
