Nintendo, which I’ve been a fan of since the NES days, has quite recently transitioned into spinning its game into movies. (It technically started with the first Super Mario Bros. movie from the ‘90s, which I embrace, even if Nintendo tries not to). The first animated Super Mario Bros. movie in 2023 made over a billion dollars, and its sequel The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is hitting its own box office milestones. So, after the impending live-action Legend of Zelda movie, a popular theory suggests the NEXT Nintendo movie after Zelda is Donkey Kong.

Yeah, that makes sense in terms of the gaming company's most popular franchises. But, is it a good idea? I don’t think so, and here’s why.

Donkey Kong's Characters And Lore Just Aren't That Interesting To Me

Okay, so don't hate me, but I just don't find Donkey Kong interesting as a character outside of him messing around with Mario. Take the Donkey Kong Country titles, for instance. We get all of these characters added to the Donkey Kong lore like Cranky Kong, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, and Funky Kong, but are they really all that interesting? I mean, the whole plot of the DKC games is mostly for DK to just get his bananas back, and the side characters are just kind of...there.

Sure, they COULD be expanded upon in a movie, but we already got Cranky Kong in the first Mario flick (voiced by Fred Armisen) and his whole thing was that he was kind of just disappointed with his son. And that's it.

Also, while I know there could be genuine conflict with DK's main antagonist, King K. Rool, even he's pretty boring. Honestly, I just don't think I could sit through a 90 minute movie of Donkey Kong on the hunt for bananas, and even if that wasn't the story, then they'd really have to create a whole new version of DK since his main role in the Mario movie was just to find him annoying. That said, I don't think I'm the only one who's not in love with Donkey Kong...

Ho Hum Sales For Donkey Kong Bananza Show That People LIKE Donkey Kong, But He’s Not As Popular As Some May Think

Look, I'm not saying I don't like the Donkey Kong video games. I do! In fact I even used to watch the abysmal Nintendo cartoon series, Donkey Kong Country, just because I loved the game that it's based off of. So you KNOW I had to pick up Donkey Kong Bananza when I bought a brand new Switch 2.

However, even though I love Donkey Kong Bananza, it didn’t do as well as it probably could have, as it’s sold 4.5 million copies (as of this writing) since its release last July. Now, 4.5 million copies isn’t anything to sneeze at. But, when you put it into perspective, it might not be as great as it sounds. For instance, there have currently been almost 20 million Switch 2’s sold since its launch, which means that a substantial part of Nintendo’s audience decided not to go on an adventure with DK and Pauline since the game first released.

What's my point? Well, I guess it's that Donkey Kong might not be as popular as people like to think he is. For example, let's compare DKB's first year sales with that of Mario's. Super Mario Odyssey sold over 12 million copies in its first year on the original Switch. And what about Link? Well, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sold over 8 million copies in its first year). So I think DKB’s “modest” sales show that DK isn’t nearly as popular as people may think, so a DK movie might not be the best option for Nintendo. However, I have an alternate pick.

Star Fox Should Be The Next Movie After The Legend Of Zelda

Aside from A Luigi's Mansion movie, I definitely think Fox McCloud and his team of flyboys should be the next Nintendo movie.

I mean, one of the most popular parts of the recent Super Mario Galaxy Movie was the Fox McCloud parts, and while I don't think Donkey Kong's cast is all that interesting, I DO think Peppy, Slippy, and Falco are SUPER interesting characters who deserve their own time to shine.

So, while Donkey Kong seems like its next after Zelda, I think Star Fox deserves its time to soar. Because even if the sales have never been through the roof for the property, the characters themselves would probably be the most fitting for a movie. So, there it is. Give me Star Fox!

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie was another big hit for Nintendo, crushing at the box office and essentially printing money for the gaming company and Illumination. It seems both intend on keeping the party rolling, as rumored movie releases and a post-credit sequence hint that Star Fox has its own standalone movie on the way. With all that seemingly on the way, I'm questioning why an upcoming game in the franchise made a baffling decision regarding the character's design.

For those who don't game, Nintendo has a remake of Star Fox on the way, and rather than mimic the Dreamworks version, this new game features hyper-realistic anthromorphic versions of Fox McCloud and his team, and I'm not sure why this is happening.

Nintendo Changing Star Fox's Look Feels Like A Massive Misstep

Why Nintendo would greenlight a game to radically change the look of Star Fox right on the heels of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is beyond me. Both of these projects were in development, and Nintendo was active in both. Surely, brand synergy is important, and it's not like anyone was complaining about how Fox McCloud looked.

So then, why change things up right after the massive get of Glen Powell as the character? It's not like A-listers just pop out of the woodwork and offer to voice video game characters every day. If ever there was a time to stay the course with branding across the board, this is it.

While I doubt this is the case, I also have to wonder if this means the next time we see Star Fox in theaters, the team will look completely different. Once he returns to his dimension, could he have a completely different look? I can't help but wonder. At the risk of sounding like an outraged Nintendo fanboy, I've followed this company long enough to see it make some bafflingly odd decisions.

Nintendo Made Efforts To Change Other Nintendo Characters After The Super Mario Brothers Movie

What also makes the Star Fox decision odd is that Nintendo already transformed one of its characters to look more in line with its Illumination counterpart. Illumination added a black outline around the character's eyes, which Nintendo then added to the character in Mario Kart World as well as Donkey Kong Bananza.

He's a bit bulkier in the games, and he doesn't sound like Seth Rogen, but he looks more or less like the same character we see in The Super Mario Brothers Movie. It's understandable, especially since he's rumored to have his own spinoff on the way. I'm not sure then how things fell apart with Star Fox, and I'm hoping someone at Nintendo is asking the same questions and looking into making some changes. Let's hope we don't get another Sonic the Hedgehog situation, where a project is delayed due to backlash from visuals.

For now, we're left waiting for more details about whether a Star Fox spinoff movie is happening, and what it may focus on. Hopefully, the redesign for the game is a one-off and not a tease at what these characters will look like when a movie actually does happen.

While the genre has historically had plenty of misses, moviegoers have been treated to some of the best video game movies over the last few years. Chief among them was The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which became a billion-dollar hit back in 2023. Its sequel is here with The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which has been getting dunked on a bit. But I think that folks are just not getting the point of the movie.

Audiences and critics can't agree on The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, with the latter group pretty unanimously roasting the movie's overall story. CinemaBlend's Super Mario Galaxy Movie review is no exception, but I have a different perspective on Illumination and Nintendo's latest venture on the big screen.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Is Simply A Kids Movie That Keeps Adults Invested Via Nostalgia

While Nintendo has generations of fans, both The Super Mario Bros. Movie (which is streaming with a Peacock subscription) and its sequels are ultimately children's movies. And while we've been spoiled with animated projects like Zootopia 2 and Inside Out 2, the majority of kids movies aren't as emotionally deep in their storytelling. Instead, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is action-packed, with beautiful animation that brings the Nintendo Universe to life onscreen as never seen before.

What the Illumination sequel lacks in emotionally driven adult narrative, it gives grown-ups in the audience enough nostalgia highs to keep me buoyed through its brisk 98-minute runtime. That includes plenty of beloved characters, and even the inclusion of Glen Powell's Star Fox.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie crushed at the box office, and its post-credits scene teased another beloved character who should be making their entrance in a future installment: Daisy. So it's clear that this franchise isn't going anywhere. Some fans want to see Star Fox get a spinoff, after being a scene-stealer throughout the most recent animated blockbuster. As a fan of that franchise, I'd definitely show up at theaters to see Fox and the rest of his crew on their own adventure... even if it's another kid movie that isn't going to move me on a personal level.

Since The Super Mario Galaxy Movie also included other characters like Mr. Game and Watch and R.O.B, I'm thinking that a Super Smash Bros. movie is an inevitability. That game franchise has been popular for decades, thanks to the ability to use a wide array of Nintendo characters in combat. We've already seen Mario Kart be channeled in the Illumination franchise, so why not build to an epic crossover event à la The Avengers?

Personally, I enjoyed The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, especially since one of my favorite characters, Rosalina, got her moment in the spotlight. It was the exact movie I was expecting, so I wasn't disappointed when it failed to challenge or thrill me as a cinephile. Instead, I sat back, ate my popcorn, and enjoyed the Nintendo vibes.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is in theaters now as part of the 2026 movie release list. And while critics didn't love the movie, its audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is an impressive 89%. So I'm not alone in my thoughts.

Now that The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is officially out in the world on the 2026 movie schedule, audiences are digging into everything from its stacked voice cast to its surprisingly deep bench of Nintendo characters. But one of the more entertaining behind-the-scenes stories has nothing to do with Easter eggs or hidden references. It’s how Donald Glover and Glen Powell ended up in the movie in the first place. Because neither of them exactly followed the traditional Hollywood playbook.

Speaking with Forbes, producer Chris Meledandri emphasized that Nintendo, led by Shigeru Miyamoto, worked closely with Illumination on every aspect of the film to preserve what makes these characters work in the first place. That collaborative environment seems to have created the perfect opening for actors who already loved the material. Enter Glover and Powell.

Glen Powell Called His Shot With Star Fox

After the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Meledandri said actors started reaching out directly, hoping to get involved in whatever came next. One of those actors was the Top Gun: Maverick breakout who wasn’t too subtle about what role he wanted in particular: Fox McCloud.

Glenn Powell became a real possibility during the first movie, when the Twisters star expressed his love for Fox McCloud. The Mario Galaxy producers explained:

When Meledandri followed up with the actor, he made it clear the project had to remain secret, especially given how closely guarded the Star Fox reveal was. He continued:

And that meeting paid off as Star Fox made his big screen debut in Super Mario Galaxy, with the Powell attitude intact. But what about Donald Glover? How did he make it in the film?

Donald Glover Asked For The Role

If Powell’s path into the film feels like a strange bit of timing, Glover’s approach was much more direct. Speaking with ScreenRant, the Atlanta star openly admitted that he went out and got the role of everyone's favorite little dinosaur himself. The rapper and performer explained:

There’s something refreshingly simple about that. No elaborate pitch, no long campaign. Just a clear ask and a willingness to meet the character where it already exists. Glover essentially nominated himself for the role and spoke it into becoming reality.

Why This Approach Actually Fits The Movie

What makes both of these casting stories work is how closely they align with how the movie itself was made. As Meledandri explained, this wasn’t a typical licensing situation in which a studio adapts a property from a distance. Nintendo was involved at every level, working directly with Illumination to ensure the film reflected the “core DNA” of the games.

That same mindset seems to carry over into casting. Powell and Glover weren’t just recognizable names being slotted into a franchise; they were true Nintendo fans who understood the characters and actively wanted to be part of that world.

Now that the new video game adaptation is out and is a massive success, having the biggest box office weekend of the year thus far, those choices are easier to appreciate in hindsight. What could have sounded like shameless self-promotion at the time ended up fitting the project's tone almost perfectly.

And if nothing else, it’s a reminder that sometimes the best way into a billion-dollar franchise is to just ask. Well, at least if you're Donald Glover and Glen Powell.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is playing in theaters now, so be sure to check your local listings for showtimes. Fans can also catch up with the first movie as it's streaming with a Peacock Subscription.

Light spoilers for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie lie ahead.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is in theaters and, as Illumination's sequel gets the rave reviews from audiences that it didn't from critics, it seems many are already ready for a third film. With the first two movies introducing characters at a rapid clip, it only seems like a matter of time before we get Wario in the mix. And, if that happens, Charlie Day has an awesome idea for the actor who could voice him.

Day, who voices Luigi in The Super Mario Bros. franchise, name-checked one of his It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia co-stars as a potential voice actor for Wario, should the character pop up in a future Nintendo movie. The actor revealed this choice while speaking to ScreenRant, enthusiastically saying:

Day is not the only one saying it either. I wrote about this exact casting when a rumor first popped up that Wario was in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Wario has traditionally been portrayed with a gruff, gravely voice, so I think the great DeVito would be the best person to get short of tapping the current actor Nintendo employs to voice Wario in the games, Kevin Afghani.

I'm curious if Charlie Day has the same line of thinking I do, in that Danny DeVito is also an actor who has played a lot of slimy and greedy characters over the years. Wario has the same energy as It's Always Sunny's Frank Reynolds, Harry Wormwood in Matilda, and maybe even Penguin in Batman Returns. The veteran actor would be such a natural fit for Wario, I'd honestly be disappointed if anyone else were to get the role.

Whether Wario will show up in a new Mario movie is up in the air. The post-credits scenes seemed to imply that a Star Fox spinoff movie would come our way, and whatever is next will include Princess Daisy. Many Nintendo fans over the years have considered Daisy to be the inverse of Peach, similar to how Wario is to Mario. Could the next movie confirm this, or do we have another sibling reveal on the way?

Personally, I think leaving Wario and his brother, Waluigi, out of The Super Mario Bros. movies would be a mistake. Especially at the rate the franchise is buzzing through supporting characters, Wario almost has to show up in the next one unless they want to find more Pikmin characters to include. And, should the character show up, let's hope it's Danny DeVito providing the vocal talent.

Catch The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in theaters right now and, based on the current box office numbers, I'd say the odds of a follow-up could be solid so far. Still, we'll have to wait to see how long it takes for Illumination and Nintendo to confirm another movie is on the way, and if Wario will be involved.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is in theaters, and while the reviews aren't glowing, it seems there is a lot of positive buzz about Fox McCloud's role in the film. Nintendo fans are delighted to see Star Fox and Pikmin characters in the latest movie, but is this all leading up to a massive ensemble crossover Super Smash Bros. movie?

Polygon was brave enough to ask the question to Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto. For those unaware, Miyamoto is the mind behind Nintendo's most iconic characters as the creator of Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, Star Fox and Pikmin. Now, he serves as the company's Creative Fellow and Representative Director, which essentially means he knows and contributes to the company's creative direction. All this to say, he pretty much cut off the interviewer at the knees when they brought up Super Smash Bros., noting he doesn't plan to have a mass gathering of Nintendo characters:

Pikmin, who have appeared in Nintendo games outside of their mainline series, do get a pass. Super Smash Bros. is one of the few times multiple Nintendo characters from different franchises are allowed to appear under one game, and according to Miyamoto, this isn't something the company is interested in doing with its movies.

Given that mindset, it may seem like a wonder that Illumination convinced Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo to sign off on Star Fox (voiced by Glen Powell) playing a major role in the film.

On one hand, I get it, and I guess it makes sense for Nintendo to offer up character crossovers sparingly. On the other, I would really want to see a Super Smash Bros. movie, though, admittedly, have no idea how you make that premise into a feature-length film. It would just be the appeal of seeing a lot of iconic video game characters on screen together, and that's about it.

All this to say, it's always possible that Nintendo execs can change their minds. As GamesRadar pointed out, Shigeru Miyamoto was famously against the idea of a Legend of Zelda movie happening, even if Steven Spielberg offered to direct. With that movie previously confirmed to be on the way, so who's to say a Super Smash Bros. movie is entirely off the table in the coming years?

Then again, as a Nintendo fan, it would strike me odd that Nintendo would want to put a movie in which all its characters are fighting against each other on the big screen. I think it's much more feasible that we'd see a take on Mario Party, or maybe even a Mario Kart movie, before we'd see Super Smash Bros. happen.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is in theaters right now, and it's definitely worth a watch if you're a fan. I'm just waiting to see what the box office returns are on this one, and how it may influence the future of Nintendo's ideas for future movies.

Look, I'm a huge fan of the NWO (Nintendo World Order), and when you're a fan of the NWO, you're a fan FOR LIFE! So, that being the case, can I just say that I'm DEEPLY UPSET with Nintendo over the lead-up to The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which comes out April 1st? This annoys me because I was really looking forward to this movie when it was initially revealed.

But now…I'm less enthused? I don't know, it's a long story. Let me start with my biggest complaint.

First Off, WHY DID THEY SPOIL FOX MCCLOUD BEING IN THIS MOVIE?

When news broke that Fox McCloud was DEFINITELY in this movie (there had only been speculation before), I literally almost choked on my lunch, and mostly because they confirmed it with a poster! Why did Illumination and Nintendo do that?!

When we found out that Pikmin would be in the movie, I thought, "Okay…that's fine. I guess." Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of both Mario and Pikmin, loves to stick Pikmin in pretty much anything he can (you can even see them scattered about in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios). But Fox McCloud from Star Fox changes EVERYTHING. Fox can't just be some little Easter egg cameo like Pikmin could have been. No. Fox McCloud talks, and he's being voiced by Glen Powell!

Plus, this would have been huge to see on the opening weekend and not know that he was in the film! For Illumination and Nintendo to spoil such a huge surprise SO SOON BEFORE THE RELEASE just makes my blood boil. But this isn't the only spoiler I wished they had saved.

Secondly, Did We Really Need Multiple Nintendo Directs For This Film?

If you're just a movie fan and not a gamer, then you probably don't know what it's like to be in the trenches when it comes to Nintendo Directs. But, let me tell you something, we're dying out here in these streets! For those who don't know, Nintendo Directs are usually for showcasing upcoming games, but they sometimes reveal other things, like the Nintendo Museum, the theme park, and yes, even movies.

Well, we got not one, but MULTIPLE Nintendo Directs for this movie, and each time, they've revealed way too much. We learned that Rosalina would be in the film, which, you know, fine, she WOULD be in a Super Mario Galaxy movie. But we also learned who'd be voicing Yoshi (I would have liked to have learned that in the end credits), and that Wart of Super Mario Bros. 2 fame was going to be in the movie. Wart was one of the deep-cut characters I would have loved to have been surprised by, Now, because of a Direct, it’s just out there.

So,did we really need multiple Nintendo Directs for this movie? Wouldn't one would have sufficed? Also, couldn't we have gotten a Nintendo Direct for new first-party games instead? That's all I'm saying.

There May Be More Secrets In The Actual Film, But I Feel Less Excited Now Rather Than More

Honestly, Fox McCloud changes everything, and now, I know I’m going to be upset with this movie. Do you know why? Because if Samus from Metroid isn't in it, I'm automatically going to hate it. Because even more than a Zelda movie - which we're already getting - I want a Metroid movie. And I KNOW I'm never going to get one. Metroid is just too niche, even if it is my favorite Nintendo franchise.

So,this movie is likely my only chance to get Samus on the big screen, and if she isn't there, then I'm just going to hate it. I'm sorry, but I will. It didn't have to be this way.

But since they showed us freaking Fox McCloud - and Pikmin, and R.O.B.! - I'm not going to even be paying attention to the plot now. I'm just going to be waiting (probably with my arms crossed) for Samus to show up. Because I swear, she BETTER be there if Fox McCloud is going to be there.

I’m a theme park girlie, and one of the best attractions at Epic Universe is Super Nintendo World. If you haven’t been, the theming is absolutely insane, the Power Up Bands are not overrated, and if you are a fan of Nintendo in general, there are Easter eggs as far as the eye can see. One of my favorites is becoming more relevant thanks to a little move coming out soon called The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.

The Super Fun Epic Universe Easter Egg You May Not Have Noticed

Super Nintendo World is chock full of Super Mario references. Some of these are super insider Easter eggs, such as the 8-bit Mario coin that gets flipped at the entrance to the Epic Portal or the many Bowser’s challenge nods, including the fun signed Miyamoto portrait. I could go on all day about these, but my personal favorite Easter egg just so happens to be the hidden Pikmin in the park.

There’s apparently 30 of them sprinkled about (and I haven’t caught them all yet), but the best of the best are the Pikmin who have escaped Super Nintendo World and can be found within and on the outside of the Nintendo Super Star Store. The Pikmin were around in other versions of Super Nintendo World before Epic Universe opened, but the timing of the opening of the Universal Orlando park makes the inclusion of these little guys so much better.

When I attended the opening of Epic Universe, the Pikmin were spotted pretty quickly. Brie Larson was also one of the celebrities in attendance for the event. At the time, these felt like cute Easter eggs. The Pikmin are popular, and as a gamer herself, Larson is a notable actress in the gaming space, so her attendance felt fitting. There was more to it than that, though.

It’s All Coming Full Circle Now The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Is Coming Out

The thought put into all of this is obviously way more amazing now the movie's roles and cameos have been announced, and more references have been revealed in the Super Mario Galaxy Movie trailer. Brie Larson held onto the secret for months, but we now know she is playing Rosalina in the upcoming 2026 movie. The Pikmin, too, were seen in a promotional video for the Nintendo-based Universal movie and appear like they will at least have a nod or some relevance when the movie comes out. The whole thing has just felt like such a long play from Universal, as the theme parks tie in with the movies and vice versa. It's been cool to witness as a fan.

There’s been a wave of Super Mario Galaxy Movie news over the past few days as Chris Pratt, Jack Black and co. have gone full method-dressing on the red carpet. While we’ve loved the over-the-top looks, there’s also been news churned out about more appearances from a-listers, with Glen Powell spilling the tea about his own role a couple of days ago.

I honestly can’t wait for this one, and hopefully for the day more Nintendo franchise characters make their way into Epic Universe. Though I’ll never complain about the long line for Toad.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is just around the corner, and the hype is real if you're a Nintendo fan. Between saving up for a Yoshi-themed popcorn bucket, I'm consuming every clip that gets released. Because of that, I spotted characters from another unexpected Nintendo franchise that seem to be a part of this movie.

There are rumors that Nintendo wants to do a shared universe movie, and if that's the case, then cameos in Mario movies would be an easy way to speed that along. We've already reported on speculation about one character showing up, but this latest one has a lot more proof, and I'm so excited about it.

Pikmin Appear In A Promotional Video For The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

A new post on X promoting The Super Mario Galaxy Movie did a quick carousel lineup of characters that will appear. Those who play the video straight through may blink and miss it, but if you go frame by frame, you'll see some familiar faces from another franchise: Pikmin. Here's a screenshot of them that I captured below:

The Pikmin games may not be as well-known to non-gaming fans, but Nintendo fans love the series that centers around space explorers surviving thanks to these little creatures. Pikmin have appeared in Mario games before, and there's actually a Pikmin 2 Easter Egg in Super Mario Galaxy (via IGN).

All this to say, it won't be too weird to see Pikmin get a nod in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. They're aliens, and the movie is taking place in space. I'm just curious to see how impactful their appearance will be, and if it'll set the stage for anything bigger down the road.

Other Nintendo Characters Are Confirmed And Rumored To Appear

The Pikmin appearance comes after the trailer for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie revealed that ROB (an old robot Nintendo peripheral) will appear in the movie, and the Super Mario Bros. 2 villain Wart. There's also lots of speculation that Star Fox protagonist Fox McCloud will appear, though that remains unconfirmed.

It was previously speculated that the villain Wario is in the movie, and it was revealed via a leaked synopsis for the movie published by a theater chain. While that could be the case, I'm more apt to believe now that it was a typo, and that the theater meant to write "Wart," who we now know is in the movie. Though it would be cool to get Wario, so I'm crossing my fingers all the same.

Nintendo fans are excited about these cameos, not just because it opens the door to more movies, but because it could lead to an Avengers-level collaboration should a Super Smash Bros. movie get greenlit. I'm not entirely sure how that type of movie gets made, but I can say I would pay to see it before even seeing a second of footage.

Catch The Super Mario Galaxy Movie when it arrives on the upcoming movie schedule on April 1st. I can't recall the last time I was this stoked to see a movie primarily made for children, and I just hope my kid loves it as much as I do.

The upcoming Super Mario Galaxy movie looks like it’s pulling inspiration from all over Nintendo’s history. While fans already expected to see familiar faces like Bowser and newcomers such as Yoshi in the animated sequel, a newly released poster may have revealed a much deeper cut from the franchise’s past. And, if you look closely, it’s a villain hiding in plain sight that many fans probably haven’t thought about in decades.

In a post shared by Nintendo of America on X, the studio unveiled a new poster for the film. If you look closely at the bottom-left corner, which you can see below, longtime Mario fans believe they’ve spotted Wart, the strange frog-like tyrant who served as the final boss of Super Mario Bros. 2. Casual audiences might not recognize the name. Still, players who grew up during the Nintendo Entertainment System era or the game's rerelease on the Super NES will remember Wart as one of the franchise’s most obscure villains. Check out the poster:

Super Mario Bros. 2 has one of the strangest backstories in the franchise. Unlike most Mario games, it didn’t actually start out as a Mario title at all. In Japan, the real Super Mario Bros. 2 was released as a direct sequel to the original game. It looked nearly identical and reused many of the same graphics, but it was designed to be much more difficult. Nintendo worried that Western audiences might not respond well to what essentially felt like the same game again, just harder.

So, instead, the company took a completely different game that had already been released in Japan called Doki Doki Panic and reworked it into a Mario game for Western audiences. Nintendo replaced the original characters with Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad, transforming it into a new entry in the series. The result was a Mario game that didn’t look or play quite like anything else in the franchise.

Instead of jumping on enemies to defeat them, players picked them up and threw them. Familiar Mushroom Kingdom foes like Goombas and Koopas were nowhere to be found. And instead of battling Bowser, the game’s heroes faced Wart, the ruler of the dreamlike land of Subcon. The character was a massive frog tyrant who could spit bubbles at Mario and his friends during the final battle. Defeating him required tossing vegetables into his mouth until he was finally overwhelmed, making for one of the weirdest boss fights in Mario history.

Despite headlining the game as its main villain, Wart didn’t exactly become a regular part of the franchise afterward. While other Super Mario Bros. 2 characters stuck around, Wart largely disappeared. Birdo, for example, debuted in the same game and has since become a recurring character in spinoffs ranging from sports titles to party games. Wart, on the other hand, mostly faded into obscurity outside of occasional cameos or references.

That’s why Wart's apparent appearance in the movie’s poster has caught so much attention. The image features a crowded lineup of heroes and villains from across the Mario universe, and tucked among them are several characters tied to Super Mario Bros. 2, including Wart, Birdo, and the bomb-throwing enemy Mouser, suggesting the film may be delving deeper into the series’ stranger corners.

Of course, it’s still unclear how big a role Wart might actually play in the story. With a cast that already includes major characters like fan-favorite Princess Rosalina, Yoshi, and rumored additions like Wario, the frog tyrant could simply appear as a minor antagonist or background cameo. Still, even a small appearance would be a big deal for a character who hasn’t had much spotlight since the late 1980s.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie hits theaters and the 2026 movie schedule on April 1. Be sure to check your local listings. And while you get ready for the sequel, the first movie is streaming with a Peacock Subscription.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is coming up on the 2026 movie schedule, and as a lifelong Nintendo fan, I couldn't be more excited. After seeing all the trailers hinting at story points and reading the speculation on secret characters who may appear, I didn't think I could get more hype. It turns out I was wrong, because the Yoshi-themed popcorn bucket is here, and it is glorious.

I've been hyped for Yoshi to be in a Mario movie since his presence was teased in the post-credits of the last movie, so I'm gonna be first in line to purchase this popcorn bucket from AMC. Take a look:

I've said it many times in recent years, but the Nintendo-loving kid in me dreamed about this type of reality for decades. It seemed Nintendo's chances at Hollywood success were dashed after that disastrous movie in the '90s, but fortunately, Illumination proved the Italian plumbers and their friends can make over a billion dollars at the box office.

One thing I really appreciate about this Yoshi popcorn bucket is that it looks functional in what it's supposed to do. Adding the egg means I don't have to wedge my hand into an oddly-shaped or sexually suggestive slot for my popcorn, and can enjoy the movie.

I do wonder if this will be one of the harder popcorn buckets to find, considering the overall popularity of Yoshi as a character in the Nintendo universe. If this sparks a craze, I could see people scooping them up and selling them online at a premium. Hopefully, the theaters get out ahead of anything like that and limit purchases, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

I'm sure The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will have lots of fun stuff for merchandise, especially with some of the characters it is set to introduce in the new movie. Seeing the cosmic Princess Rosalina is going to be a treat, and of course, we've seen Bowser Jr. and the baby versions of Mario and Luigi. I may go broke this holiday season buying all the toys for my daughter, and maybe for myself as well.

Honestly, I'm ok with it, and I think this is what I miss most about tentpole movies these days. Not that I love spending money on merchandise, but it's great when there's just more to the movie to enjoy than just the film itself. It reminds me of when I was a kid, except again, Nintendo wasn't quite so prevalent outside the world of gaming.

Here's hoping my kid grows up in a different future, and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is as successful as its predecessor at the box office. I really need the Nintendo-verse to get rolling, because there are so many other games I'd love to see brought to life on the big screen.

A live-action film adaptation of The Legend of Zelda is finally in the works and, while fans likely still have a few questions about the plot, it does seem like the producers may be adapting the Breath of the Wild games. As such, I'm happy someone talked to the Zelda voice actress about the game, because she brought up a great Link-related question related to the film that I think is worth discussing.

Despite the Legend of Zelda franchise having existed for 40 years, Patricia Summersett only received the honor of being the first voice actress for Princess Zelda in 2017. IGN talked to Summersett about the upcoming movie, and she brought up a great point about Link's characterization that I honestly hadn't considered until now:

Can The Legend Of Zelda movie get weird and have an entire film where its lead character doesn't speak? Personally, I doubt it because, while Link doesn't speak in the games, the player is prompted to speak with responses on his behalf. That would lead me to believe that he does speak in general, despite not having a voice actor. With that, I'd be very surprised if the big-screen version of Link doesn't speak alongside Zelda.

Speaking of which, IGN also talked to Patricia Summersett about the Nintendo film casting British actress Bo Bragason as Zelda, possibly because of Patricia Summersett's decision to use an English accent for the character. Summersett, who is not from the UK, weighed in on that assumption as follows:

These comments does lead me to wonder, if Link has a voice, will he also be British? Or will The Legend of Zelda be like Star Wars, in that accents don't really matter because it's a fictional universe? How does one make these decisions to appease a passionate fanbase when there is no precedent to go off of?

I suppose there is precedence in Link talking, given the the short-lived animated adaptation of The Legend of Zelda. That said, the series isn't really something that holds as much appeal to the fandom compared to the video games, and I doubt it would be used as the blueprint for any part of the upcoming movie.

Honestly, as a lifelong Nintendo fan, I have to admit I'm still coming to grips with the fact that this movie is even happening at all. Between that and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie potentially introducing even more characters who will get movies, I'm just choosing to be happy that fans are getting all these movies, which I never thought would happen a decade ago.

It may be a while before we know if Link speaks or not, but I'm excited for The Legend of Zelda movie's release in 2027 all the same. Here's hoping this upcoming video game adaptation doesn't disappoint because, if it's successful, it could open the door for plenty of sequels.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is on the way, and as the brother plumbers shoot for the stars and meet a popular space princess, an exciting new rumor is circling the fandom faster than planets around the sun. Amidst previous rumors that Nintendo will attempt a shared film universe, many seem to think the latest trailer has a nod to the Star Fox franchise.

I was barking up the wrong tree when I suggested Nintendo pursue an F-Zero movie, because Star Fox does feel like a better fit when putting the character next to beloved characters like Mario and Luigi. Of course, we don't know for certain that Fox McCloud is in the movie yet, but a single frame has me feeling pretty hopeful.

Fans Think Star Fox Is Hiding In The Latest Super Mario Galaxy Trailer

A new, though brief, trailer for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie was unveiled, and with its arrival comes a brief blink-and-you'll-miss-it frame that has dominated discussion amongst Nintendo fans on X. Fortunately, we live in an era of screen grabs, so check out what people think may be the right shoulder, torso, and legs of Fox McCloud below:

It's blurry, but I can see the iconic white and green color combo the character often wears. It also looks like there's a device dangling from his hip. It could be a blaster, shield reflector, or maybe whatever makes him able to do that dash ability in Super Smash Bros. Side note, if there's a movie based on that game, can it be as brutal as the cutscenes that appear in it?

As of writing, this is all just speculation, and there's no actual word on whether Fox McCloud and the Star Fox crew are in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. It is curious, however, that this movie will partially be set in space. Let's not forget that the first movie featured a reference to the Metroid series, which also takes place in space. Could we really be heading toward a massive movie where all the Nintendo characters team up in some big event?

If Star Fox Is In The Movie, I'd Be Concerned About The Tone Of A Potential Spinoff

As cool as it'd be to see Star Fox in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, I do have worries about our first look at the character happening in an Illumination movie. As much as I love The Super Mario Bros. Movie and how it's been brought to life by the animation studio, the tone of its movies has often skewed toward a very young audience.

I hope if Fox is introduced in this movie for a spinoff film, the movie would have a bit more mature tone. Nothing so wild that it would escape a PG rating, but the tone of the Star Fox games has the flair of a dramatic space adventure. Injecting the hilarity we see in Mario movies into it would feel wrong, in my eyes, and a waste of a great character.

Of course, perhaps we should save any worrying about a spinoff movie for if Fox actually appears in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which is in theaters on April 1st. Even if the latest rumor doesn't pan out, there's still plenty to be thrilled about when looking at all the other nods to past games found in the trailer.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (which is aptly titled) is amongst the most anticipated titles on the 2026 movie schedule, as many are ready to see more of Mario, Luigi, Peach and co. While the Illumination-produced film will feature plenty of returning faces from the franchise’s 2023 installment, some new players are on the board as well. That includes the lovable Yoshi, who was teased at the end of the OG film. Now, the adorable dinosaur has officially been revealed, and fans can’t contain their excitement.

Over this weekend, a Nintendo Direct was held, which featured a brand-new look at the Mario sequel. This wasn’t the first Galaxy Movie trailer to be released but, as mentioned, this one provided franchise devotees with their first proper look at Yoshi as he’ll appear in the film. Mario and Luigi discover the now-hatched creature while investigating a clogged pipe. As shown in the trailer, the pair – who are using their Fire Flowers – quickly hit it off with their new, green friend. Check it out:

Ahead of this new footage, Yoshi’s official look actually leaked, with that unofficial reveal coming by way of a tie-in cookie dough box. Nevertheless, it’s cool to actually see the character in action here. That’s not the only big takeaway from this first look either, as it also reveals the debut of Birdo, who’s shown to be fighting with Peach in the trailer. There are also quick glimpses at babies Mario and Luigi. Aside from the eye-popping visuals, there’s also humor at play. (That candy apple bit with Yoshi and Toad got a chuckle out of me).

Plenty of other people seem to be incredibly enthusiastic about this new trailer, as more than a few fans took to X to share their thoughts. Many are pumped over seeing the debut of Mario’s dino sidekick and Birdo as well. Check out some of the reactions below:

• Yoshi looks great and is ready to fight. Plus, Baby Mario and Baby Luigi. Okay, I’m sold. - @MarioEmmet
• New worlds, new allies, and Yoshi in the mix. This adventure just went full Galaxy mode. - @MovieSocietyX
• Yoshi has arrived, I can’t wait for this movie 😍😀💪 - @IncrediblyBozza
• Aye!!!!!!!! Yoshi and Birdo. - @BigK_Marco
• Yoshi looks so stinkin cute, movie looks sick can’t wait to witness this movie in theaters 💚 - @BpDaniel97
• You give me yoshi. And I am sold - @sofarotted

There are still plenty of questions surrounding this upcoming video game movie, of course. From a behind-the-scenes standpoint, it’s unclear who’s actually voicing Yoshi. It’s also hard to say whether the baby variants of Luigi and Mario are specific distinct characters or transfigured versions of their adult counterparts. Nevertheless, what’s been shown thus far – including the references to various Nintendo games – has seemingly been enough to stir up hype amongst fans.

What’s known for sure is that the film will also mark the big-screen debut of Rosalina, and she’s being voiced by none other than Brie Larson (who’s a Nintendo stan in her own right). Also joining the fold this time around is Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie), who arrives to free his shrunken father from captivity.

All signs point to The Super Mario Galaxy Movie featuring some madcap mayhem, which definitely falls in line with what fans have come to expect from the games from which it’s inspired. Within all that, though, it’s just so cool to know that Yoshi will be in on the action this time around. Check out the hungry dino and his allies when this latest Mario movie opens in theaters on April 1. In the meantime, stream the original film with a Prime Video subscription.

For much of my life, Nintendo getting serious Hollywood movies was a thing of fantasy. Super Mario Bros. was a disaster so bad that it seemed it scared the game company away from making movies completely. Of course, The Super Mario Bros. Movie got it right, and after making bank at the box office, the Japanese gaming company seems primed to try out other franchises.

With The Super Mario Galaxy Movie on the way, and a Legend of Zelda movie filming as well, some might think the long-rumored Metroid movie will happen, or maybe even something with Star Fox and Kirby. I have a different idea, and it involves an adaptation centered around one of the more obscure Nintendo titles, F-Zero.

Nintendo Should Make A Movie In The F-Zero Universe

The F-Zero franchise is one of Nintendo's more forgotten titles, and I would wager more people are familiar with one of its main characters, Captain Falcon, from playing the Super Smash Bros. series rather than the games themselves. Despite that, the futuristic racing game lives on in the Nintendo catalog, and every so often gets an entry that captivates its fans, if only for a short while.

F-Zero doesn't get a ton of love compared to the other Nintendo franchises, which I think makes it perfect fodder for a video game adaptation. It's a name that people recognize, but I wager a vast majority know very little about it. In fairness, there's not much to tell beyond it being a racing game set in the future, but that's perfect for more reasons that we'll get into.

Many Of The Characters Have Interesting Backstories That Could Fuel Storytelling

F-Zero has always had a colorful cast of characters, ranging from the likes of bounty hunters to intergalactic warlords who resemble demons. There's even a genetically engineered dinosaur created by scientists to be a professional racer. Why scientists would do that, I have no clue, but I love that Bio Rex exists, and would love to see that in a movie.

If those initial descriptions don't make it abundantly clear, I think this would be a movie that needs to be a bit campy. Almost all the racers are larger-than-life figures with stories that go beyond what one might find with the typical professional racer. I also think this movie would be better served as a PG-13 feature for sure, rather than an all-ages affair, based on the storytelling.

F-Zero Is Just A Racing Game, Leaving The Field Wide Open For Storytelling

There are some very bare-bones details to get right about F-Zero to make a good movie. As long as it's set in the future where lazy billionaires create a reckless racing league for entertainment, and add some of the known characters to the story, the rest is fair game. Sure, there are cutscenes in some of the games, but a bulk of this action takes place in souped-up space vehicles.

Call me crazy, but I think the fact that there isn't a ton of story attached to the F-Zero franchise makes it ripe for whoever writes a script to do a lot of worldbuilding and shape it in a lot of unique ways. I think the biggest challenge would be crafting it in a way that doesn't feel like a ripoff of Guardians of the Galaxy, but I'm sure there are more than a few writers in Hollywood up to that challenge.

I've Been Hungry For More Outlandish Racing Movies Since Speed Racer

Remember The Wachowski's Speed Racer movie? I'm sure many remember that it exists, but it seems that a lot of the world slept on this criminally underrated cult classic. In some ways, I think the movie was ahead of its time, but that the computer-generated effects of the day weren't quite up to the task of what can be done now.

I'm not saying that F-Zero should be a spiritual successor to Speed Racer, but I think there are some unavoidable parallels in looking at two competitive racing franchises that are both rooted in Japanese culture. The difference here is that a movie like F-Zero could have an edge to it that I think Speed Racer never did. Once that's in the mix, it becomes more of a Fast and Furious sci-fi adventure, rather than a campy kids movie.

I Have A Pitch For Who Should Play Captain Falcon

As mentioned, Captain Falcon is more or less the most recognizable face of the F-Zero series. It would make sense if a movie were centered around the veteran bounty hunter, who is said to be in his late 30s. After looking through the list of Hollywood's male actors in that age range who have a jawline strong enough to make that helmet really shine, one surprising name felt like the perfect choice to play the character.

It's Zac Efron. He's ripped, he can be dramatic, and we've also seen him lean into comedy. He can't sing, despite his starring role in High School Musical, but fortunately, I haven't known that to be a part of Captain Falcon's lore. He'd be an unconventional pick for sure, but I think it fits because F-Zero is an unconventional choice for a video game movie.

Will an F-Zero movie ever be made? I sure hope so, though I think Nintendo would certainly pursue a lot of other projects before deciding on a big-budget adaptation of a game that is arguably less popular than games like Star Fox, which remain hits despite not getting a ton of exposure in recent years. That doesn't mean it wouldn't be a great idea, though, and I'm hoping that, eventually, should Nintendo reach levels of success where it starts to run out of things to adapt, F-Zero gets a chance.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is due out in theaters on April 3rd. I am so thrilled to be living in a time where Nintendo characters are getting their own movies, and I hope this trend continues in the decades to come.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie's first trailer arrived days ago and, amidst all the fun and nods to other Nintendo games, I couldn't help but notice one big character was missing. Seth Rogen's Donkey Kong was nowhere to be seen, despite having a heavy presence in the original movie. Not only that, but Rogen wants to continue voicing the character. All the while, though there have been rumors regarding a DK spinoff.

Very little has been reported about the alleged movie since this past summer but, now, a new rumor has me hopeful we'll see it before too long. It would appear that an upcoming video game adaptation specifically for Donkey Kong is still in the works, and it might even have a release window.

The Donkey Kong Movie Is Allegedly In Development With A Release Window In Mind

Just on the heels of leaked footage from The Legend of Zelda film hitting the internet, a new rumor from insider MyTimeToShineHello provided an update on the status of the Donkey Kong movie. If the insider is to be believed, the film is already in development and is circling a release date somewhere on the 2028 schedule.

Assuming the rumor is true, that would be great news for Nintendo fans. Of course, with the notion that nothing changes on the movie schedule (and release dates are always shifting), fans would have three consecutive years where a Nintendo franchise has a movie in theaters. Right now, it's officially known that 2026 will usher in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, while The Legend of Zelda while in 2027. Donkey Kong would be a wonderful addition to that release slate.

What Could A Donkey Kong Movie Be About?

While we can only speculate on the plot of the alleged Donkey Kong movie, I could imagine the narrative being loosely based on stories and characters that we've seen in the games. The Super Mario Bros. Movie featured beloved characters like Diddy, Dixie, Chunky, Funky, Cranky and even Swanky Kong, and there are even more characters to introduce beyond that.

I could also imagine the villain of a Donkey Kong movie being King K. Rool, who has long been the opponent of the Kong family ever since he stopped feuding with Mario in her first couple of games. The franchise has consistently revolved around DK and co. traveling the various areas on Kong Island and ridding areas of K. Rool and his minions, so I'd assume the movie would be more or less the same.

In truth, I could see this type of movie playing out the same way a Super Mario Bros. movie would, which might be why Nintendo and Universal might want to create some distance between the two movies. Of course, we're deep in speculative territory at this point, as there hasn't been any explicit confirmation at this time that the Donkey Kong movie even exists. If it does, however, I can't wait to be first in line to get a ticket and hopefully be in the position to purchase a banana-shaped popcorn bucket.

Until then, I'll continue to keep an eye out for updates and look forward to seeing The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in theaters on April 3rd. Who knows, maybe we'll get a teaser for a Donkey Kong adventure in the post-credits. That'd surely be something that would bring a smile to my face.

The recently announced Super Mario Galaxy Movie hasn’t even landed yet, but fans are already connecting dots faster than Mario on a Rainbow Road speed run. The first trailer for Nintendo and Illumination’s cosmic sequel gave viewers everything they hoped for—floating planetoids, Lumas, Launch Stars, and the long-awaited debut of Rosalina. But the real lightning strike came with the casting reveal that Brie Larson is voicing the mysterious cosmic princess. And for fans, that instantly reignited one of the Mario franchise’s biggest, oldest theories.

According to reporting from ComicBook.com, Rosalina’s expanded presence in the trailer—as well as Larson’s A-list casting—strongly suggests the film may finally address a question fans have debated since 2007: Is Princess Peach secretly Rosalina’s sister? It’s a theory supported by years of fan analysis, developer comments, and a surprisingly lore-rich in-world book. Now, the movie may be ready to make it canon.

In the Super Mario Galaxy video game, Rosalina’s backstory is revealed through a storybook that describes her leaving her home world after her mother passes—depicted as “sleeping under the tree on the hill.” The book also makes it clear that she grew up with a father and a brother. Fans have long zeroed in on a dreamy illustration of her mother, noting the character’s Peach-like features, from her hairstyle to her jewelry. Adding more fuel to the theory, the game’s official Prima guide once noted that the developers initially planned for Rosalina and Peach to be related. However, that idea was dropped before the game shipped.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie only supercharged the theory. In the 2023 film, Peach is explicitly rewritten as a human child who entered the Mushroom Kingdom through a warp pipe—an origin she shares with Rosalina’s established backstory. Was that just a cute twist? Many fans don't believe so, but instead think it was the groundwork for a bigger reveal in the sequel.

Thematically, the two characters already align. Both were separated from their families as children, went on to rule worlds far from home, and embody the “lost star-child” archetype that defines the Galaxy era of Mario. Fans argue that formally connecting them would deepen the mythology and give Peach a personal arc that moves beyond the damsel, ruler, and mentor roles into something far more emotional.

And then there’s Brie Larson. Casting someone of her caliber for Rosalina doesn’t just elevate the character's status but also signals her narrative weight. You don’t bring in an Oscar-winning actress to quietly orbit the edges of Mario’s journey. Her presence suggests a story that’s both cosmic and personal—and potentially answers questions fans have been holding onto for nearly two decades.

Of course, all of this remains theory until Nintendo makes it official. Still, the trailer’s tone, Peach’s revised movie origin, and Rosalina’s expanded role seem to be pointing in the same direction: the long-running sister theory may finally be leveling up from fan speculation to on-screen canon.

We’ll get answers soon enough when The Super Mario Galaxy Movie joins the 2026 movie release schedule on April 3, 2026. Until then, the speculation is only getting louder—and Brie Larson’s take on Rosalina may be the key to unlocking the Mario universe’s most emotional family reveal yet.

While we wait to learn all of Princess Rosalina's secrets, fans can revisit the series’ first installment. The Super Mario Bros. Movie is available to stream with an Amazon Prime subscription.

Nintendo is teaming up with Sony to adapt The Legend of Zelda, and with the movie not hitting theaters until 2027 at the earliest, we're still relatively in the dark about a lot of the details. Fortunately, we now may have some idea of what game will be adapted for the big screen, thanks to some leaked footage from the movie's recent shoots in New Zealand.

A TikTok user recently spied on the filming of the upcoming video game adaptation, and as someone who has been a fan of the Nintendo franchise my entire life, the costumes really stood out. It looks like we have an idea of what storyline we'll see The Legend of Zelda cover, and I'm pretty psyched about it.

Zelda's Costume In The Legend Of Zelda Suggests The Movie Is Adapting The Breath Of The Wild's Timeline

The footage showed a brief look at actress Bo Bragason, who wore a blue tunic, tights, and a satchel. To me, it looked just like the outfits she's worn in the Breath of the Wild games, which take place thousands of years after the previous games.

The Legend of Zelda timeline is complicated, with most of the games falling under one of three distinct timelines: The Fallen Hero, The Child, and The Adult. Explaining them in depth is unnecessary, mainly because the Breath of the Wild games take place way into the future, and it's still unknown if it's connected to some of those games, all of those games, or maybe none of them.

What we do know is that the world of Breath of the Wild is very different than other games in The Legend of Zelda. The land of Hyrule is much more sparse and isn't densely populated. The game itself also grants the player a lot of narrative freedom, allowing them to complete the game in any order they wish.

I would consider this a positive for the Nintendo movie, as it'd give director Wes Ball and other creatives a bit more freedom in how to shape the story while still honoring the source material. That may sound weird, but I'd much prefer to see a story incorporate elements from the Zelda games rather than have him do a one-for-one walkthrough of a game like Twilight Princess or Ocarina of Time.

Link Is Sporting His Traditional Green Tunic

For those about to raise their pitchforks, don't worry. In the footage we saw, Link is wearing his traditional green tunic, and not the "Champion's Tunic," commonly seen in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. I'm sure gamers would've revolted if he didn't have on his classic green look.

Nintendo is likely hoping The Legend of Zelda will take off like The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which is launching its sequel in 2026. Ultimately, there are a couple of generations of adults who were raised on these iconic franchises, which likely played a role in the Mario movie being a billion-dollar box office hit. I can't help but feel there will be a lot of pressure on the Zelda movie to have the same sort of return for Sony, and we'll see if it can rise to the occasion.

I think there are gamers rooting for it, especially those who dream of Nintendo potentially creating its own shared universe and making a rumored Super Smash Bros. movie. These are the types of things I remember sounded like a dream when I was younger, so now that it's on the way, I'm really hoping we get to see Nintendo thrive in Hollywood.

The first trailer for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie just dropped, and fans now have a better idea of what the famous plumbers and their friends are up to in the sequel sequel to the box office hit. I expected to see iconic characters like Rosalina and diverse planets, as both are in the acclaimed Wii game the film is (at least somewhat) adapted from. What I didn't expect to see, though, were big references to other Mario-fronted games, though I guess I should have given the first movie in this franchise.

Some may remember that The Super Mario Bros. Movie features a nod to Luigi's spookier spinoff, Luigi's Mansion, and it lays the groundwork for a Donkey Kong Country film. I'm assuming Galaxy Movie will have more references than have been revealed thus far. Nevertheless, here are two major nods that stuck out to me in the first full-length look at the upcoming video game movie.

Bowser Jr.'s Outfit Resembles His Look In Super Mario Sunshine

Bowser Jr. will make his debut in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, but what's most interesting is what he's wearing in the trailer. He's wearing the bandana he used in the game acclaimed game Super Mario Sunshine. Not only that, but the devious character is also equipped with the magic paintbrush he used to cause havoc all across Isle Delfino.

I'm eager to see how the diminutive villain utilizes those tools in the sequel. In Super Mario Sunshine, the bandana gave Bowser Jr. the ability to take on Mario's appearance, and that landed the hero in trouble when he arrived on the island.

It's also known that Yoshi will appear in this movie, and the dinosaur has a storied history with Bowser Jr. in video games. Given that, I wouldn't be surprised if Yoshi and Mario teamed up for a big showdown with Jr., possibly resulting in something akin to the final boss battle in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island.

The Sand Kingdom From Super Mario Odyssey Was Shown

Super Mario Galaxy (the game) is full of diverse planets with colorful new characters to meet. Imagine my surprise, then, to see Mario and Luigi traveling through what looks like the Sand Kingdom, which appeared in the latest game, Super Mario Odyssey.

This development has me wondering if The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will ultimately set the stage for a third movie and introduce someone like Cappy or one of the more obscure characters from Mario lore. I know I'd love to see some kind of nod to the Paper Mario series, as those games usually had the most colorful cast of characters.

Ultimately, this lifelong Nintendo fan is hyped to see another Mario movie coming out along with the fact that a Legend of Zelda movie is in the works. I'm so glad Hollywood is finally seeing the value in telling these stories, after the catastrophic failure that was the live-action Super Mario Bros. I can't wait to see what's next, though I'm crossing my fingers for that Super Smash Bros. movie to get greenlit.

For now, I'll settle for waiting on The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which is scheduled to hit theaters on April 3rd amid the 2026 movie schedule. Hopefully, we'll get more trailers leading up to the big release soon as well as a popcorn bucket that -- pun intended -- is out of this world.

Arguably the most highly anticipated upcoming video game adaptation that doesn’t focus on street fights or possessed animatronics, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is taking everyone’s favorite Nintendo mascot into the depths of outer space for a celebration turned sour thanks to that dastardly Bowser. And now we have our first big look at the sequel that’s likely destined for a billion-dollar box office when it hits theaters in 2026.

Like a lot of Nintendo enthusiasts, the gamers here at CinemaBlend were pumped when Galaxy was confirmed as the sequel’s focus, in part due to Rosalina’s introduction, and the trailer somehow manages to deliver the same kind of space-faring whimsy that made the original game such a surprising standout for the Wii. Why can’t we have super-cool Star Festivals here on Earth?

The trailer itself is really more of an extended clip with a montage tacked onto it, but I'm not complaining, since it introduces the one, the only, ROSALINA! And not just in a quick and meaningless way, either. We get to see her showing off her powers in a big way, and she even gets to do the action trope of looking completely calm as a gigantic explosion goes off in the background.

The Nintendo Direct showcase revealed not only the trailer itself, but also revealed the newest cast members to the franchise, with an MCU vet and an award-winning director now part of the team.

• Voice of Rosalina: Brie Larson
• Voice of Bowser Jr.: Benny Safdie

Speaking of Bowser Jr., check out the evil offspring with a sweet new color scheme, which seems to be confirmation that this movie will also be bringing in elements from Super Mario Sunshine.

According to Nintendo mastermind Shigeru Miyamoto, the animation team is “weeks away" from wrapping on the finished product, so there shouldn't be any worries about the sequel getting delayed and pushed to later in the year.

What's more, fans can look forward to way more than just Rosalina and Bowser Jr. as far as new faces are concerned. It was also stated during the live broadcast that audiences can look forward to seeing “an incredible range of characters" joining the party, "many for the first time.”

Surprisingly enough, Bowser Jr. isn't just a second banana baddie, either, and it sounds like Jack Black's villain will stay minimized and locked up for the main story here, with his offspring wreaking havoc to save his pops.

Returning for the sequel are Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, and Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek.

In a world full of studio leaks and insider detail drops, Nintendo and Illumination have kept a pretty firm grasp on all of this project’s details and secrets, though in the week before the trailer dropped, licensed snack packaging from Pillsbury was unveiled that gave fans a sneak peek at Yoshi’s new look, which was pretty much absent from the trailer.

The cookies also offered a pretty big hint that Bowser Jr. would be popping up alongside his dear old dad as a secondary antagonist in The Super Mario Bros. Galaxy Movie. And that ended up panning out, so I guess we should just always believe the cookies. The proof is no longer in the pudding.

The Super Mario Bros. Galaxy Movie will blast off into theaters on April 3, 2026.

For those of us who grew up in the ‘80s and ‘90s, a Nintendo Game Boy was either a prized possession or something we begged our parents to buy every Christmas and birthday. With its “Portable Power” catchphrase, a collection of great games, and some nifty accessories, there was a lot to love. That said, it’s easy to see how an entire generation is nostalgic for this awesome piece of gaming history, especially with some Nintendo staples being adapted into upcoming video game movies.

With the hotly anticipated Super Mario Galaxy Movie and the live-action Legend of Zelda film both set to hit the big screen in the coming years, I’ve been taking a trip down memory lane. This has led me to this incredible and faithful LEGO recreation, which is available to purchase through Amazon.

This LEGO Set Brings Some Portable Power

You can’t power it up and spend hours (and a handful of batteries) playing Tetris or other legendary games, but this Game Boy LEGO set brings the portable power… of nostalgia. I mean, it looks exactly like the handheld system that sold approximately 100 million units, per Nintendo.

With so many authentic details, including the D-pad, the A and B buttons, and that signature grey finish, it looks and feels like the Game Boy many of us carried everywhere and played all the time (or at least when we had overhead lights). Clocking in at 421 pieces, it’s easy to see that no detail, no matter how minute, was overlooked in this faithful recreation.

It Even Comes With Game Paks And Swappable Screens

The Game Boy body is great and all, but this LEGO set also includes some other great touches in the form of two Game Paks – Super Mario Land and The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening – and interchangeable screens with that iconic Game Boy green screen. There are screens for both games, as well as one featuring the Game Boy boot screen.

These games don’t work (you can play them with a Nintendo Switch Online membership), but they would look so cool next to a retro gaming collection or next to some home consoles. Plus, those swappable screens just push this over the edge.

This Must-Have Holiday LEGO Set Won’t Break The Bank

When the Game Boy was first released back in 1989, it cost $89.99, which was an absolute bargain. Well, this LEGO recreation is even cheaper than that. It currently runs for $59.99, making it not only a great gift in terms of nostalgic value, but also in terms of cash value.

This brilliant and faithful recreation of a piece of gaming lore is the perfect gift this holiday season. It might be too big for a stocking-stuffer, but I know a lot of gamers out there would love to have this around.

As someone who has plenty of space on their bookshelf for nerdy and nostalgic treasures, I’m going to pitch this LEGO set to my wife and kids pretty soon.

Nintendo has been behind beloved video games for decades, but now the company had expanded into the movie space. Illumination's The Super Mario Bros. Movie brought game-accurate characters to the big screen, and is one of the best video game movies in recent memory. It's sequel The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is already on the way, and a new rumor claims that an entire shared universe might be coming together. And that includes its own Avengers-esque crossover event.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a billion-dollar hit in theaters, and can currently be re-watched with an Amazon Prime subscription. Following the sequel announcement and chatter about a Donkey Kong movie, a report from scooper MTTSH claims that that a full cinematic universe is being formed. And after Luigi's Mansion, Donkey Kong, and Princess Peach films the characters will all collide in a giant Super Smash Bros. event. I don't know if this is legit, but now I really hope it is.

The Super Smash Bros. franchise dates back to 1999, and is a fighting game full of video game characters from Nintendo's catalogue. So if the studio is trying to build up to an Aveengers-level crossover, it makes sense that Smash would be the way to do it.

We should probably take this report with a grain of salt for the time being, and look to some official news from Nintendo and/or Illumination. Right now the only future title that's been officially confirmed is The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which will presumably bring the character Rosalina into the fray. So even if the aforementioned titles are in early development, it'll presumably be years before we see them on the big screen.

If a cinematic universe is formed and Super Smash Bros. movie is being planned for an Avengers-style event, I have one big question: does this mean other characters from Nintendo lore could appear? That is what the games are based on; seeing Mario and his friends fight the likes of Pikachu, Star Fox, Metroid's Samus, and more. This would be a thrilling concept for gamers, although I have to wonder if it would be less appealing to casual fans. After all, The Super Mario Bros. Movie was made to be family- friendly.

Additionally, I have to wonder about the possible legal troubles into making a Smash movie thats accurate to the games. While the characters all come from Nintendo games, there are different artists involved in each title. Would they each have to sign off for a crossover to happen? My head is spinning at just the thought of it.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will hit theaters on April 3rd as part of the 2026 movie release list. Hopefully we get information about whether or not this shared universe is happening sooner rather than later.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel has a name, and there's plenty of reason to be excited about The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Some are pumped to see Rosalina make her big screen debut, and others are psyched to see an adaptation of the popular Wii games. I'm excited for all of that, plus Keegan-Michael Key's latest update on where things stand with his Toad.

Mario and friends are headed to space, and while we already know to expect the movie in April, Keegan-Michael Key might've given an idea just how ready this movie is to hit theaters once the upcoming 2025 movie schedule closes out for the year. In an interview with ScreenRant, the comedian said that he's already wrapped on his voice work:

Animation takes a while to complete, and it's highly possible the voice work was the first thing finished ahead of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, including additional dialogue recordings that are part and parcel with the medium. Even so, it's impressive to hear just how quickly this movie is moving along, considering it will hit theaters just three years after the first movie came out.

It makes me wonder if work began on the sequel almost immediately after the first movie hit theaters, which wouldn't be surprising. The Super Mario Bros. Movie did incredibly well at the box office, and I don't think many studios would balk at giving a movie that made a billion dollars at the box office a sequel.

I'm not too shocked Keegan-Michael Key is wrapped on his work for Toad either, given the character's role in the first movie. He was basically the fill-in sidekick for when Luigi and Peach weren't there to serve the role, so I can't imagine the sequel is loaded with some massive Toad subplot. It's always possible we could be exploring the contents of the skulls of those mysterious creatures, and how much of that is brain vs. hollow shell.

If The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is anything like the games, we're going to see Mario travel to distant lands with some unique properties. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a world entirely made of water, but I also want to see Mario in that bumblebee costume as well. I guess if I'm being super honest, I want this sequel to get a better review than the one CinemaBlend gave The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Hopefully, it doesn't let me down.

As mentioned, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is in theaters on April 2026. For those who never played the games and have a Switch 2, both just went up for sale for the console. I don't think anyone needs to play the games to understand the movie, but they are very fun to play!

Adapting video games for the big screen can be difficult, but that particular subgenre has had some success in recent years. One of the best video game movies is arguably The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which hit over a billion dollars at the box office. A sequel title was just revealed, and it looks like my favorite Nintendo character to play as is headed to the big screen: Rosalina.

This news comes to us from the latest Nintendo Directs, which offers updates about games, movies and more. During the video it was revealed that The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 will actually be an adaptation of the iconic game Mario Galaxy games. Check out the announcement clip below:

Well, this is thrilling. The Mario Galaxy games were wildly popular, introducing new gaming mechanics to everyone's favorite plumber. This cosmic property also introduced Rosalina, who has magical abilities and lives within/takes care of the stars. Since her debut back in 2007 she's become a playable character in titles like Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros. and Mario Party. I'm psyched to see her on the big screen, and eager to know who might voice the fan favorite character. Hopefully we get more information about this sooner rather than later.

Of course, Rosalina hasn't technically been confirmed for the movie just yet. But since Super Mario Galaxy introduced her to the world, it seems pretty logical. She was on the to of my list of Mario characters that needed to join the movies, so I'm eager to see how she'll change things up.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (which is streaming now with an Amazon Prime subscription) kept its list of characters pretty tight, with the movie focusing on Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, and Donkey Kong... as well Bowser and his underlings. The movie's credits scene teased Yoshi's arrival, but now it looks like we'll be going into space for the next adventure.

If/when Rosalina joins The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, it would mark the first time she and Peach have shared a scene together. While they're both playable characters in various Nintendo games, they haven't interacted in projects like Galaxy or Odyssey.

Anya Taylor-Joy's Princess Peach was the only female character in the first movie, so some Nintendo fans have definitely been hoping to see the sequel bring in others like Daisy, Rosalina, Pauline, or Toadette. The above teaser didn't actually confirm Rosalina's appearance, but most Nintendo fans are likely assuming the same thing. Hopefully we get more information from Illumination and Nintendo soon.

All will be revealed when The Super Mario Galaxy Movie hits theaters April 3 as part of the 2026 movie release list. Given how soon this date is, I have to assume that the folks have been working on the sequel for some time before this announcement. Now give us the first look at Rosalina, you cowards!

Following the announcement and the subsequent rousing success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, fans of Nintendo properties became hopeful that other Nintendo hits that might spark video game adaptations. Chief among those was The Legend of Zelda. In short order, Nintendo then made those dreams come true by confirming plans for a live-action Zelda movie. Now that movie has taken its most important step forward.

The two lead roles of Zelda and Link have been officially cast for the film version, and while the names aren’t likely to rouse a great deal of excitement, and both are relative unknowns, what’s vital to understand here isn’t who has been cast, but that casting has happened, because it means The Legend of Zelda movie is actually real.

The Legend of Zelda Movie Has Cast Its Zelda And Link

The news of Zelda and Link’s casting came via Nintendo’s official Twitter account and a post signed by Shigeru Miyamoto. In the post, released in both Japanese and English, he announced that Bo Bragason was cast as Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth is set to take the role of Link.

Both actors are from the UK. Bo Bragason has appeared in Renegade Nell, available with a Disney+ subscription, as well as in The Jetty alongside former Doctor Who companion Jenna Coleman.

Meanwhile, Ainsworth was the voice of Pinocchio in the Disney live-action remake alongside Tom Hanks. He more recently appeared in the film Everything’s Going to be Great with Bryan Cranston.

Deciding now whether these are great casting choices is just short of impossible. Neither actor has ever done anything quite like The Legend of Zelda, and the franchise has been portrayed so many different ways in video games, we don’t even know what sort of Zelda movie we’re getting. What’s important is that casting has happened, because that’s what happens before filming gets underway.

The Legend Of Zelda Movie Is Really Happening

As somebody who has grown up with The Legend of Zelda since the very first game on the Nintendo Entertainment System, I’m honestly having trouble coming to terms with this recent news. Even when the movie was announced, I took the news with a grain of salt. It’s far from uncommon for movies that are planned to never happen, but that doesn’t happen nearly as often if we make it this point.

Fans who have wanted a Legend of Zelda movie for decades, who have dealt with near-constant rumors of one, maybe, possibly, happening, only to have every rumor be debunked, are actually going to see Link and Zelda on the big screen.

The Legend of Zelda movie is still nearly two years away, so it’s going to be a while before we actually see anything and get any idea of what this movie will be, but it’s all but assured now that we will see it. Wow.

Universal's Epic Universe is now open to the public, and whether you think it's a Disney World killer or not, there's no denying it's a great theme park once you visit. This is especially true if you're a longtime obsessive Nintendo fan like me, and just got to take your daughter to experience the wondrous Super Nintendo World in person.

I can confirm it's even more glorious than videos and photos do it justice, and I spent a whole day in the land riding rides, looking for popcorn buckets, and just having an absolute blast with my seven-year-old. That said, I think I also learned some keys to maximizing the experience, and I'm hoping to pass them along to others ahead of their trip so that they make the most out of their time in the park.

The Power-Up Band Is A Must

I'm a frugal guy, so when it comes to the "bells and whistles" of the theme park experience, I'm gonna pass more often than not. For example, I decided not to get the express pass for me and my daughter, but I'll get into that more in the next section.

Because I'm frugal, I also passed on the opportunity to get a Power-Up Band (against the advice of CB's Jessica Rawden) for myself, but I absolutely understood the reason for getting one for my daughter. Most of the appeal of the park is feeling like you're in an actual Super Mario Bros. video game, and unless you have the band, you're going to miss out on the appeal of that experience.

And trust me, I can understand the pain of paying for a Disney Magic Band that offers less functional value than an actual Magic Band, but all that goes out the window the first time you get to or see someone else hit a question block for a coin. It's a feeling that never gets old, and there are so many other neat things to do with it when you get inside. There's an "underground" experience where you traverse the underbelly of the Mushroom Kingdom, and use it to unlock cool easter eggs along the way.

Plus, if you're someone who enjoys achievements, the band collects digital stamps and rewards for all the various accolades you collect while spending time in the park. We weren't able to complete everything in a full day there, so there is a reason to hold onto it in case you return in the future. Additionally, I've seen the band also functions as an amiibo if you own a Nintendo Switch, so store it in a safe place if you do purchase.

You Can Do The Park Without An Express Pass, But If You Have Plans Elsewhere You Should Splurge

As I'm sure readers know, the Orlando experience is not cheap. A day at the hottest new theme park in the area, with a day at Magic Kingdom at Disney World the following day, was making my wallet weep. Not to mention, I already paid for the premier pass for Magic Kingdom, so I figured I could skimp on getting an Express Pass to ride the three rides at Super Nintendo World.

The original plan was to run through Super Nintendo World, check out some of the other parts of the park that others I work with raved about, and then get out by dinner time to meet up with family who didn't tag along. In the seven hours I was in the park, we spent all of it in Super Nintendo World, and a good deal of that time was spent waiting to ride Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge, Yoshi's Adventure, and Mine Cart Madness.

If you're trying to see the whole park, I think the express pass is the way to go. I also say that if you're looking for comfort, because full disclosure, those lines can be long and rough on a summer day. I will say the full queue for Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge is mostly indoors and air-conditioned, and full of easter eggs, so if you have to wait in line, it's so refreshing and fun to do so.

I wish I could say the same for Yoshi's Adventure, as outside of some artwork and music from Nintendo Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, you could breeze through it and not miss much. I would say the same for Mine Cart Madness as well, as even the great soundtrack of Donkey Kong Country 1, 2, and 3 music was not enough to make up for having to be out in the blazing sun for a bulk of the wait. Bottom line, if you need comfort or are on a tight schedule, spend the extra money on the Express Pass.

Be Prepared For Things You Want To Be Unavailable

Going into Epic Universe, I had one objective in mind. I was going to leave with a souvenir Donkey Kong mug that came with a purchase of the DK Crush Float at The Bubbly Barrel. I dreamt of that mug for weeks, and all the things I might drink out of it. Hell, I was planning on splitting the float with my daughter while we waited in line for Donkey Kong: Mine-Cart Madness. By the way, that roller coaster is as incredible as it looks, though way more intense and scary for a seven-year-old than you might think by watching the videos of it online.

Unfortunately, when I arrived, The Bubbly Barrel's machine was not working. A bummer, to be sure, and on top of that, I was unable to purchase the souvenir cup without even getting the float in exchange. It's wild to say I would've actually done that, but considering I couldn't buy it in the gift shop, I was left with little other option than to ask.

It wasn't the only thing I was disappointed to leave without when I finished my day at Epic Universe. I also had my heart set on getting a Bowser shirt with a neon logo, but was unable to track it down when I ventured through the merchandise store. I ended up buying a Donkey Kong drinking glass, which I still really love, but couldn't help but be disappointed that I left with neither of the things I'd wanted.

All this to say, Super Nintendo World was absolutely filled to the brim with people when I was in there, and I don't imagine it'll be any less crowded anytime soon. There's only a limited amount of merchandise available, so I wouldn't suggest setting your heart on grabbing any one piece of anything until you're there and can assure you'll get your hands on it. Also, even when the machine is working, that line at The Bubbly Barrel is super long, so be prepared to wait if you want that mug like I did.

Overall, I'd have to say that Epic Universe was a real joy, though I do hope to see more of it overall the next time I get to visit. Be sure to check it out, and take heed of my tips about Super Nintendo World if you're looking to have the best time possible.

It’s sometimes easy to forget that just because someone is famous doesn’t mean they don’t share similar interests with the common folk. Take Brie Larson. Sure, she’s a well-known Hollywood actress from movies like Room (for which she won an Oscar), Kong: Skull Island, Captain Marvel and Fast X, but she also happens to be a passionate gamer. If you didn’t know that until now, you’ll certainly remember it after watching the sweet video of her unboxing a Nintendo Switch 2.

Larson, whose other recent onscreen credits include the Apple TV+ subscription-exclusive miniseries Lessons in Chemistry and the Netflix subscription-exclusive animated series Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, took to her X account to show off her excitement as the “ultimate Nintendo fangirl” opening a special package sent to her from the video game company. Check it out!

The Nintendo Switch 2 came out on June 5, so needless to say for the average consumer, it’s extremely difficult to purchase one right now. Brie Larson, however, was lucky enough to get be sent not only a complimentary console, but a bunch of other goodies, including the game Mario Kart World. That was more than enough to get her excited, but she got even more jazzed when she was able to easily put together her Switch 2 controllers.

Considering how much of a Nintendo fan she is, I don’t fault her whatsoever for declaring that “the best day ever.” Brie Larson was no doubt going to buy a Nintendo Switch 2 controller no matter what, but to have this arrive at her house is a most welcome surprise. The actress ends the video with “More soon,” so it sounds like we can expect another video, if not several, of her showing off that sweet new console in action, whether it’s on her social media pages or her YouTube channel.

Brie Larson’s Nintendo Switch 2 acquisition follows a few months after she concluded her time on Elektra, a stage adaptation of the Sophocles’ Electra that written by Anne Carson and directed by Daniel Fish. As of this writing, it’s unclear when we’ll see Larson back on our big and small screens. However, back in 2020, she was down for the idea that she should play Samus Aran in a Metroid movie. Considering that a live-action Legend of Zelda movie on the way, such a project doesn’t sound farfetched, and we know that Larson is enthusiastic about the source material.

We’ll continue keep you apprised on the latest with both Brie Larson’s professional life and her Nintendo-related activities. Along with the aforementioned film adaptation of The Legend of Zelda from Sony Pictures, Nintendo and Illumination also have Super Mario World set to come out on April 3, 2026.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is gearing up for a sequel, and there's been no shortage of theories about what it will tackle. We here have theorized about Super Mario Galaxy as a potential inspiration, for example, but it looks like an earlier and more fitting Nintendo game may be inspiring the follow-up, at least if we can believe that the allegedly leaked title of Super Mario World is legitimate.

The supposed reveal comes from @Wario64, which noted NBCUniversal issued a press release that listed a selection of of movie titles that will be available post-theatrical-release with a Peacock subscription, with "Super Mario World" among those noted. The release was later edited with the title removed, so we don't know for sure if Super Mario World was accidentally leaked because of the title reveal, or if that was just a working title.

At this point, neither NIntendo nor Universal appear to have commented publicly on the matter to clarify anything, but it's worth noting that the press release also noted "Shrek" and "Minions" as being part of films set to stream in the future, and those titles were also removed. One can assume that those were stand-ins for the impending fifth Shrek film and Minions sequel, which perhaps speaks to the notion that Super Mario World's tentative.

Either way, I'm excited and ready to speculate if it is, and wonder if these key characters will be a part of the movie.

Will Yoshi Play A Big Part In The Sequel?

Super Mario World is a great video game for the sequel movie to reference, because it opens the door to Mario meeting up with his beloved dinosaur sidekick Yoshi. Considering the character was teased in the post-credit scene of the first movie, I don't think anyone is surprised he'll appear.

That said, I think the post credit scene paired along with this alleged title potentially means that the next movie could give Yoshi and maybe more of his kind a bigger spotlight. I'd love to see that, and honestly, I really hope it would lead to an adaptation of Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. That would require a Baby Mario and Baby Luigi to exist though, and considering we see Yoshi hatch after his future partner is a full grown adult, I don't see that happening.

Bowser's Koopalings Were Big Characters In The Super Mario World Game

Another big thing about the Super Mario World game is that while Bowser is the primary villain, he gets a lot of help from his Koopalings. Readers may be familiar with his son Bowser Jr., but there are similar young Koopas who aid in the big bad's efforts, even if they're only noted as being Bowser's children depending on which Nintendo game is being played. They are named below:

• Iggy
• Wendy
• Larry
• Morton
• Roy
• Lemmy
• Ludwig

I would love to see Bowser (and Jack Black's) viral cash cow hit "Peaches" performed with all his Koopalings. Do I think it will happen? The only reason I feel like it could be is because the movie title is allegedly Super Mario World, and those characters are in the original Super Nintendo game. Bowser didn't mention any children or underlings like the Koopalings in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, so it's possible that they don't exist in this film universe.

And to state it again, we don't know whether this movie is actually called Super Mario World. That said, Keegan-Michael Key's quotes on the sequel last year seem to hint that Universal accidentally let the cat out of the bag here. Whatever the title may be, this movie remains at the top of my list for my most anticipated movies that are video game adaptations, and I can't wait to see it opening weekend.

The follow-up to The Super Mario Bros. Movie is coming out in 2026. I'm sure we'll get a lot more information on the movie before that, so keep with CinemaBlend for more updates on which characters may appear, and if there are any other surprises in store.

Nintendo is going live to showcase what all it has coming down the pipeline in 2025, and CinemaBlend is ready to talk about and react to all that's coming up whether it's new games, upcoming movies in 2025 and beyond, or even stuff related to the Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios. Follow along as we chronicle what's teased, and maybe check out our review of Nintendo's beautiful theme park in between trailers.

Shadow Labyrinth, a 2D Metroidvania planned for June 19th.

Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Army is up next. Game has Persona vibes, and will arrive in June.

Nintendo kicks off things with a trailer for the fantasy RPG DragonQuest 1&2. It's a very pretty 2D remake.

Next up is No Sleep For Kaname Date. Something that seems similar to Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, but with more puzzle solving. Game will be available July 25th.

Patapon 1+2 Replay, a remaster of the classic rhythm game is coming to Switch.

Story Of Seasons Grand Bazaar is coming from the DS to Switch. The game has a vibe similar to Harvest Moon with prettier graphics. It also looks like sales are a big part of the game as well.

Metroid Prime 4 Beyond is finally here, and it looks glorious. We see gameplay of Samus in a large forest planet. It appears to be the typical Metroid Prime gameplay fans are used to. Samus now has psychic abilities, but we don't know why. I'm assuming the story will reveal it. It has a 2025 release date! Hopefully, its success leads to that Metroid Prime movie we all want.

Disney Villains Cursed Cafe is up next, for those Disney Adults who need more stuff not for kids, this feels like a great entry. You play a barista for villains. What's better is it's out today!

Witchbrook is shown. It's an isometric that looks to combine Harry Potter with like the best Hayao Miyazaki films. Four player co-op sounds awesome, and like the Hogwarts experience many have wanted. The Game is out holiday 2025.

The Eternal Life Of Goldman (indie 2D platformer) is shown as a holiday release, as well as a collection of Gradius games. Rift of the Necrodancer is up next. Lots to love about it, reminds me of Guitar Hero and it's out today.

Tamagotchi Plaza is announced. It has similar vibes to Animal Crossing but with more shops, and appears to look a lot larger. Plus, we get the fun of Tamagotchi without worrying about them dying like those 90s toys.

Pokemon Legends ZA, a new title for the series is out. You choose between three partner Pokemon, in Lumiose City. There's Wild Zones where wild Pokemon can be caught. Lots of exploration in this game. Game will be out later this year.

Rhythm Heaven Groove is announced for 2026.

Nintendo gives an update on digital games. Nintendo will allow for virtual game cards, which will allow all users on a Switch to play games. There's also an ability to eject a game and move it to another system. You can also lend games to family members.

High On LIfe, Dear Villagers, The Wandering Village, King Of Meat, Lou's Lagoon, Fantasy Life i are all announced in quick succession. We also get a remake of Saga Frontier 2 announcement that is out later today.

Monument Valley 1 and 2 are announced, launch April 15th. Monument Valley 3 is out this summer.

Everybody's Golf Hot Shots is coming to Switch, and I'm so excited to see another golf game announced. No shade to Mario Golf, but this seems a lot better than the Nintendo sports title. Game is out this year.

Marvel Cosmic Invasion gives us the classic beat-em-up arcade vibes as quite a few Marvel heroes are available to play in this exciting title. Four player co-op makes this one a must-play for me, and a great prep for seeing how the Avengers: Doomsday cast will look together.

Nintendo is bringing back Tamadochi Life, with Living The Dream! It's not out until 2026, but what little we see of it looks incredible.

Miyamoto shows up at the end and thanks everyone for watching Nintendo Direct, and anounces they're launching a Nintendo Today! app. It'll give exclusive Nintendo news, as well as comics and other Nintendo stuff. The app launches later today.

Welp, that's it for the Nintendo Direct. Of course, there will be a Switch 2 Nintendo Direct on April 2nd, which will give more details on the upcoming console. I'm keeping my fingers crossed we hear more about that Super Mario Bros. 2 movie, as 2026 isn't that far out. I also wouldn't be mad to hear about an expansion to Super Nintendo World being announced that's as beautiful as the original, but given we're still waiting on the Orlando park to officially open, that's just a pipe dream.

Once upon a time almost all movies based on video games were bad. There were a few decent video game adaptations, but none that were great. However, in recent years we have seen a few franchises adapted for the big and the small screen that have been met with critical praise, financial success, or some combination of both. One of the most successful has been the Sonic the Hedgehog movies, generally seen as some of the best video game movies to date. Now one of the writers has a dream movie he’d like to make from another popular video game franchise.

Josh Miller, who co-wrote the Sonic the Hedgehog movies, has one idea for a video game movie that he knows he’ll never get to do, because the project is already being worked on elsewhere. He tells IGN he’d love to do a Legend of Zelda movie. That’s not exactly a huge shock considering how popular the franchise is, and a Zelda movie is on the way, but he has a specific game in the series in mind which is a bit more of an unusual choice: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Miller said…

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is a unique game in the ongoing adventure series, as it used a cel-shaded animation style unlike anything else that had been done before or since. A teaser for a new Zelda game had been released years before which suggested a much more realistic Zelda game, and what fans got was the most cartoonish version of Link and Zelda to date.

Having said that, The Wind Waker is an incredibly fun game, with a massive open ocean that Link gets to sail on his adventure. It’s an incredibly fun game, and very much not the sort of movie fans would likely expect to come out of the Zelda franchise, but maybe that’s what would make it so interesting.

While there’s little we know about the planned The Legend of Zelda movie that is concrete, the possibility that it will take its inspiration from The Wind Waker seems remote at best. The movie, set to be directed by Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Wes Ball, is set to be live-action, and a version of Wind Waker that was true to its source will almost certainly need to be an animated movie along the lines of the recent Super Mario Bros. film.

Hopefully the new Legend of Zelda movie will be great. Whatever games inspire it, there will be a lot of fans waiting for it.

When Sydney Sweeney isn’t starring in some of the hottest movies and TV shows, the actress knows how to have fun with her squad. Most recently, she did that in a big way for spooky season. Sweeney recently visited the 2024 Halloween Horror Nights houses with a group of friends, and she later shared a chaotic photo dump of the outing. There's a lot to love from the pics, but I'm really obsessed with her Minions and Super Nintendo World-related antics.

The Euphoria star revealed herself to be a theme park fan last spring when she effortlessly rocked Mickey Ears at Walt Disney World. Her fandom certainly shone through then, but her recent trip to Universal Studios Hollywood for the Halloween festivities was something else entirely. I wasn’t expecting her to make me want a minions rainbow hat, but she and her friends made them look so good. Check it out in the Instagram post below:

Sydney Sweeney posted a whopping 17 slides to show off her birthday celebration at Halloween Horror Nights. The actress, who has been in a couple of big 2024 movies already and has a film with Ana De Armas on the way, celebrated her 27th birthday by goofing around at the Los Angeles-based theme park. As noted in her caption, she came for Horror Nights, but “stayed for the Minions.” Quite frankly, I can understand why.

I also love that the Immaculate star took in all the goodness that the awesome Super Nintendo World had to offer. The sight of her standing in front of warp pipe and sporting a Mario hat with her pal delights me to no end.

There’s a lot going on here, but it’s clear that Sydney Sweeney and her friends came, saw and conquered Universal Studios by having a blast of a night. And, based on the Minions, Mario and Simpsons-related merch she and her friends are sporting, they really hit up those gift shops. That evening, Sweeney was even surprised with a fun birthday cake with a picture of herself on the front that says “How does 27 taste?”

Given my own recent trip to Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights, I can attest to the wild contrast between all the horrifying horror icons you can visit in the haunted houses and the other attractions. There's so much to take in, and it can be overwhelming

The Emmy-nominated actress and her crew clearly were living for their escape to Super Nintendo World, where they jumped on Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge. They also definitely went to the land of The Simpsons to play some arcade games, which is a must for visitors. They also seemingly took part in this year’s Blumhouse-themed Terror Tram, which takes guests to the original Psycho house and offers a bunch of scares.

Considering how accustomed we are to seeing Sydney Sweeney in major glam, it’s great to see her having the best time on her birthday without a lot of fuss to her look. She wore a white knit sweater and jeans – which is not exactly a viral fashion moment for her. But, then again, she has said she doesn’t let other people dictate how she dresses.

On that note, she absolutely slayed that Minions hat! Which isn't surprising since this is Sydney Sweeney, after all. Here's wishing the actress a Happy Belated Birthday and more fun theme park adventures involving Mario and the Minions!

We're just a day removed from Nintendo confirming the release date of the Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel, and theories from fans are already being churned out left and right. CinemaBlend's Nick Venable had a quick theory on what the follow-up may be about and, on the heels of his analysis, a noted Nintendo insider shared some rumors regarding what they've allegedly heard about the film. The headline here is that Mario isn't the star of this movie, and there may even be a connection between the sequel and a rumored video game. 

This news comes from noted Nintendo insider Zippo, who has dropped some accurate inside info concerning Nintendo in the past but has also been wrong before. As such, it's best to take this rumor with a grain of salt at this point in time. That said, the rumor does sound pretty cool, and it's honestly something that I'd be on board with should this be the plan for the sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

The Super Mario Bros Sequel Will Allegedly Be About Donkey Kong Or Luigi

Seemingly picking up from the creative wording used by Nintendo, the source alleged that they knew with certainty that this would be a spinoff from the Mario universe and that the title character would not be the star. Instead, the movie will supposedly either be centered on Donkey Kong and probably focus more on expanding his section of the world, or it will be centered around Luigi. With that said, the insider is apparently banking on Mario's little brother being the star more than DK, and it comes down to a rumored release that would drop on the next iteration of the Nintendo Switch. 

What Is The Alleged Game That The Mario Sequel's Release With Allegedly Coincides With?

The insider goes on to claim that the April 2026 release date for the upcoming movie coincides with another game rumored to be heading to the Nintendo Switch 2 -- Luigi's Mansion 4. If this entity is to be believed, the title is secretly in development with Next Level Games and will be released around the same time as the flick. Keep in mind, though, that neither the game nor the console has been officially announced at this time. Though there's been wide reporting from gaming journalists about the Nintendo Switch 2 potentially arriving in 2025. With that said, the insider believes the release dates coming around the same time would be a way of keeping synergy for Nintendo and boosting game sales. 

I can buy that Nintendo would want to bolster game sales with a movie release, especially since it used some of its profits from The Super Mario Bros. Movie to make Super Mario Bros. Wonder look even better. I also believe that Luigi's Mansion is a great franchise worthy of a spin-off movie -- and an easy spooky movie to make for children who might be squeamish. 

The part that loses me, however, is that when talking about corporate synergy, the same argument could be made for a DK movie. Universal Studios Japan will launch a Donkey Kong expansion to its Super Nintendo World in 2024, and it's known that the same expansion will be part of Universal's Epic Universe (which we know a lot about) when it launches in Orlando in 2025. As revealed to CinemaBlend, Seth Rogen is itching to voice Donkey Kong again as well, which could greaten the odds of such a film happening.

Still, the idea is interesting, and I I dare say there may not be one Nintendo fan who wouldn't salivate over the idea of a Luigi's Mansion movie and a new game released around the same time. We'll have to wait and see if this rumor actually pans out, so it's a good thing I can still re-watch The Super Mario Bros. Movie with my Netflix subscription. 

CinemaBlend is keeping an eye out for updates on the sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie and will likely be coming up with many other ideas about what it might be, given the sheer amount of Nintendo fans on staff. In the meantime, be sure to read up on upcoming video game movies and TV shows. 

Following the monumental box office success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which amassed over a billion dollars, Illumination Entertainment has officially greenlit a sequel. Given the original's remarkable performance, the decision to pursue a second film comes as no surprise. Nintendo's visionary, Shigeru Miyamoto, confirmed the news and shared light details on the follow-up to last year's record-breaking video game adaptation. According to a social media post, development for the upcoming video game adaptation is underway, with a release date set. Also, the creator also explained how the sequel will differ from the OG flick, and I think Mario fans should be pretty jazzed.

In a series of posts from Nintendo of America's official X (formerly Twitter) account, Shigeru Miyamoto revealed what fans can expect from the next chapter in the Super Mario Bros. cinematic saga. The longtime game designer wrote:

March 10th, affectionately known within the gaming community as "Mario Day" (a playful nod to the abbreviation MAR10 resembling Mario's name), brings with it this special announcement. That release date for the sequel also makes sense, given the length of animation development and the fact that the first flick had a spring date. 

While marking the occasion, the game designer also hinted at the fact that the creative forces behind one of the ten greatest video game films ever are partnering with Nintendo again. However, this time, they are pledging to foster an even closer partnership throughout the creation of this new movie. The gaming guru wrote in a second post:

This is excellent news for fans of the original movie and the series, as a closer collaboration could ensure that the film really stays true to the roots of the source material. Although details about the sequel are still under wraps, lead actor Chris Pratt has hinted at future installments. The original Super Mario Bros. Movie's post-credit scene, featuring the hatching of Mario's saddled dino Yoshi, suggests a wealth of possibilities for the next chapter. Indeed, the potential directions for the sequel seem boundless, opening up exciting prospects for the beloved universe of the Mushroom Kingdom.

In a video released by Nintendo, which you can see on the official YouTube account, Shigeru Miyamoto discussed the upcoming film, revealing that Nintendo has renewed its collaboration with Illumination for this animated endeavor, set in the "world of Super Mario Bros." He also took the opportunity to express his gratitude to the audience, acknowledging their role in the massive success of the flick and celebrating the impact of the first film in making the franchise a cinematic success.

Chris Meledandri of Illumination also expressed his excitement in the video, appearing along with the game designer to confirm their continued journey in the world of Mario. He enthusiastically revealed: 

Intriguingly, Shigeru Miyamoto referred to the upcoming project as a new movie "based on the Super Mario Bros" without explicitly labeling it a sequel or Mario 2. This choice of words has left me with some questions. It raises the possibility that the next movie might take a unique approach, potentially venturing into new territory rather than following the traditional sequel path. With Nintendo playing a more significant role in the creative process this time, fans of the video game franchise have every reason to be excited about the upcoming cinematic adventure, regardless of its direction.

I'm intrigued to see the untitled Super Mario Bros. follow-up film when it hits theaters on April 3, 2026. In the meantime, fans can relive the original journey to the Mushroom Kingdom by watching the first movie, which is currently available to anyone with a Netflix subscription. For those interested in planning their next cinema adventures, our 2024 movie schedule offers a preview of other exciting films headed to a theater near you.

The 2023 movie calendar has been a blockbuster one for the beloved plumbing brothers, with the release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie. This Mario's billion-dollar box office success not only dominated theaters but also secured its spot among my top 10 greatest video game films ever. The movie’s impact extended beyond the silver screen, leaving an unforgettable mark on the charts with its catchy soundtrack. One particular gem from the album, "Peaches," belted out with unmistakable charisma by Jack Black as the notorious Bowser became an internet sensation. Despite its widespread popularity, the Oscars surprisingly overlooked "Peaches" for a Best Original Song nomination, causing fans (including myself) to question the Academy's musical taste. Honestly, this snub has me feeling the urge to throw on a hammer suit and let out some frustration.

As reported by Variety, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has unveiled the shortlists for 10 categories in the upcoming 96th Oscars ceremony. While there's an impressive lineup of films contending for various awards, it's noteworthy that The Super Mario Bros. Movie didn't make the cut for any nominations, despite its outstanding success at the box office. Not to mention “Peaches" even secured a spot on Billboard's Top 100 list and maintained its presence for five consecutive weeks. Given the movie's impressive 2023 box office performance and the song's popularity, it's a shame it didn't get some award recognition.

This Year's Competition Was Competitive

Admittedly, this year’s Best Original Song category was stacked. The competition was fierce, with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealing that 94 songs were eligible for consideration in the Best Original Song category. The complete list of nominees is as follows:

• “It Never Went Away” from American Symphony
• “Dear Alien (Who Art In Heaven)” from Asteroid City
• “Dance The Night” from Barbie
• “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie
• “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie
• “Keep It Movin’” from The Color Purple
• “Superpower (I)” from The Color Purple
• “The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot
• “High Life” from Flora and Son
• “Meet In The Middle” from Flora and Son
• “Can’t Catch Me Now” from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
• “Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)” from Killers of the Flower Moon
• “Quiet Eyes” from Past Lives
• “Road To Freedom” from Rustin
• “Am I Dreaming” from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Interestingly, Barbie–another billion Dollar summer smash–has three songs on the short list of nominations. Deservedly so, because all three nominated songs are bangers, especially "I’m Just Ken," but, It would have been pretty cool to see “Peaches” make the list seeing as how this year has been great for animation, thanks in no small part to The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

An Oscar Isn't Out Of The Question In The Near Future

“Peaches" might have missed the mark this year, but there's still hope for recognition in the future if Jack Black has his way. The actor expresses his desire for a full-fledged musical in the potential sequel, but we don’t know what’s going on with the sequel because Black revealed the studio's silence on any sequel plans, a notable contrast to Chris Pratt's update in June.

Although there's no news of the plumbing brothers making a swift return, Nintendo has its hands full with upcoming video game adaptations, including the announcement of a live-action Legend of Zelda movie. Perhaps, the world of Hyrule might produce a noteworthy song for future Oscar consideration. Considering Link's skill with the iconic Ocarina of Time, we can't rule out the possibility of Nintendo's next flick earning some golden accolades--which would definitely keep this Mario fan from having to go Super Smash Bros come next Oscar season. 

For those eager to relive the Mushroom Kingdom and enjoy the comedic tune, "Peaches," check out The Super Mario Bros. Movie, available for streaming with a Netflix subscription.

2023 was an exceedingly good year for mustachioed plumbers from New York. The Switch’s Super Mario Wonder is said to be the fastest-selling Mario game in Nintendo history, while The Super Mario Bros. Movie brought in over a billion dollars in box office receipts. Things are looking (Princess) peachy indeed, so why hasn’t Universal officially confirmed any sequel news yet?

The latest update about Mario and Luigi’s big screen fate comes from Bowser himself, or at least voice actor Jack Black, who shared that he’s as much in the dark as anyone regarding future plans for the Mushroom Kingdom. Here’s what he told Variety while addressing the idea that his A+ ballad “Peaches” could feasibly land an Oscar nod:

I'm gonna go ahead and wholeheartedly assume that last comment was a reference to Chain Chomps. And on the flip side, I'm not going to assume he was referring to the horror filmmaking troupe Radio Silence, who directed the fifth and sixth Scream movies. 

Strangely, Black’s comments aren’t so different from Chris Pratt’s sequel update back in June, which was shared in the midst of the WGA writers strike, but before the SAG-AFTRA strike was in place. While the Mario voice actor seemed to think progress was imminent once guild deals were in place, it appears that wasn’t the only issue.

Nintendo execs reportedly used some of The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s profits to adjust Wonder’s game animation to match up with the film, which speaks to the project’s massive influence. And with longtime Mario actor Charles Martinet retiring in 2023, the door is wide open for Pratt to continue owning the role in future projects, assuming the gaming giant wants another theatrical extravaganza. 

I have to believe that some conversations are happening behind the scenes when it comes to bringing the dutiful siblings back, especially with the live-action Legend of Zelda movie news joining the fray of other upcoming video game adaptations. And I guess those agreements would then lead to talks with the actors themselves, since it’s feasibly easier to set up recording sessions as opposed to filming on live-action sets and locations. But it still seems like someone should know something more by this point.

The reality of the situation is probably tied to the myriad financial and timing details that are inherent to any cinematic project of Mario's magnitude. Though less likely, it's also possible the powers that be are waiting until Oscar nominations are unveiled in January 2024 before going forward with sequel announcements. Or it could even be that Bowser won't be the main antagonist for the sequel, thus Jack Black not having much info about it.

Of course, a Mario project without Bowswer is like a sandwich without bread, or a wedding cake without a wedding. Even if we don't get another mega-bop like "Peaches," seen below, he still needs to be involved somehow. 

Here's hoping Universal Pictures and Nintendo partner up soon to unleash a slew of exciting details for a Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel. In the meantime, that Super Mario RPG remake is calling my name...

Between The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Five Nights at Freddy's and Gran Turismo, 2023 has been a huge year for video game movies. But a new project has been announced that could leave all three of those projects in Epona's dust. That's right, the iconic and best-selling Legend of Zelda franchise is finally getting adapted into a feature film, but don't expect it to follow in the boot-steps of Mario and Luigi's animated adventure. This project will be fully live-action, although one can expect for there to be plenty of CGI.

As officially revealed by Nintendo, development is moving forward on the new project with the video game mastermind Shigeru Miyamoto, who will serve as producer alongside Hollywood producer Avi Arad, who is best known for being behind the scenes of Sony's Marvel franchises, from Daredevil and Hulk to Across the Spider-Verse and the upcoming Kraven the Hunter. 

Here's the message that Miyamoto shared on X accompanying the official release:

Incredibly, the game developer shared the Legend of Zelda live-action movie has been years in the making, with the creative team apparently feeling good enough now with their progress to go public with the confirmation. And even though some of us here at CinemaBlend had hopes for a Zelda film that followed Mario as an animated feature, it sounds like we can look forward to seeing a real actor taking on the role of  the tunic-favoring Link. I hope the sword budget is out of this world.

What's more The Legend of Zelda already has a director in the form of Wes Ball, who helmed the Maze Runner trilogy, and also directed the upcoming blockbuster Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. At this point, fans may or may not have some concerns about Ball bringing such a highly lauded franchise to live-action for the first time, with Avi Arad's track record also a potential cause for worry. Movies like Ghost in the Shell and Morbius, for instance, do not stand tall as "great uses of IP," but it's impossible to lose faith in a project like this with Miyamoto guiding things.

It sounds like Illumination's CEO Chris Meledrandri wasn't lying when he previously debunked rumors about his company reteaming with Nintendo for a Legend of Zelda movie. In fact, the gaming giant will be working with something of a rival entity for this, as it will be co-financed by Sony Pictures Entertainment, which will also be distributing the adaptation. But don't go expecting PlayStation 5 to start teasing any exclusive spinoffs, at least I hope. If this movie makes as much as Mario did, all bets may be off.

No premiere window has been announced, of course, with Hyrule's gates only now starting to open for the production to kick off. But here's hoping this is the fastest movie ever filmed that also manages to be amazing and completely perfect. A tall order, but one that a hero like Link will surely be up for. 

The 2023 movie calendar has made for a huge year for everyone's favorite pair of plumbing brothers, with not only the massive release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, but also the mustachioed characters' return to side-scrolling action for the first time in over a decade. The highly anticipated release of Super Mario Bros. Wonder is now finally here, though as a slightly different game than what might have been released if the movie didn't exist. Nintendo apparently spent some of its billion-dollar box office on trying to make the game more like the record-breaking hit that easily cemented its spot as one of the 10 greatest video game films ever.

The newest game, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, pays homage to the beloved 2D classic game series but takes bold, trippy, and frenetic leaps into uncharted territory by way of its radical power-ups. According to a report by NPR, their pre-release look at Wonder afforded a tantalizing glimpse into this exciting new universe, and they even sat down with director Shiro Mouri and producer Takashi Tezuka, a duo with roots tracing back to the creation of the original Super Mario Bros., for which they worked alongside the legendary developer Shigeru Miyamoto.  

The game features revitalized character movements;  for instance: when Mario crouches, he adjusts his hat. The animation reflects meticulous design choices, even in the form of Elephant Mario navigating pipes. Producer Tezuka aimed to ensure that new fans drawn in by the Illumination-produced movie's animation would recognize and feel familiar with the character's movements. This approach underscores the commitment to delivering a cohesive and engaging gaming experience for new and long-time fans. Tezuka explains: 

Wonder's visuals live up to its name, presenting a more visually stunning experience than previous titles – aligning closely with the style of the Chris Pratt-voiced movie, as opposed to the more static animations of games past. Speaking to how this character-focused approach was a different avenue, Takashi added: 

Super Mario Bros. Wonder introduces familiar items for longtime fans, such as the Super Mushroom and Fire Flower, and exciting new power-ups for those transitioning from theaters to the gaming console. Among the fresh additions is the ability to drill through floors and walls, create trapping bubbles for adversaries, and transform into an elephant. This feature generated substantial online buzz when Wonder’s trailer was unveiled. Director Shiro Mouri aimed for the elephant power-up to achieve specific objectives, even if they had zilch to do with the animated feature. 

This year has been great for animation, thanks in no small part to The Super Mario Bros. Movie. The animated journey follows Mario (Chris Pratt) as he gets pulled into a tunnel leading to the Mushroom Kingdom. There, he joins forces with Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen) to thwart the nefarious Bowser (Jack Black). Moreover, the iconic Jumpman embarks on a quest to rescue his captive brother, Luigi (Charlie Day), in a film brimming with a plethora of nostalgic references and can be enjoyed with a Peacock subscription. 

After you catch up with the movie, you can enjoy Super Mario Bros. Wonder, released on October 20th exclusively for the Nintendo Switch. 

Charles Martinet has provided the voice of Mario for Nintendo since the 1996 release of Super Mario 64, but now his time as the character has come to an end. In a move that was perhaps foreshadowed by Chris Pratt stepping in for the character in The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Martinet being given a cameo via another character, Nintendo has announced he's moving on from the role. As news of his exit spreads, the internet has no shortage of Pratt jokes going around. 

After twenty-seven years as the voice of Mario in various Nintendo games, Charles Martinet is stepping down and will no longer voice the character in upcoming projects. The announcement was made by the game company, which explained that Martinet would remain a part of the company by serving as an ambassador for the Nintendo brand. Perhaps it might've been best to put this message on another site than X, as the internet was already on top of quote-posting the news with jokes about Pratt taking over as the official voice of Mario: 

The sudden news of Charles Martinet's departure has stunned Nintendo fans and left some speculation as to whether or not he was the voice actor for the upcoming game Super Mario Bros. Wonder. While the trailer sounds like, at the very least, a Martinet-soundalike was used for the game if it wasn't the actor himself, people can't help but joke that Pratt was called up to lend his voice to the latest 2D platformer:

Nintendo did not reveal what its plans are for the future of Mario or who will be voicing him in video games going forward. Despite that, it seems like people are already on board with the fantasy that Chris Pratt is somewhere right now salivating over the opportunity to take on the role and possibly scoring a payday from Nintendo in the process: 

While we can only speculate, it seems unlikely that Nintendo would pay the amount of money it would likely require to retain Chris Pratt for all of its Mario projects. The character is used quite heavily in Nintendo branding, and is featured in a number of games every couple of years. It doesn't seem like Nintendo would be willing to pay the price for that workload considering how busy Pratt is in Hollywood, but that hasn't stopped the memes that Pratt advocated for it: 

The most likely scenario is that Nintendo either wanted to replace Charles Martinet with a soundalike actor due to reasons we aren't entirely aware of, or it could be rebranding to give Mario a more Brooklyn-like accent closer to what's found in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. While the jokes don't really add anything to the conversation, it's fair game considering we still don't have a ton of information to react to. 

The jokes may be flowing in, but there's no denying Charles Martinet is getting plenty of love on the heels of this big news. There was no shortage of well wishes and thanks to the voice actor as he posted a response to the news he's stepping down as Mario: 

It's understandable that many on the web would joke about Chris Pratt stealing Charles Martinet's gig as Mario, as some felt he did when Nintendo enlisted the A-lister for the voice of Mario in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Despite the fact that Pratt sounded nothing like the voice Martinet crafted for the character over two decades, the movie made tons at the box office, and a sequel is very likely. Perhaps there is some possibility that the future voice of Mario could sound very Pratt-like, but only time will tell. 

Those with a Peacock Premium subscription can hear Charles Martinet's cameo in The Super Mario Bros. Movie right now. Personally, I like to fire it up daily to watch Jack Black's Bowser sing "Peaches," and now I'm wondering if he's going to be the new voice of the King of Koopas. 

Video game movies have had a rocky history in the film industry, including plenty of flops. But the subgenre has been doing well lately, thanks to projects like Mortal Kombat and Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. The latest of these movies to hit theaters is The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which is now available to stream with a Peacock subscription. The Mario movie passed $1 billion at the box office, and is one of the most successful movies of the year. Although now that Super Mario Bros. is streaming, we need to talk about Peach.

I didn’t get the chance to watch the new Mario movie when it was in theaters, thanks to a variety of personal reasons. I counted down the days till it arrived on Peacock, and had a great time watching the beloved Nintendo characters come to life. But my one complaint came down to the characterization of Anya Taylor-Joy’s Princess Peach. 

Rather than needing to be rescued, Peach was a capable character throughout The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Instead Luigi was the one who needed to be saved from Bowser, to hilarious results. While I think this was a wise choice, where the movie failed Princess Peach was that she ended up becoming the least interesting character in the mix. Others like Donkey Kong and Toad got to be silly characters and create comedic moments, while Anya Taylor-Joy’s character was left out of that fun.

While Peach was a capable badass in the movie that never needed to be rescued, she was also the least quirky/interesting character in the cast. Much of her dialogue felt like exposition dumps, despite the talent of the Queen’s Gambit star on the mic.

Even Princess Peach’s backstory felt like an afterthought to me when watching The Super Mario Bros. Movie. When asked why she was seemingly the only human living in the Mushroom Kingdom, she explained she doesn’t really know where she came from… and then she never talks about it again. Give me more information, you cowards at Illumination!

Considering just how wildly successful Super Mario Bros. was at the box office, it seems like a sequel is basically an inevitability. If/when this occurs, I’m hoping that we get introduced to more female Nintendo characters like Daisy or Rosalina. Perhaps this would help illuminate her backstory. Or even if the sequel “yadda yaddas” her origin, I’m hoping having some friends will help make Peach a more dynamic character. Fingers crossed, but I think there’s still hope for this version of Peach.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is streaming now on Peacock, and hopefully sequel news is coming sooner rather than later. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

I loved The Super Mario Bros. Movie (even when the critics didn't). And, as a Nintendo fanboy for life, I'd love to see the company's other franchises make it to the big screen.  

I've already written about what I'd love to see if they ever made The Legend of Zelda movie, and now, I want to talk about my other favorite, Metroid.  

Now, I'm certainly not the first person to think of a Metroid movie; Brie Larson said she'd love to play Samus. Neill Blomkamp, director of District 9, he wants to direct a Metroid movie. All I have to say is, not so fast. Before we sequence break Metroid right to the big screen, I have some major concerns that I want to discuss today.      

Metroid Is A Super Important Franchise, But It's Never Been A Big Seller  

The original Super Mario Bros. came home to American households on October 18th, 1985. The original The Legend of Zelda arrived on August 22nd, 1987. Do you know when the first Metroid debuted? August 15th, 1987. That’s right. Metroid came out BEFORE Zelda on the NES, stateside. And yet, everybody loves the first two, but nobody loves Metroid. 

Okay, that’s not fair, as lots of people love it. Hell, there is even an entire subgenre of gaming centered around it called “Metroidvanias,” which is a portmanteau of this game and Castlevania. It’s a subgenre that’s all about getting lost, and finding items that help you progress through various sections of the game. That said, as important as it is to gaming as a whole, it has never, in its entire history, been a big seller. 

Case in point: The highest selling Super Mario game (Not counting Super Mario Kart 8: Deluxe, of course) would be the original, 1985 game, which sold a whopping 40 million copies. The highest selling Zelda game (at this time) is Breath of the Wild, at 29 million copies sold. The highest selling Metroid game? Dread, at (get this), somewhere around 3 million copies. Now, that’s a big deal. For Metroid. 

But, it pales in comparison to other Nintendo series that haven’t been around nearly as long as, such as Kirby (which sold over 6.46 million copies with Kirby and the Forgotten Land), Pokemon (a seismic 31.38 million copies with Red and Blue), and Animal Crossing (a staggering 42.2 million copies with New Horizons). 

In that way, it doesn’t really even make sense, financially, for Nintendo to pursue a Metroid movie, when they could make more money on something else instead. Plus, it's odd in that it doesn’t really sell well in Japan. It sells more in the West, and why would the company even want to make a movie that would likely flop in its home country? And, I have other concerns…

It Would Be Hard To Make It Appeal To A Family Audience  

I don’t care if a Metroid movie became the best video game movie of all time, right up there with Detective Pikachu, it would still be a hard sell with families. That’s not to say that Nintendo should purely focus on a family audience when/if they decide to collaborate with studios and make other movies. But, given its track record of being a (mostly) family friendly company, I’d wager that they’d likely want to have their movies appeal to as broad an audience as possible, and the best way to do that is for them to make more family-friendly movies with bright colors and fun designs.

This is NOT that franchise. Metroid is all about isolation and getting lost. It’s about being trapped somewhere until you find the item you need, and then opening up bigger areas of the map. I mean, golly, the series has been deeply inspired by the heavily R-rated Alien movies, right down to a female main protagonist in Samus, and even one of its most famous enemies – Ridley – being an homage to Ridley Scott.    

Now, that’s not to say that if there were a Metroid movie ever made, that it would have to be rated-R, as the highest rating the games have ever gotten is T for Teen. Hell, my son, who is 6, is an avid player, since I got him started on Metroid Dread (he beat it, by the way, and even calls Raven Beak “easy”). 

That said, the dank environments, scary enemies, and questionable storyline (Because, let’s be real. Samus is kind of committing genocide by eradicating the Metroid species.) all lend themselves to not being family friendly. So, while I would certainly take my kids to see a Metroid movie, I don’t think most families would.   

Even The Game Series Itself Has Proven That Being More Story-Based Isn't A Great Idea  

Lastly, I don’t even think the series would be great if it had a whole story supporting it. Let me explain. Yes, the Metroid Prime games have done a pretty good job of creating compelling narratives, but, it wasn’t until quite recently that the Metroid Prime games were even a part of the main series, as they were once considered side stories rather than canon. 

They were always meant to take place between the events of the first NES game, and the Game Boy title, Metroid II: Return of Samus, but it wasn’t until the remake of that title that the Metroid Prime games were actually retconned to be canon in the main series. 

Even so, the one game that dealt specifically with story elements was Metroid: Other M, and that is universally considered to be one of the very worst in the entire series, by the fans. No, these titles usually work best when Samus says more through her actions rather than her words. Case in point, in Dread, Samus literally only has one line of dialogue in the entire game, and it’s spoken in Chozo. And, guess what, it’s one of the most badass scenes in the entire series.   

Remember, this is not like other franchises. The story is told through exploring the environment, making it more like Alien than ever. So, really, just think. Do we honestly want a Metroid movie with multiple characters when Other M proved that maybe that wasn’t such a good idea?  

Because Metroid HAS to take place in space. It HAS to be a sci-fi movie. When even Disney can’t capitalize on sci-fi, what chance does Nintendo have with their super niche sci-fi franchise that can’t even sell more than 3 million copies? 

But, what do you think? Honestly, it pained me to write this article since I LOVE Metroid. I love the series even more than Mario and Zelda. But, I’m just being realistic here. For more news on all things Nintendo-adjacent, be sure to swing around here often.  

Now, I just want to make one thing clear. There have been NO announcements on what Nintendo's next movie project will be, or whether there will even BE another movie project.  

That said…with The Super Mario Bros. Movie making over a billion dollars (and counting) at the box office, and Nintendo arguably having the best, most recognizable IPs in gaming, I think it's pretty safe to say that we WILL LIKELY get future Nintendo movies. And, if we do, then the next one I want to see (besides a sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie, of course) is a The Legend of Zelda movie.     

Ah, Zelda. Maybe it’s the fact that the latest game, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, is on pretty much every gamer’s mind right now, or that its predecessor, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, is my favorite video game of all time. But, I just really, really want to see a Zelda movie after the staggering success of Mario Bros., and here are five things I would really love to see in this hypothetical film. Hey, listen!  

I Want It To Be Animated Just Like The Super Mario Bros. Movie  

I know this might upset some people, as I’ve heard that many fans who want this have something live-action and epic in mind, akin to The Lord of the Rings movies, but honestly, after watching The Super Mario Bros. Movie and loving it (even if the critics didn’t), I actually kind of think that animation would work best for a Zelda movie.      

Let me explain. So, a live-action Zelda, if done right, would cost a fortune. With all manner of beasts, like Lynels and Gleeoks, involved, the CG would have to be really on point to make it all work. I’m not sure if Nintendo wants to invest in something of that grand-scale nature when it's not a video game.  

Maybe I’m wrong, but if this is the same Nintendo that I’ve known all my life, then they are going to want everything done right this time after the disastrous original live-action Super Mario Bros. movie (which I now defend), and the best way to get that vision from the games across is through animation, as the games are animated.    

That being said, I wouldn’t want Illumination to work on it, since nothing from that company has given me the assurance that they could handle something that isn’t a straight-up comedy. I think they did wonderful work with Mario Bros., which surprised me, but I could really see more of a DreamWorks or a Sony Pictures Animation handling Zelda. But, whichever company makes this hypothetical film, I’d want it to be animated. I think that’s the best course of action going forward for Nintendo-related movies. 

I Want The Entire Movie To Take Place In Hyrule  

Okay, so this one may seem like a given, especially if Shigeru Miyamoto is as heavily involved with this hypothetical project as he was with Mario Bros., but I want the entire film to take place in Hyrule. Sure, if this movie were pulling from multiple games, like Skyward Sword, or The Wind Waker, then Skyloft and The Great Sea could definitely be included. But, I don’t want any of it to take place in “the real world,” as that’s never been a part of Zelda lore like it has been in Mario. Zelda has always been in mythical landscapes, and I want to keep the movie there…if a Zelda movie ever were to be made, of course.

This next part is for the Zelda nerds, but I also don’t want the story to take place in somewhere like Koholint Island, like in Link’s Awakening, or in Termina, like in Majora’s Mask. I know we all loved the references and Easter eggs found in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, but we Zelda fans KNOW that most of these games are only tangentially connected through the timeline(s). Oh, and speaking of timelines...  

I Want The Timeline To Be Considered, But Not Rigorously Adhered To  

If there is any fanbase that is as rabid as the Zelda community, it’s the Star Wars community. But, unlike the latter's fans, who tend to squabble over whether this or that is Star Wars or “not,” the former's fans are usually more concerned with lore-related stuff when it comes to the timelines.    

If you’re not a fan of these games, I’ll explain. The timeline really all centers around the game, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Following that game, there are three possible split timelines based on whether Link was defeated by Ganon in Ocarina of Time (in which, the next game, chronologically speaking, would be the earlier, SNES title, A Link to the Past). And then, two separate timelines regarding Link defeating Ganon, with one scenario being Link defeating Ganon as a child, and the other involving him defeating Ganon as an adult.

Interestingly enough, MOST of the games follow the Hero is Defeated outcome. But, you also have Breath of the Wild, which throws ALL of that for a loop, since it has elements from all three timelines! 

All of this is to say that there's a really rich history – just as much, if not more so - than Super Mario Bros. That said, while I would love to see different elements from multiple timelines in this hypothetical movie, I definitely wouldn’t want a film to adhere to any specific timeline, and instead, just be a movie that everybody can enjoy, and not just the hardcore fans.  

Key Zelda Tunes From The Entire Franchise Are A Must, Just Like The Mario Movie 

Okay, so while I wouldn’t want any specific timeline to be followed, I would want music from every  game represented in some way, just like in the Mario movie. One of the best parts of that movie was the music, as it just hit on so many emotional levels since it was so familiar, especially if you’ve been playing Super Mario Bros. since the NES days like I have. 

Music is actually a cool way to connect games like the original The Legend of Zelda all the way up to Breath of the Wild. Hell, if this movie comes out, Tears of the Kingdom will have been out for several years, and possibly even the next Zelda entry, so it could include tunes from those as well. The point is, the music is super important, and I want to hear a ton of it in a Zelda movie. Every diehard fan would cosign on this one.  

I'd Like Some Humor In It  

Lastly – and this may be even more controversial than my ‘make it animated’ request – I think a potential Zelda movie should have some humor in it. Now, when I say this, I am NOT implying that it should be super silly like the old Nintendo cartoon, where Link even had a catchphrase. Not at all. Instead, I would like if the movie could be a little lighthearted at times, as Zelda sometimes tends to get very serious.

For a lot of fans, the franchise is ONLY meant to be taken seriously. But, it's not supposed to be, as Tingle exists. Hetsu exists. I mean, it wasn’t even that long ago that plenty of fans searched all over Hyrule for 900 korok seeds in Breath of the Wild, and what was their reward? Poop. Literally golden poop. So, I’d love to see some of that weird humor in a Zelda movie. It’s a must.

But, those are just the things that I would want to see in a hypothetical The Legend of Zelda movie. What would you like to see? For more news on things Nintendo-adjacent, make sure to swing by here often.  

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is finally here and whether or not you think it’s a good film, it is a love letter to fans of the Super Mario Bros. video games and all that Nintendo has come to symbolize over the years. There are plenty of little nods and references to not only the Mario franchise, but several other Nintendo classics throughout the film.

To be sure, the entire Super Mario Bros. Movie could be called an easter egg. Almost everything we see is a reference to one Mario game or another, but here we’re focusing on the little things that are references to games outside of the Mario franchise that aren't core to the plot but are clearly there to be noticed by eagle-eyed fans.

Jump Man

The Super Mario Bros. Movie introduces us to Mario and Luigi in a commercial for their plumbing business, which, bonus easter egg, uses the same song that used to be part of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show from the late 1980s. After the TV spot, we meet Mario and Luigi standing in a pizza parlor. Next to them is a man playing a very familiar-looking arcade game. 

A look at the screen tells us that he’s playing the original Donkey Kong arcade game, which included the first appearance of both DK and Mario. However, he wasn’t actually called Mario in that game. The character was referred to simply as Jump Man, which, it turns out is the name of the arcade game in the movie, since calling it Donkey Kong would be weird since Donkey Kong is an actual character. Also, another bonus easter egg, the voice of the guy playing the game is that of Charles Martinet, the voice of Mario in the most recent Nintendo games.

Punch Out Pizzeria

The references in the pizza parlor don’t stop with the arcade cabinet, however. In fact, the pizza parlor itself is another Nintendo easter egg. We can see on the windows that the name of the establishment is Punch Out Pizzeria, and Punch Out is another popular Nintendo franchise – one that originally included Mike Tyson as the final opponent.

The games follow a character named Little Mac, and the pizza parlor is full of Little Mac memorabilia, with pictures, belts, and other references to him on the walls. Maybe this is Mac’s pizza parlor that he opened after retirement, or maybe the owner is just a really big fan and has dedicated the place to a local hero the way your neighborhood pub might celebrate the local sports team.

Wrecking Crew

We still haven’t left the Punch-Out Pizzaria because before Mario and Luigi make it out the door, they’re met by Spike. Spike runs a competing plumbing service, one that the Mario Bros. apparently worked at before they decided to go out on their own. This is a very fitting, and pretty obscure easter egg because Mario and Luigi were in an old-school Nintendo game by exactly that name.

Wrecking Crew was a launch title for the Nintendo Entertainment System alongside Super Mario Bros. It saw players control one of the Mario Bros as they walked through levels with a hammer smashing everything they came across. Spike appears as an enemy in the game who tries to knock the player down from platforms and prevent them from being able to complete the level.

Pikmin

When Mario and Luigi get their first job as new business owners, they find themselves in a very nice house fixing what should be a very simple leak. Unfortunately, the family dog doesn’t get along with Mario or Luigi and things go bad. At one point the dog goes flying out the window and Mario and Luigi have to dive after it to keep it from falling. In the shot where we see the brothers save the dog, while the homeowners are sitting quietly, you’ll see a small glass figurine that might look familiar if you look to the right side of the screen.

The glass statue is a Pikmin, The Nintendo franchise of the same title follows a space traveler who crash lands on an alien world and befriends the small Pikmin creatures, using them to help him fight off monsters and accomplish tasks to help him fix his spacecraft.

Kid Icarus And A Classic NES

Mario’s first appearance may have come in arcade games like Donkey Kong and the original Mario Bros., but he’ll always be more closely associated with home consoles, like the original Nintendo Entertainment System. One of them does make a brief appearance in the film. After Mario has a fight with his family, he goes to his room and we see him playing a classic NES console in the dark.

Unsurprisingly, the game he’s playing is also a classic Nintendo title. It’s the original Kid Icarus, a game loosely based on Greek mythology. Mario isn’t very good at the game, as we see him die fairly quickly, but honestly, that’s fair, because the original Kid Icarus was not an easy game. Bonus easter egg, there’s a StarFox Arwing model hanging over Mario’s TV.

Duck Hunt

One of the elements of the original Nintendo Entertainment System that set it apart from home consoles before it was its light gun, and just about everybody that had the Zapper also had the classic game Duck Hunt – where you shot ducks out of the sky that were retrieved by your hunting dog (who would memorably laugh at you if you missed). 

When Mario and Luigi go to help out with the massive flood that is submerging Brooklyn, there’s a French restaurant that can be seen, which is visible again near the end of the film, called Chasse au Canard, which is French for Duck Hunt, and one of the ducks from the game serves as the restaurant logo. No word about what happened to the dog.

“Just Blow In It”

Most of the easter egg references in The Super Mario Bros. Movie go away once Mario finds his way to the Mushroom Kingdom, as the movie then is focused not on simply making reference to games like Super Smash Bros and Mario Kart, but very specifically working the various games directly into the plot. That being said, there is one great moment as Mario is walking through the town with Toad for the first time when he walks past a stall selling antiques. You hear one Toad ask if something for sale still works, and the Toad working there says that it will, “just blow in it.”

If you know, you know. The original Nintendo Entertainment System had a tendency to eventually have trouble reading its own cartridges. Believing that the problem might be dust or some other detritus getting into the contacts, users got in the habit of either blowing on the cartridge or inside the machine itself. 

These are far from the only easter eggs in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, but these are the ones that old-school fans will most appreciate and were the most satisfying to discover. To catch every easter egg will probably require watching The Super Mario Bros. Movie several times, and honestly, that’s maybe not a terrible idea. 

There’s been a lot of buzz surrounding Nintendo and Illumination Entertainment’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and particularly Chris Pratt’s role as everybody’s favorite video game plumber. The actor has faced some backlash regarding his voice for the beloved character in the trailers and limited footage released so far, but he’s asked fans to “go see the movie” before making any final judgments. That opportunity is upon us, as the animated film is set to hit theaters on April 5. Now the reviews are in to help us know what to expect from the video game adaptation.

In addition to Chris Pratt, the movie boasts an impressive cast that includes Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong and other big names. The first reactions to the film were overwhelmingly positive, but now that critics have a chance to expound on their theatrical experiences, let’s dive a little deeper, starting with CinemaBlend’s review of The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Eric Eisenberg rates the movie just 2 out of 5 stars, saying despite the great animation, the characters come off as one-dimensional and bland. He continues: 

Germain Lussier of Gizmodo agrees the movie is a mess, with characters who barely learn anything and stakes that don’t elicit any emotion. The critic wishes the filmmakers would have aspired to more with IP that is so beloved, saying: 

Joshua Rivera of Polygon notes that The Super Mario Bros. Movie provides loads of nostalgia but feels built to capture screenshots rather than make memories in its own right. The critic argues that the film’s attempts to bottle the appeal of Mario end up mostly just referencing it. The review continues: 

Not all of the reviews were so bleak, however. Owen Gleiberman of Variety joins the other critics in praising the animation but disagrees with the above critic's assessment that non-fans won’t respond to The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s energy. He also praises the fairy-tale story that provides a satisfying video game buzz, saying; 

Tom Jorgensen of IGN rates the movie a “Great” 8 out of 10, calling it a “pipe dream come true” and arguing that the movie’s charm and energy make up for its paper-thin plot. The critic concludes: 

The critics seem to agree that the animation is impressive, while the plot is lacking. Their overall enjoyment of the film beyond that is varied, so time will tell if this goes down as one of Chris Pratt’s best roles. If you want to see Mario, Luigi and the rest of the classic video game crew on the big screen, you’ll have your chance starting Wednesday, April 5. And it’s never too early to start planning your next trip to the theater, so be sure to check out our 2023 Movie Release Schedule to see what else is coming soon.

Excitement is high for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and it’s not just the video game enthusiasts who have been looking forward to hearing Chris Pratt and the rest of the star-studded cast bring the well-known characters to life. Conversations about another movie to follow the 1993 live-action flop started years ago, and now the wait is finally over, with Illumination’s animated film set for a slightly early release this Wednesday, April 5. The movie screened April 1 in Los Angeles, and those who have seen the movie have hit Twitter with their reactions.

In addition to Chris Pratt as Mario, The Super Mario Bros. Movie stars Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad and Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong. There was a bit of backlash after Pratt was cast in the main role, and the actor said he understands and is grateful for the passionate fanbase, but he implores fans to see the movie before they make any final judgments. There are now plenty of people who have seen the movie, so let’s see what they’re saying. 

One critic loves what the leading man did with Mario, and he says the movie hits some major nostalgic notes for those who grew up playing the video games, tweeting: 

Another viewer rates it a 10 out of 10, tweeting that they haven’t been this excited about an animated movie since The Lego Movie: 

The Dallas Film gives a high score as well, rating it a 9 out of 10. This viewer and several others are advising fans to be sure to stay through the credits: 

Atom goes so far as to call The Super Mario Bros. Movie “one of the BEST family films ever,” and says Jack Black and Chris Pratt are great in their roles -- but it’s Charlie Day as Luigi who is the highlight. Check out the full thread: 

Video game fans were hoping for some Super Mario Easter eggs, and it sounds like the movie doesn’t disappoint. Erik Davis of Fandango calls the movie “the ultimate love letter to every era of Mario”: 

Seth Rogen’s confirmation regarding Donkey Kong’s entrance song already has fans buzzing, and Tim Gettys of Kinda Funny says the music is the star of the show and that Nintendo fans are going to be obsessed: 

He isn’t the only audience member who had an emotional reaction to seeing the animated film on the big screen. André Segers of GameXplain called the movie a blast, despite a somewhat shallow plot. Segers says: 

Mike Manalo of The Nerds of Color also touches on some minor criticisms, saying the jokes don’t always land, and he wishes Luigi had played a bigger role. However, The Super Mario Bros. Movie perfectly captures the spirit of Mario, and Jack Black steals the show — a true feat given the talented cast. The critic tweets: 

The reactions to the flick are overwhelmingly positive, and even the viewers who pointed out some issues like a shallow plot seem to have enjoyed the movie overall. It definitely sounds like a crowd-pleaser, especially for those who love the games. It sounds like some are already hoping for more and, in that case, we’ve got some characters we need to see in the sequel. 

The Super Mario Bros. Movie hits theaters Wednesday, April 5, and be sure to check out our schedule of 2023 new movie releases to see what else is coming soon. 

Movies based off of video games have had a somewhat troubled history. And while there are countless projects that failed to successful adapt a game for the big screen, there have been some success stories lately including the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, Detective Pikachu, and Mortal Kombat. The next upcoming video game movie is The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which will hit theaters shortly courtesy of Illumination Entertainment. And if the upcoming animated blockbuster gets a sequel, there are 5 iconic Nintendo characters that I think need to be introduced in a significant way. 

Entire generations of gamers have been brought up with Nintendo iconography, and the company has introduced a number of iconic characters throughout its decades providing new titled. The Super Mario Bros. Movie including favorites like Mario (infamously voiced by Chris Pratt) as well as Luigi, Peach, DK, and Bowser. But there is a large pool of characters that the burgeoning franchise might be able to bring into the fun. Below are my personal choices, which I think would both please hardcore fans and open up some new narrative possibilities with a possible animate sequel. Let's a-go. 

Daisy

If there's one thing Nintendo is really great at, it's iconography. And their beloved characters have therefore appeared in a number of games throughout the years. Daisy is no exception, her first appearance dates back to 1989's Super Mario Land for the Game Boy. In it we were introduced to the nation of Sarasaland, where Daisy is a princess. While she resembled Princess Peach (who is played by Super Mario Bros. Movie by Anya Taylor-Joy), she's usually far more bombastic and tomboyish than her counterpart.

Rather than making Princess Peach a victim who needs to be rescued, The Super Mario Bros. Movie shows her as a capable leader of the Mushroom Kingdom. And the only thing that would make this better is giving her a bestie in the form of Princess Daisy. There are a ton of hardcore Daisy fans within the Nintendo fandom, and smart money says she's going to be at the top of people's list if a sequel is ultimately green lit. But who should voice her?

Yoshi

Yoshi is a Nintendo character that goes way back, first appearing in 1990's Super Mario World. While he was originally a mount for Mario to use throughout the game, the little green guy and his relatives ended up becoming independent characters that are mainstays of games like Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros. and Mario Party. And as such, Yoshi seems like a super obvious choice to bring into a possible sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie. 

Honestly, it's a little surprising that Yoshi wasn't a shoe-in for a main character in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. But perhaps the folks at Illumination wanted to lave some options if the movie does well and ends up inspiring a sequel. Alternatively I'd love to see Yoshi get its own movie a la Yoshi's Story from the Nintendo 64. Either way, fans would no doubt love to see the fruit eating green guy show up on the big screen sooner rather than later. 

Toadette

Toadette is one of the newer characters on this list, but that doesn't make her any less deserving of getting a role in a sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie. She showed up for the first time in 2003's Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, which was a super popular title for the Nintendo Gamecube. Since then she's become a regular in the games, either as a playable character or a NPC like in Mario Party. So she's got a fair amount of fans. 

The first movie's trailers showed off a ton of Toads, who are ruled by Princess Peach. And as such, it seems like bringing in Toadette could happen easily if a sequel ends up happening from Illumination. Actor Keegan-Michael Key voiced the primary Toad in the first Super Mario Bros. movie, and it would no doubt be fun to see him interact with Toadette in a follow-up. Fingers crossed that a sequel actually happens; it'll likely all depend on how the box office performance. But with both kids and adults invested in the iconography, it might do well. Even if there's backlash about Chris Pratt voicing Mario. 

Wario

Of course, Nintendo characters aren't all heroes. Jack Black's Bowser made a serious impact when he debuted in the movie's trailer, and he'll presumably be the primary antagonist of the Super Mario Bros. Movie. And if the burgeoning franchise is going to expand with a sequel, then there's going to need to be more antagonists joining the fray. For me, the most obvious to include in a possible big screen sequel is Wario, who is in many ways the antithesis of Chris Pratt's mustachioed plumber that we know and love. 

Wario debuted in Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, which arrived on the Game Boy in 1992. He was an antagonist for Mario and his friends, although he's since become a fully formed character himself. In addition to appearing in titled like Mario Kart and Mario Party, Wario also got to lead his own story in games like Wario World, Wario Land, and the WarioWare series. Rather than finding a new actor to voice him in a Super Mario Bros. sequel, I actually think it would be more fun to have Chris Pratt voice that character as well. The Guardians actor has the pressure of playing the movie's beloved protagonist, why not raise the stakes? 

Rosalina

This one is admittedly a little bit personal. Because in games like Mario Kart, Mario Golf, and Mario Party I am definitely a Rosalina main. And while Daisy is a more recognizable character, I'd also love to see her in on the fun and working alongside Princess Peach. 

Rosalina first showed up in Super Mario Galaxy, and has since been adapted as one of the most common playable character for players in Nintendo Games. Indeed, Daisy has been left out of certain recent titles in favor of including the magical queen of the cosmos. And so while she hasn't been around for nearly as long as other characters on the list, she seems like an obvious choice to pop up in a Super Mario Bros. movie. 

The Super Mario Bros. Movie will arrive in theaters on April 5th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Video game movies don’t have the greatest track world, as there have been countless disappointing projects released over the years. But there have been some winners recently, including Detective Pikachu, the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, and Uncharted. The subgenre is getting a new installment with The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which features a killer cast bringing the Mushroom Kingdom to life. And a newly released scene brings a level of the video game to life… plus more of Chris Pratt’s accent.

Ever since the cast of The Super Mario Bros. Movie was announced, there’s been some backlash surrounding Chris Pratt playing Mario himself. This has only increased thanks to the limited footage from the trailers, with the Guardians of the Galaxy star taking a ton of flak for his accent work. A new clip from the animated blockbuster recently hit Twitter, featuring Keegan-Michael Key as Toad showing Mario around, and it feels delightfully accurate to a level from the beloved gaming franchise. Check it out for yourself below:

I mean, how fun is that? While there’s plenty of shade being thrown at The Super Mario Bros. Movie, it does look like it’s ripped straight out of the Nintendo Games. This clip perhaps proved this more than any other footage that’s been released, as we watch Toad and Mario walk through a maze of game mechanics. Although the reaction online has been all about Chris Pratt (of course).

The above clip comes to us from the official Twitter of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and is a highlight for both the movie’s visuals and the voice performance being given by Keegan-Michael Key as Toad. It opens on various Toads mining coins from a coin box, and it seems like jumping like that is easier in the games than in the movie. We also see the fish known as cheep cheeps, as well as a tube used to transport characters around.

Keegan-Michael Key is pretty hilarious in this scene, especially when he’s shouting out about Luigi’s impending death in order to get his fellow Toads to get out of their way. Chris Pratt only gets a few lines as Mario, but they immediately served as fodder for memes online. Case in point: the follow tweet which pokes fun at his performance while also showing a deep love for Mario lore:

When Chris Pratt was cast as Mario, there was immediate backlash from certain corners of the internet. Although the trailers have increased this, as some fans have been disappointed with the accent chosen by the Parks & Rec alum. He doesn’t go for Mario’s over the top Italian dialect, sounding more like a New Yorker, which is a point of contention for the generations of Nintendo fans out there.

Chris Pratt has one major line in this new clip from The Super Mario Bros. Movie, saying: “Ok so these bricks are just floating here?” That one moment of dialogue inspired a number of responded online, with one voice actor tweeting:

Indeed, this brief clip featuring Chris Pratt’s new line of dialogue has already been ripped and distributed online in social media outlets like Twitter and Instagram. One bit of criticism compared his accent to the one and only Jerry Seinfeld, reading:

Clearly the discourse surrounding Chris Pratt in The Super Mario Bros. Mario is showing no signs of slowing down, as folks will no doubt be dissecting every line of dialogue from the upcoming movie’s protagonist. While none of the movie’s actors are trying to imitate their video game counterpart’s voices, Pratt remains the only person in the hot seat of public opinion. But any publicity is good publicity, so perhaps it’ll increase chatter and box office results as the movie approaches its release.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is currently expected to arrive in theaters on April 7th, 2023. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your trips to the theater in the New Year. We’ll just have to wait and see how the marketing continues to roll out footage, and which clips are chosen.

Video game franchises like Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and even Pokémon have been adapted into feature films multiple times since the respective release of each game, while perhaps the biggest gaming series of all time — Super Mario Bros. — had a one-and-done approach to big screen adaptations. Well, that will change in the very near future with Nintendo and Illumination’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which will hopefully right the wrongs of its 1993 live-action predecessor and introduce the iconic plumber with an affinity for mushrooms to a new generation. 

With a voice cast that includes the likes of Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, and a who’s who of top talent, not to mention some big-time producers including the man who created Mario, there’s a very good chance Nintendo’s signature character will get quite the redemption story when the movie lands in theaters in Spring 2023.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Will Be Released Theatrically In April 2023

The legendary plumber-turned-video-game-hero will hop his way into the hearts of moviegoers when The Super Mario Bros. Movie opens in North American theaters on April 5, 2023. The video game adaptation was originally slated to make its theatrical debut in December 2022, but Universal and Illumination elected to push the release back by about four months.

More information on the international release of the long-awaited game adaptation should become available in the coming months, so make sure to keep your ear to the ground (or any green tunnels that pop up throughout the Mushroom Kingdom). Now would be a perfect time to find the warp flute from Super Mario Bros. 3 to skip through the next year.

The Super Mario Bros. Cast Includes Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy And More

Video game fans around the world were in for quite a surprise during the September 2021 Nintendo Direct event when Shigeru Miyamoto, the man who created Mario and a number of the company's other iconic characters, appeared on screen to talk about The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Miyamoto couldn’t share any details about the story or how it fits into the canon of the franchise, which dates back to 1981, he did share the all-star (and somewhat controversial cast).

First off is Chris Pratt (and not Danny DeVito) who will add to his busy schedule by portraying Nintendo’s mascot, Mario. Joining him in the Super Mario Bros. cast is Anya Taylor-Joy, who will be taking on the role of Princess Peach. Other members of this star-studded cast include Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek, and Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike. 

Chris Pratt Has Said His Mario Voice Isn’t Like Anything Else In The Super Mario Bros. Universe

Not long after it was announced Chris Pratt would be providing the voice of the iconic plumber in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, longtime fans were worried the portrayal would be offensive since Pratt is not Italian nor is he an Italian-American. Months later, Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri told TooFab that he understood the concerns and backlash from fans while also stressing that the Guardians of the Galaxy star wouldn’t be doing the typical “It’s a me, Mario” voice prevalent in the games dating back 30 years.

In June 2023, while speaking with Variety, Pratt himself said his portrayal of the character would be something new, something “unlike anything” heard before, stating:

And although Pratt’s take on the pipe-jumping and princess-saving plumber has yet to be revealed, Meledandri told Variety just days earlier that he loved the performance, calling it “strong.”

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Trailer Offers The First Glimpse At Chris Pratt’s Mario

Following several months of anticipation and worry by longtime Nintendo fans, the video game company and Universal Pictures finally released The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s teaser trailer, which offered up what everyone was waiting to see: Chris Pratt’s Mario. The trailer, which clocks in just shy of two-and-a-half-minutes in length, makes you wait until the second half before you get to see Mario and even longer until you get to hear Pratt’s voice. Prior to that, Jack Black’s Bowser is on full display, looking as menacing and oversized as ever, as he takes over another kingdom in his quest for world domination:

The Guardians of the Galaxy star saw the brief trailer a couple of weeks before the rest of the world had the opportunity in October 2022, saying he was “simply blown away” and that it was “very special.” In addition to Bowser and Mario, the trailer also showed off Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) and Luigi (Charlie Day), the latter of which was the topic of several Super Mario Bros. Movie responses on Twitter.

Longtime Mario Voice Actor Charles Martinet Will Appear In ‘Surprise Cameos’ Throughout The Movie

Dating back to the 1992 release of Mario Teaches Typing (the CD-ROM version only), Charles Martinet has voiced the cheery plumber and various other characters in the series of Nintendo games. Even though he won’t be lending his voice to Mario in the upcoming movie, Martinet is very much involved in the project. During the September 2021 Nintendo Direct event, Shigeru Miyamoto revealed that the longtime Mario voice actor will be portraying “surprise cameos” throughout the movie, none of which have been revealed at this time. Though if we were to guess, Wario, Waluigi, and maybe even an alternate-reality Mario would all be good bets.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Is Being Co-Produced By Illumination’s Chris Meledandri And Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto

Following the Nintendo Direct event, the company, alongside Illumination Entertainment, announced that two of the respective companies’ top executives would be leading the charge by producing The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Shigeru Miyamoto, the man who created Mario himself, will serve as one of the producers, while Illumination’s Chris Meledandri will stand in as the other.

In a statement that accompanied the announcement, Meledandri explained that he was “honored” to work with the legendary video game creator before saying Super Mario Bros. will be a unique Illumination project:

Similarly, Miyamoto was excited to collaborate with Illumination and create a new experience for the Mario brand:

The video game legend also asked for fans to be patient throughout the production and wait just a little bit longer for the movie to come out in theaters.

The Movie Will Be Directed By Teen Titans Go! Developers Aaron Horvath And Michael Jelenic

​​In addition to having two high-profile producers helping keep The Super Mario Bros. Movie on track, the upcoming animated film will be directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, who previously worked together on the DC Comics animated series Teen Titans Go!, and the 2018 feature film Teen Titans Go! to the Movies. Nintendo and Illumination also announced that the movie’s script will be written by Matthew Fogel, who wrote The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, as well as  Minions: The Rise of Gru which crushed the competition upon its July 2022 debut.

Expect To Hear Some Classic Themes From The Game Within The Film Score

Anyone who has played any of the Mario games with the volume all the way down knows just how important Koji Kondo’s classic themes are to the playing experience. Though the longtime Mario composer isn’t completely in control of The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s soundtrack, producer Chris Meledandri revealed during an October 2022 Nintendo Direct that the legendary figure is “working hand-in-hand” with composer Brian Tyler to integrate those themes into the score.

Exactly how Kondo’s presence will impact the movie’s score remains to be seen (and heard), but it would be hard to have a movie based on the video game franchise without at least hearing that iconic song from the Super Mario Bros. opening level or other memorable tracks.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Has Been In The Works Since 2017

Although it is just now getting traction, this version of The Super Mario Bros. Movie has been in the works for half a decade now. Back in November 2017, The Wall Street Journal reported that Nintendo and Illumination Entertainment were getting together to make an animated movie based on the groundbreaking video game franchise. Through this partnership, Nintendo would hold on to some creative control and would have a say in the process, unlike the live-action Super Mario Bros. movie that was a box office failure upon its release in 1993. Only one film was confirmed at the time, hopefully more will not be far behind if the movie is a success at the box office.

This Is The First Time The Iconic Video Game Franchise Has Been Adapted Since The Ill-Fated 1993 Live-Action Movie

When The Super Mario Bros. Movie opens in theaters on April 7, 2023, it will be nearly 30 years since the live action disaster of the same name was released. Often regarded as one of the worst video game movies of all time, the dark, gloomy, and all-around not-so-fun film failed to even bring fans of the game series (which was arguably at its peak in popularity) to the theaters upon its release in May 1993. Mario only by name, the movie took a major deviation from the path to the Mushroom Kingdom and instead gave audiences what could best be described as a fever dream starring Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo, Dennis Hopper, and Samantha Mathis. Despite this, there are some who will argue the merits of the movie.

There is still a lot of time between now and the April 2023 release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, so expect to hear more about the movie, including its plot and a full trailer, as we get closer. In the meantime, go ahead and get an early start on what other major releases will be on the 2023 movie schedule.

Nintendo’s lush video game world is finally getting the big screen treatment in the form of Illumination Entertainment’s animated The Super Mario Bros. Movie, set to be among 2023’s upcoming movie releases. And finally, fans got a first look at it on Thursday when the first trailer for The Super Mario Bros. Movie dropped online during the Nintendo Direct event. So of course it’s time for those first reactions. 

First off, Billy On The Street’s Billy Eichner gave the absolute best reaction to the trailer by calling out himself following the box office bomb of his movie Bros. The LGBTQ+ romantic comedy unfortunately underperformed last weekend, to which the actor/writer asked audience who are not homophobic to go see it. Check out his Mario tweet: 

Get it? Because they both have Bros in the title? Anyways, there are a lot of other thoughts on The Super Mario Bros. Movie first look. And of course, there’s a lot of talk about Chris Pratt’s voice of Mario, which has earned backlash since the Jurassic World actor was cast. Here’s what one fan thought: 

Looks like that’s a thumbs up, even if it’s odd to hear the voice behind a myriad of massive films, including various MCU movies and The LEGO Movies tap into the beloved video game character next. Here’s another take: 

Jack Black’s Bowser opens up the trailer, and lots of fans are super into how the character looks and sounds. The Super Mario Bros. Movie includes a stacked cast, with Anya Taylor-Joy playing Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek and Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike. Wait, there’s more Bowser love: 

And along with a first look at Bowser and the Mushroom Kingdom, one especially big favorite showed his face for a moment, and fans are also stoked. Check it:  

Gotta love Luigi! You can check out the full first trailer of The Super Mario Bros. Movie below: 

This Super Mario Bros. movie, of course, follows the infamous 1993 movie starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo, which has its share of lovers and haters. The Nintendo property has a massive fanbase of gamers of all ages who’d be curious to see Mario and Luigi take on an animated movie. If it does well, it could become another successful franchise for Universal Pictures on the heels of Super Nintendo World soon having a presence in more of their parks in the near future.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is heading to theaters on April 7, 2023. 

I recently discussed which PlayStation games I'd like to see adapted for TV, but you know what? That's not my true heart, because even though I'm a huge Sony fanboy, my true heart belongs to Nintendo. That company has had its fair share of TV shows, most notably Pokemon (check out our listing of the 12 best Pokemon from the original series, by the way), but also a number of other shows as well.    

I count eight, actually. Because while there have been other Nintendo adjacent cartoons over the years, like the awesome Double Dragon and Mega Man, I don't consider them pure Nintendo shows, since those characters have appeared on other platforms. And, no, Sonic doesn't count, either, since even though he's NOW on Nintendo platforms, if you're an old school head from the '90s like myself, then you'll know that Sega and Nintendo used to be bitter rivals back in the day.  

So, no. Sonic cartoons will not be on this list. But, you know what? I take back what I said earlier about Mega Man, since while the blue bomber did indeed have his own show, he was also on another, more Nintendo specific TV show as well. Speaking of which… 

8. Captain N: The Game Master (1989-1991) 

I will give Captain N: The Game Master this (and only this): Without it, we might not have ever had the awesome Sega Genesis title, Kid Chameleon, as the premise of that game is pretty similar to this earlier show: A teenager gets sucked into a video game and has to save the day. 

In this show, the teenager in question has to face off against Nintendo villains like Mother Brain from Metroid (who legit sounds like Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors), King Hippo from Punch-Out!!, and Eggplant Wizard from Kid Icarus. But, fear not, since Captain N is aided by Simon Belmont from Castlevania, Mega Man from his titular series, Pit from Kid Icarus, and Princess Lana from, er, Captain N: The Game Master. 

You couldn't make these characters any less like their video game counterparts if you tried, though. I already mentioned Mother Brain, but Simon Belmont is a beefcake pretty boy, Mega Man sounds like he smokes three packs a day, and Kid Icarus has this annoying tendency to add "icus" at the end of every sentence. Sure, the show has a cult following, but it's mostly because of its faults, since Captain N is not bad as in good, like the Powerglove. It's just bad as in bad. And that's not good.  

7. Donkey Kong Country (1997-2000) 

Donkey Kong Country is one of the first TV series to be entirely computer generated, and guess what. It shows. The premise is simple: There's a magical coconut that grants wishes, and Donkey Kong protects said coconut…That's it. 

It's the everything around that paper thin storyline that puts this show so low on this list. First, let's talk about the songs, because yes, there are songs on this show, and they are not good. Like, at all. Then, there is the repetitive nature of every episode of King K. Rool trying to acquire the magic coconut, only to always lose. This barely holds up for the series debut, let alone 40 episodes.  

No, Donkey Kong Country is not fun in any way whatsoever. And while we'll see DK again in the upcoming Mario movie (Isn't it weird, by the way, that Donkey Kong is in the Super Mario Bros. movie?), this early misstep is a good indication of what not to do to everybody's favorite ape in the red tie.   

6. Saturday Supercade (1983-1984) 

Okay, so I'm kind of breaking my own rule from the intro here, because Saturday Supercade included NON-Nintendo franchises like Pitfall!, Q*Bert, and Frogger cartoon segments, but I feel like I HAVE to include it here since it also features Donkey Kong (Voiced by Soupy Sales!), Mario (Voiced by Peter Cullen!), and Donkey Kong Jr. (Voiced by Frank Welker!).

Honestly, the Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr. cartoons were probably the best out of the lot, even though they're really not very good themselves, either. Saturday Supercade is old, and it feels it. The cartoons are kind of all over the place like early '80s cartoons tended to be, and the games are so old, you kind of feel like you're watching ancient history, which, you kind of are. It’s not terrible by any means, but it’s also not incredibly compelling, either. It's…fine. 

5. The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 (1990) 

Give the second Mario cartoon credit — at least it stayed pretty faithful to the source material. The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 featured sounds from the game, items from the game, and the Koopalings from the game. In several ways, it was superior to the first Mario cartoon, The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! 

But, it was also lacking in one key regard, and that's that it had no live-action segments. Sure, that shouldn't matter in a ranking of the best Nintendo cartoons, but it does, because the live-action portions from The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! are likely ingrained in pretty much every Nintendo fan's head who's actually watched the show. (Seriously, ask anyone what they remember more from that series — the cartoons or the live-action segments — and I'm pretty sure they'll tell you the live-action segments.) Plus, I don't like Mario's voice in this cartoon. No Captain Lou Albano, no bueno.  

4. The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! (1989) 

Swing your arms, from side to side. Come on, let's do the Mario! The first Super Mario TV show is actually quite charming. The cartoons, which chronicle the adventures from the game Super Mario Bros. 2, are sandwiched between live-action segments starring Captain Lou Albano as Mario and Danny Wells as Luigi. High art!

Plus, every Friday, we also got episodes of The Legend of Zelda, which were not good, but at least it gave Link one of his most ridiculous catchphrases ever in, "Well, excuuuuuse me, Princess."  It wasn't a perfect Mario show, but it was superior to the Mario 3 cartoon since it had live-action segments, and it got the job done, so that's all that matters.  

3. Super Mario World (1991) 

Though it also has no live-action segments, I feel like Super Mario World is the best of the Mario cartoons, and here's why-It's the only one that feels truly unique. Taking place in a prehistoric setting, and swapping Yoshi for Toad in the main roster, Super Mario World is like if The Flintstones (Fleentstones?!) took place in the Mushroom Kingdom, and it actually works.   

Now, granted, the cartoons aren't anything to write home about, but I find these stories more engaging than the other two Super Mario cartoons, which is why it makes it so high on this list.  

2. Kirby: Right Back At Ya! (2002-2006) 

Running for 100 episodes (!), Kirby: Right Back At Ya! is insane to me since its protagonist doesn't talk. Instead, all of the other characters, most notably King Dedede, do all the talking and joke-telling around Kirby, and it's a small wonder that a show about a pink puffball that sucks in pretty much everything and absorbs their power, could be engaging for tons of episodes, and still work. 

But it did, and Kirby: Right Back at Ya! was a silly and fun show, and there really isn't much else to say about it. I loved this series back then in both action and humor, and I still enjoy it today. It holds up.  

1. Pokemon (1997-) 

I mean, come on now. Number one had to be Pokemon, right? Whether it be the original anime, or the current gen, every Pokemon anime series has brought something unique to the table with its vast array of pocket monsters and storylines.

Not only that, but Pokemon birthed several great movies from the popular series. The plots are simple, but effective, and all of the series have been engaging in some way or another. No question, Pokemon is the best cartoon series to ever come out of Nintendo, and it's not even close.

But what is your favorite Nintendo cartoon? For entertainment that combines video games and TV, make sure to stop by here often!    

Video game movies have been seeing a resurgence as of late, between recent adaptations of Mortal Kombat, Sonic the Hedgehog and Tomb Raider. And there’s a lot more where that came from. One upcoming movie based on a video game will be Illumination Entertainment’s Super Mario Bros. animated movie and this week the cast was assembled. Chris Pratt will be playing Mario, Charlie Day will be Luigi, Jack Black will be Bowser, Seth Rogen will be Donkey Kong and Anya Taylor-Joy will play Princess Peach, just to name a few. With the news out, a couple of the movie’s stars have reacted to their new roles.

When Chris Pratt was announced as Mario, it was met with a bit of uncertainty from fans, some of which went straight to campaigning for Danny DeVito to take on the role instead. Even so, Pratt took to his Instagram to share a sweet reason why Mario is a dream role of his. In his words:

Like the casting or not, Chris Pratt definitely seems passionate about playing the mustachioed video game hero. He shared that it was a favorite game of his growing up and he’d steal quarters from a wishing well just to play it. While speaking about it, he realized that he might have some bad karma rolling his way now that its powers have perhaps created this opportunity, but in the meantime he’s excited to bring his own spin on the role. Check out the video where he shared his personal connection with the character:

Pratt jokingly said Mario’s most popular phrase in the video, before promising fans that it wasn’t the voice he was going to use for the Super Mario Bros. movie. His costar, Anya Taylor-Joy, has been nabbing role after role as of late, such as Queen’s Gambit and soon playing Furiosa in the Mad Max spinoff film. The actress shared her reaction about the role to Instagram as well:

It’s short and sweet. Taylor-Joy simply said “here we goooo,” posting a side-by-side image of herself in pink with the video game heroine. Also joining the cast is Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong and Charles Martinet, the original voice of Mario will be making some “special cameos” throughout the movie. The Super Mario Bros. movie is set to come out on December 21, 2022.