New Super Mario Bros. World Movie Expanding The Nintendo Universe
Illumination and Nintendo are teaming up to create another animated Super Mario Bros. movie. Chris Meledandri, the founder and CEO of Illumination, and Shigeru Miyamoto, representative director and fellow of Nintendo, will oversee production. The announcement coincided with Mario Day, an annual celebration where the gaming company treats fans with special deals on games and devices.
Exploring The Super Mario World Further
In a joint video announcement, Meledandri and Miyamoto hinted at the film’s bright and fun story, with Miyamoto saying, “This time, we’re thinking about broadening Mario’s world further.” However, specific plot details remain a mystery, with the duo opting not to give away too much at this time. “We’ll let you know once we’re at the stage where we’re ready to share more,” he said.
The New Film Might Not Be A Sequel To 2023’s Hit
The new Super Mario Bros. film is scheduled for release on April 3, 2026. The project is not billed as a sequel, indicating that it will likely have no links to the 2023 offering The Super Mario Bros. Movie. As such, the story could potentially focus on different characters rather than continuing directly from the first film.
But audiences can still expect another exhilarating journey through the Mushroom Kingdom. The animated Super Mario Bros film will see the return of directorial duo Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, who worked on The Super Mario Bros. Movie, along with scriptwriter Matthew Fogel. Co-financed by Universal Pictures and Nintendo, the yet-to-be-titled project will be distributed by Universal Pictures.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie Was A Blockbuster Hit
Illumination and Nintendo previously partnered on The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which earned over $1.3 billion and became the second highest-grossing film of 2023. The film featured an ensemble voice cast that included Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, and Fred Armisen.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie serves as an origin story for the Mario brothers as they team up with Princess Peach to save the Mushroom Kingdom from the Koopas and Bowser. Although the critical reception was mixed, the movie’s animation was praised for its detail and clarity, with realistic water effects and vibrant character designs.
Characters like Mario and Bowser were depicted with additional personality traits, making them more fleshed out for the film. Chris Pratt’s performance as Mario was well-received, along with Jack Black’s portrayal of Bowser. The success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie was attributed to the filmmakers ensuring that the essence of the beloved video games remained intact.
A Hit Since 1985
Super Mario Bros. began as a video game developed by Nintendo in 1985 for the Famicom in Japan and the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It is the first game in the Super Mario series, following the arcade game Mario Bros. Players control Mario (or Luigi in multiplayer mode) as they navigate the Mushroom Kingdom to rescue Princess Toadstool from King Koopa (Bowser).
The game, designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka, is considered one of the greatest video games of all time, praised for its precise controls and role in reviving the video game industry after the 1983 crash. With over 58 million copies sold worldwide, it popularized side-scrolling platform games and featured a memorable soundtrack by Koji Kondo.
Still Releasing Video Games Too
In Super Mario Bros., players progress through side-scrolling stages, collecting coins, avoiding enemies, and reaching the flagpole at each level’s end. The game’s success led to various adaptations and re-releases, including versions like Super Mario All-Stars with improved graphics and sound for the SNES, Super Mario Bros. Today, the franchise is still going strong in the gaming world, with Super Mario Bros. Wonder being the most recent release, landing on the Nintendo Switch in 2023.
