Draft:Untitled The Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel

Untitled The Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel
Directed by
Screenplay byMatthew Fogel
Based onMario
by Nintendo[a]
Produced by
Production
companies
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • April 3, 2026 (2026-04-03)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The untitled The Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel[b] is an upcoming American animated adventure comedy film based on Nintendo's Mario video game franchise, and the sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023). Produced by Universal Pictures, Illumination, and Nintendo, and distributed by Universal, it is directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic and written by Matthew Fogel.

Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa stated in May 2021 that Nintendo was interested in producing more animated films based on its properties if The Super Mario Bros. Movie were successful. Illumination CEO and producer Chris Meledandri was asked about the possibility of a sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie before the film's release in April 2023. A new Mario film was officially announced in March 2024, with Horvath and Jelenic confirmed to return as directors and Fogel returning as screenwriter.

The film is scheduled to be released in the United States on April 3, 2026.

Production

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Development

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In May 2021, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said that Nintendo was interested in producing more animated films based on its intellectual properties if The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) is successful.[1] In a Variety cover story before the film's release, Illumination CEO and producer Chris Meledandri was asked about potential sequels, or projects adapted from other Nintendo properties, and answered, "Our focus right now is entirely on bringing the film out to the audience, and at this time, we're not prepared to talk about what’s coming in the future".[2] The film's post-credits scene hints at a potential sequel featuring Yoshi.[3] Jack Black has expressed interest in Pedro Pascal being cast to voice Wario in the future film.[4]

In April 2023, following the film's box office success, Nintendo stated that there would be more films based on their properties, though they did not directly confirm a sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie.[5] In June 2023, Chris Pratt said a sequel would be announced "soon", but with the caveat that the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike would have an effect on the production.[6] In November 2023, the chairman of Universal Studio Group, Donna Langley, described The Super Mario Bros. Movie as a franchise in a press release, hinting a potential sequel.[7] In December 2023, Black expressed interest in the sequel being a musical titled Bowser's Revenge.[8]

In March 2024, during a Mario Day presentation, Meledandri and series creator Shigeru Miyamoto officially confirmed development of "a new Super Mario Bros. movie", with Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic returning to direct, and Matthew Fogel also returning to write the screenplay; Meledandri stated that Illumination's team was in the process of storyboarding and "developing set designs for new environments."[9][10] In October 2024, Keegan-Michael Key teased that the sequel will be "broader in scope" and feature "new folks and old favorites and some folks that [he thinks] are really deep cuts".[11]

Release

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The film is scheduled to be released in the United States on April 3, 2026.[9]

As part of Universal's long-term deal with Netflix, the film will stream on Peacock for the first four months of the pay-TV window, before moving to Netflix for the next ten, and returning to Peacock for the remaining four.[12][13]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Super Mario Bros. was developed by Nintendo R&D4, published by Nintendo, directed and produced by Shigeru Miyamoto, and designed and illustrated by Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka.
  2. ^ Known colloquially as The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2.

References

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  1. ^ Evangelista, Chris (May 4, 2021). "More Nintendo Animated Movies on the Way Following Illumination's 'Super Mario'". /Film. Archived from the original on May 5, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  2. ^ Shanfeld, Ethan; Lang, Brent (2023-04-04). "Mario Powers Up: How Nintendo Visionary Shigeru Miyamoto and Illumination's Chris Meledandri Plan to Super Smash Hollywood". Variety. Archived from the original on 2023-04-05. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
  3. ^ Shanfeld, Ethan (2023-04-05). "How 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' Post-Credits Scene Hints at a Sequel". Variety. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
  4. ^ "Jack Black Wants Pedro Pascal as Wario in 'Super Mario Bros. Movie' Sequel". 9 April 2023.
  5. ^ Onder, Cade (April 21, 2023). "Nintendo Confirms More Video Game Movies in the Works". ComicBook.com. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Chris Pratt says Super Mario Bros Movie 2 has been delayed by writers' strike". Digital Spy. 10 June 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  7. ^ "Donna Langley | Universal Pictures | Leadership Team". Universal Pictures. In 2023 alone, with an unparalleled focus on building a diverse slate portfolio, Langley led the motion picture group through the birth of new franchises, including M3GAN, Violent Night, Illumination's Super Mario Bros. Movie, and more.
  8. ^ Ankers-Range, Adele (2023-12-18). "Jack Black Wants The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 to Be a Full-on Musical Called Bowser's Revenge". IGN. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  9. ^ a b Lang, Brent (March 10, 2024). "New 'Super Mario Bros.' World Animated Movie in the Works From Illumination, Nintendo". Variety. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  10. ^ Nintendo of America (2024-03-10). MAR10 Day 2024. Retrieved 2024-06-11 – via YouTube.
  11. ^ Griffin, Griff (October 1, 2024). "The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 Features More Easter Eggs for Hardcore Fans". Mens Journal. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  12. ^ Hayes, Dade (December 9, 2021). "NBCUniversal's New Theatrical Window Scheme To Bring Films To Peacock After As Few As 45 Days Of Release". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 9, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  13. ^ Moon, Mariella (2021-07-14). "Netflix extends exclusive rights to Universal's animated films in the US". Engadget. Archived from the original on July 10, 2022. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
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