Get ready for another adventure in the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond, as Nintendo and Illumination have officially announced "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie," the highly anticipated sequel to the blockbuster "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." The animated film is slated for a worldwide release on April 3, 2026, with Japan and select territories receiving it later that month. This announcement comes as part of the ongoing celebrations for the 40th anniversary of the Super Mario Bros. franchise.

The returning voice cast from the first film is confirmed to reprise their iconic roles. Chris Pratt will once again lend his voice to 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. While the full cast and additional characters are yet to be revealed, fans can expect more familiar faces and perhaps some new additions to the ensemble.

"The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" is set to build upon the massive success of its predecessor, which grossed over $1.3 billion worldwide. The film will be produced by Chris Meledandri of Illumination and Shigeru Miyamoto of Nintendo, with Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic returning to direct. Matthew Fogel is back as the screenwriter, and Brian Tyler will once again compose the musical score. The film is co-financed by Universal Pictures and Nintendo, and distributed globally by Universal Pictures.

The title "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" suggests a cosmic adventure, potentially drawing inspiration from the beloved "Super Mario Galaxy" video games released on the Nintendo Wii. Hints of a space-faring narrative were present in the first film, with references to Lumas and Rainbow Road, and the teaser trailer for the sequel further expands on this theme by showing a butterfly traveling from Peach's Castle into outer space. This cosmic direction also hints at the potential introduction of characters like Rosalina, the protector of the Lumas.

Nintendo has been strategically expanding its intellectual property into various visual media, with "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" being a key part of this initiative. Following the success of "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" and the upcoming live-action "The Legend of Zelda" film, Nintendo is exploring multiple projects to make its beloved characters and stories accessible to a wider audience. While specific details on other unannounced adaptations remain under wraps, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa has confirmed that various other projects are in development, indicating a significant push into the visual content space.