Following the smashing success of the first Super Mario Bros. film, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto and Illumination Entertainment have announced a sequel to the video game-based movie.
Intriguingly, the iconic Nintendo game director Miyamoto did not call the film Super Mario Bros. 2 at the unveiling. He stressed the need to "broaden Mario's world further" and set the plot "in the world of Super Mario Bros," as reported by Forbes.
The first Super Mario Bros. film grossed $146 million in its opening weekend and $1.36 billion globally. With foreign profits over $800 million, it was the second-highest-grossing movie of 2023, behind Barbie's $1.44 billion and ahead of Oppenheimer and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
What to Expect from The Upcoming Super Mario Bros Sequel?
Chris Meledandri of Illumination Studios Paris, which made the original Super Mario Bros. film, said Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic are storyboarding the sequel. Animation for the film begins soon. The film will be released in "select territories" throughout the month after its release in the US and other countries. The Super Mario Bros. movie sequel's April 2026 release may change.
Unknown aspects of this expansion have spurred rumors regarding Toad, Yoshi, and Waluigi spin-offs. Miyamoto's description of the film as a "bright and fun story" implies a Mario sequel. The film is expected to retain its predecessor's directors and animation team. While specifics about the voice cast are not yet available, Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Jack Black, and Anya Taylor-Joy will likely voice the same characters.
The Super Mario Bros. movie sequel announcement comes after the revelation of a live-action Legend of Zelda film in November, contributing to the growing roster of confirmed movies based on major Nintendo intellectual properties. However, there are still a few details about the upcoming movie, which will be directed by Wes Ball, with Avi Arad and Shigeru Miyamoto producing, according to The Verge.
Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto attends a Special Screening of Universal Pictures' "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" at Regal LA Live on April 01, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.(Photo : Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
Is Nintendo Building a Cinematic Universe?
Techtimes previously reported that Nintendo's mobile and intellectual property sales significantly last year. The achievement is attributed to the recent accomplishments of Japanese franchises globally, notably exemplified by the widespread success of the manga and anime sensation "One Piece."
The video gaming juggernaut announced in February this year that revenue fell 6% and net profit rose 18% year-over-year. The Japan-based gaming giant also increased its prediction for Switch sales to 15.5 million by March, the end of its fiscal year, from 15 million. Nintendo sold 13.74 million Switches between April and December 2023, according to Variety.
Nintendo pledged to "put smiles on everyone's faces." The business stressed its approach of independently developing visual content for Nintendo's intellectual assets to give global audiences unprecedented access to its engaging entertainment universe. This endeavor offers numerous ways to connect with Nintendo's vast creative realm outside specialized game platforms.
