Lead
Nintendo and Universal unveiled the trailer for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie during a Nintendo Direct livestream on Wednesday morning. The short preview sends Mario and Luigi into outer space and introduces new central figures: Rosalina, voiced by Brie Larson, and Bowser Jr., voiced by Benny Safdie. The clip references locations and mechanics from the 2007 Wii game Super Mario Galaxy and even nods to elements from later entries such as Super Mario Odyssey. The film is scheduled to arrive in theaters in April 2026.
Key Takeaways
- The trailer premiered during a Nintendo Direct livestream on Wednesday morning and was released by Nintendo and Universal Pictures.
- Brie Larson is credited as the voice of Rosalina, and Benny Safdie as Bowser Jr.; returning leads include Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key and Charlie Day.
- The footage shows Mario and Luigi traveling between planets, including a water world and an upside-down-pyramid desert seen previously in Super Mario Odyssey (2017).
- Bowser is shown in a diminished state after ingesting a Mini Mushroom, while Bowser Jr. wields a paintbrush weapon reminiscent of Super Mario Sunshine (2002).
- The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is based on Nintendo’s 2007 Wii title Super Mario Galaxy and opens in April 2026.
- The previous theatrical outing, The Super Mario Bros. Movie (released April 2023), grossed $1.3 billion worldwide and ranks as the fifth-highest-grossing animated film to date.
- Directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic and writer Matthew Fogel return for the Galaxy sequel.
Background
Super Mario Galaxy debuted on the Nintendo Wii in 2007 and quickly became a benchmark for 3D platform design and imaginative level structure. Players traveled between small planetoids and themed worlds to collect Power Stars, a conceit that the new film appears to borrow for its cosmic scope. That 2007 game is widely regarded as one of the strongest entries in Mario’s mainline catalog and is regularly cited in discussions of the medium’s greatest titles.
Nintendo’s recent strategy has emphasized careful cinematic expansion of its flagship franchise: The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) demonstrated the property’s cross-demographic box-office potential by grossing $1.3 billion globally. Studios and Nintendo have since signaled an appetite for sequels that translate distinctive game mechanics and worldbuilding into feature-length storytelling while retaining broad family appeal. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie positions itself within that approach by leaning into the franchise’s spacebound imagery and musical motifs.
Main Event
The trailer opens with a comic exchange: Mario and Luigi taunt a shrunken Bowser, who becomes physically tiny after consuming a Mini Mushroom — a visual gag that sets a lighter tone before the action escalates. Bowser briefly indulges in a romantic fantasy involving Princess Peach, only to be rebuffed, which triggers the trailer’s central momentum. Moments later, dozens of shooting stars streak the sky and the heroes board a vessel bound for the stars.
True to the Super Mario Galaxy source, the characters traverse a variety of planetary environments. The teaser depicts a planet composed almost entirely of water and a fast-paced sequence through a desert dotted with upside-down pyramids — the latter a visual callback to designs seen in Super Mario Odyssey (2017). The production staggers spectacle with quick cuts that emphasize varied gravity and traversal mechanics.
New antagonistic and allied presences appear: Bowser Jr. confronts the heroes wielding a magical paintbrush that enables metallic transformations, and Rosalina demonstrates powerful, solitary combat capability by defeating a spider-like robot using a magic wand. These moments highlight how the film adapts specific gameplay tools and character traits for cinematic set pieces. The cast list confirms Brie Larson as Rosalina and Benny Safdie as Bowser Jr., while the core principal cast from the prior film returns.
Analysis & Implications
Translating Super Mario Galaxy’s planetary traversal and gravity-bending mechanics into a coherent film narrative presents both opportunities and risks. On one hand, the game’s episodic structure and strong visual identity offer ready-made set pieces that can sustain spectacle across a feature-length runtime. On the other hand, integrating those sequences into a focused emotional throughline will be essential if the sequel aims to satisfy critics and general audiences alike.
Casting Brie Larson as Rosalina and Benny Safdie as Bowser Jr. suggests the production is balancing marquee names with performers known for range, potentially broadening the film’s appeal. Returning directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic and writer Matthew Fogel provide continuity with the 2023 release’s creative team, which may keep tonal and stylistic threads consistent across installments.
From a commercial standpoint, the franchise arrives at the sequel with strong momentum: The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s $1.3 billion haul gives the studio leverage in international markets and merchandising. Still, audience fatigue, critical reception, and the effectiveness of marketing in communicating why Galaxy’s cosmic premise differs from the earlier city-and-island settings will shape box-office performance. The film’s April 2026 release places it in a competitive spring window where family titles often seek early-year visibility.
Comparison & Data
| Title | Year | Global Gross | Noted Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Super Mario Bros. Movie | 2023 | $1.3 billion | 5th-highest-grossing animated film |
| Top animated films ahead | — | — | Ne Zha 2; Inside Out 2; The Lion King; Frozen II |
The table above highlights the prior Mario film’s box-office scale and the films that currently sit ahead of it in animated-gross ranking, as reported in industry summaries. While The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will be measured against the 2023 film’s unprecedented global take, sequels commonly face the twin demands of matching spectacle and evolving narrative stakes. International performance — especially in large markets where animated franchises reliably perform — will be decisive for final tallies.
Reactions & Quotes
“The trailer debuted during a Nintendo Direct livestream,”
Nintendo (official livestream)
“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie hits theaters in April 2026,”
Universal Pictures (announcement)
“Brie Larson and Benny Safdie join a returning principal cast including Chris Pratt and Anya Taylor-Joy,”
Variety (entertainment news)
Unconfirmed
- Whether the movie’s plot will center on collecting Power Stars and a mission to the universe’s center remains unconfirmed; the trailer provides only episodic glimpses.
- The extent of Bowser Jr.’s role and motivations beyond the trailer images is not yet detailed by the studio.
- Full supporting cast lists and precise character beats for minor roles have not been released.
- Box-office projections for the April 2026 opening are speculative until broader marketing and critic screenings occur.
Bottom Line
The new Super Mario Galaxy trailer signals a clear creative gamble: adapt a beloved, level-driven game whose core joy is exploration and translate that into a cinematic arc. Early footage emphasizes visual variety and game-faithful mechanics, while casting choices and returning creative personnel suggest the studio intends continuity with the successful 2023 film.
Commercially, the sequel benefits from strong brand recognition and the precedent of a $1.3 billion global gross for the prior movie, but its ultimate success will depend on narrative clarity, critical response, and international resonance. For now, the trailer sets expectations for a spectacle-driven family movie that draws heavily on Nintendo’s cosmic iconography; audiences will learn more as marketing expands and further details emerge ahead of the April 2026 release.
Sources
- Variety (entertainment news)
- Nintendo Direct (official livestream hub)