The Only Recap You Need Before The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
It came as something of a surprise when "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" blew everyone away at the box office, racing past the $1 billion mark to become one of the biggest movie hits of 2023. Now, the inevitable follow-up is here in the form of "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie." If you need a reminder of what happened in the first film, check out Looper's recap video above.
The opening installment in the Nintendo/Illumination franchise follows Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) as they're swept through a magical Warp Pipe into an otherworldly kingdom. There, they meet, among others, Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), Toad (Keegan-Michael Key), and the Kongs of the Jungle Kingdom.
They also face Bowser (Jack Black), battling the villain and his minions on Rainbow Road, in the Mushroom Kingdom, and even on the streets of Brooklyn in the Big Apple. The movie ends with Mario and Luigi living in the Mushroom Kingdom, setting the stage for the next adventure to unfold — an adventure that is officially upon us.
Mario will team up with old and new friends in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
"The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" features an interplanetary narrative that pulls inspiration from multiple sources. Returning directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic already proved themselves more than capable of assembling a unique, balanced story from various parts of Mario canon, and they look ready to repeat the trick for round two: Trailers for "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" are loaded with small details that Nintendo fans will recognize from the games.
The film will, of course, take plenty of cues from the game it shares a name with, the 2007 Wii title "Super Mario Galaxy," but there are also scenes that are clearly inspired by the 2017 Switch game "Super Mario Odyssey," with returning writer Matthew Fogel apparently cherry-picking parts that he felt would work on the big screen. Expect top villain Bowser to still be heavily involved, but we're also going to see at least one of his kiddos, Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie), get in on the action.
Along with a host of returning heroes and villains, "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" will also feature new characters, like Rosalina (Brie Larson) and Yoshi (Donald Glover). The highly anticipated sequel is set to release in theaters in the United States on April 1, 2026. Make sure to check out the video above before then so you're fully prepped for every twist and turn that the new story takes.