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.
