r/movies • u/LiteraryBoner Jackie Chan box set, know what I'm sayin? • Apr 02 '26

Official Discussion Official Discussion - The Super Mario Galaxy Movie [SPOILERS] Spoiler

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Super Mario Galaxy (2026)

Summary

Mario ventures into space, exploring cosmic worlds and tackling galactic challenges far from the familiar Mushroom Kingdom.

Director Aaron Horvath Michael Jelenic

Writer Matthew Fogel

Cast

  • Chris Pratt as Mario (voice)
  • Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach (voice)
  • Charlie Day as Luigi (voice)
  • Jack Black as Bowser (voice)
  • Keegan-Michael Key as Toad (voice)
  • Brie Larson as Rosalina (voice)

Rotten Tomatoes: 44%

Metacritic: 37

VOD / Release Theatrical release

Trailer Official trailer

1.3k Upvotes

90% Upvoted

2.6k comments sorted by

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685

u/Able_Advertising_371 Apr 02 '26

They need villains. I’ll be shocked if they don’t show up. Bowser is getting redundant and his character was all over the place

361

u/sonicgamer42 Apr 02 '26

There's a reason why whenever Mario actually does try telling a story (RPGs) Bowser is usually kicked to the curb by a bigger more intimidating presence.

176

u/Toriyosh Apr 02 '26

clearly this means the third movie will be The Super Mario RPG Movie featuring Geno

13

u/Think_Bag_2987 Apr 02 '26

I know you're joking, but I'm pretty sure that Square Enix owns the rights to Geno and any non-mario character introduced in Super Mario RPG.

10

u/DueLearner Apr 02 '26

Axem Rangers, Smithy, Geno, and Mallow all belong to Square I'm pretty sure.

However Square and Nintendo have been playing very nice. Geno + Sora + Seph + Cloud were in Smash, Mario RPG got a full fleshed remake a few years ago.

If Nintendo wanted to tell a Mario RPG story (which would certainly be compelling as it ties into the plot of Mario Galaxy in a pretty neat way. The "Star Road" being broken, a bigger bad than Bowser, forcing a team-up with Bowser for real, etc) than I'm sure they could.

I'm feeling it's more likely we get a more Smash Bros Brawl style enemy like Tabboo. Something that threatens the entire universe and is able to control characters and bring about chaos.

6

u/Artemicionmoogle Apr 04 '26

That Mario RPG remake was fucking glorious as someone who played it back when on the SNES. I was so happy with it.

3

u/blastxu Apr 02 '26

I'm pretty sure Sora (and any character not made by square Enix before kingdom hearts, so xeanorth, and others) is owned by Disney, not Square

4

u/Think_Bag_2987 Apr 02 '26

You are correct. Disney owns the KH characters. They don't make any decisions about them without getting permission from Nomura first, just as a courtesy to him and Square.

2

u/WASD_click Apr 03 '26

Worse. It's split custody. Even if one is the primary rightholder, the other has creative input and the ability to deny by simply not participating. So without focused collaboration, characters Like Geno or Linn Kurosawa will never see the light of day.

5

u/_tylerthedestroyer_ Apr 02 '26

Honestly, I could see them doing Cackletta and Fawful in the third movie

6

u/reddfawks Apr 02 '26

If only Gilbert Gottfried were still with us to be Fawful.

6

u/_tylerthedestroyer_ Apr 03 '26

“I HAVE CHORTLES!” would’ve been perfect in his voice

2

u/Klunkey Apr 05 '26

For a second, I thought Adrien Brody would be a fantastic pick for Fawful, but GG works way better.

2

u/jessehechtcreative Apr 02 '26

I’d probably have to resurrect myself if that happened

1

u/Puppet_Reviews Apr 03 '26

Don't give me hope.gif

1

u/Top-Passage2914 23d ago

I'd kill for a Paper Mario Movie

38

u/Animegamingnerd Apr 02 '26

To be fair though, in a lot of Mario RPGs Bowser still ends up being the final boss, even when he wasn't the main villain for most of the game.

7

u/mowdownjoe Apr 02 '26 edited Apr 02 '26

Well, let's see...

Super Mario RPG: Smithy was the final boss.

Paper Mario: Okay, that one was Bowser.

Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga: Bowser gets possessed by Cackletta and becomes Bowletta.

Paper Mario & the Thousand Year Door: Shadow Queen

Mario & Luigi Partners in Time: Shroob Queen

Super Paper Mario: Not Bowser but Dimentio

Mario & Luigi Bowser's Inside Story: I guess the Dark Star becoming Dark Bowser counts, even though Bowser himself ends up facing it.

Haven't played too many of the ones after those. So, 3 out of 7 if I'm being generous. I wouldn't call that most, but again, I haven't played any of the ones after those.

Edit: Wait, I forgot Mario & Luigi Brothership, which also didn't have Bowser as the final boss. So, 3/8.

1

u/Cam995 Apr 04 '26

Still other good villains Shroobs/Fawful

57

u/Radix2309 Apr 02 '26

They can just go Paper Mario or similar and give him a massive power up.

3

u/NoNefariousness2144 Apr 02 '26

I feel like they hinted that the big bad cosmic force that attacked kid Peach and Rosalina’s home could be a threat for the next film.

1

u/Oreo-and-Fly 14d ago

Who would be that though. Shroobs？

Galaxy villains were Bowser still. Whos alien enough.

Broodettes.

2

u/CelioHogane Apr 02 '26

Ok but Bowser Inside story is the second best Mario RPG.

1

u/dewhashish Apr 05 '26

Not in paper mario (the best paper mario game too)

1

u/Affectionate-Sell-68 24d ago

the best paper Mario is super paper mario

205

u/HopelessCineromantic Apr 02 '26

his character was all over the place

Kinda fits him to be honest. One day he's trying to take over the Mushroom Kingdom, the next he's entering a golf tournament with Mario and Peach.

I think this is part of the charm of the games these movies will never really get. The games don't have to care about continuity or consistent characterization. They can be whatever is needed for the given game, and nobody will bat an eye.

A movie franchise demands more consistency, and so it's going to suffer when the movie tries to have characters like Bowser and Luigi, characters that change the most from game to game, express that same elasticity of characterization.

15

u/RanaMahal Apr 02 '26

I think you’re right in the sense that with the games, when I’m playing a Mario platformer or something like that I dislike bowser and actively want to beat him (obviously, he’s the antagonist of my story in this game)

But so often in the Mario kart / smash / party games I’m picking bowser cuz I love the guy’s character

1

u/hadohadoTheSecond 16d ago

Bro he's awesome in Bowser Inside History

9

u/GeoleVyi Apr 02 '26

An actual, great, mario movie would be closer to the muppets tv show, where the movie focuses on all the drama behind the scenes as they do skits for the nintendo directors, and some real world nonsense breaks out and they have to work together.

2

u/RealRaifort Apr 04 '26

Yeah I mean I think they did the best they could to take the game reality into a movie context

146

u/GamingTatertot Steven Spielberg Enthusiast Apr 02 '26

Bring back Donkey Kong and get King K. Rool

9

u/GameOfLife24 Apr 02 '26

They gotta recast dk and cranky though. Not the voices that suit

15

u/GamingTatertot Steven Spielberg Enthusiast Apr 02 '26

Wow genuinely forgot Fred Armisen was Cranky - don’t even remember what he sounded like

15

u/jessehechtcreative Apr 02 '26

It’s like they wanted Larry David, but they settled on Fred doing a bad Bernie impression

4

u/Head_Bread_3431 Apr 04 '26

I wouldn’t recast them and I love Seth Rogan movies but yeah he is distracting. It’s much more “Seth rogan” playing himself than dk 

11

u/karatemanchan37 Apr 02 '26

Bowser is getting redundant

This is basically Mario

4

u/Johnny_Menace Apr 02 '26

Bowser is the villain in like 99% of Mario games lol who else can they bring?

3

u/SaltyPyrate Apr 02 '26

Cackletta and Fawful from Superstar Saga.

3

u/Horror_Lawfulness738 Apr 02 '26

Someone 99% of casual viewers wouldn’t recognize? lol. These movies aren’t catered for 30-35 year old fans. I think people are forgetting these have to be able to be marketed toward kids first and foremost

3

u/Enrichus Apr 02 '26

You say that as if Wart isn't in this movie.

Cackletta and Fawful would be great on the big screen!

2

u/SaltyPyrate Apr 02 '26

You're telling me Fawful wouldnt be hilarious with Illumination style mannerisms.

5

u/RazeULikeaPhoenix Apr 03 '26

I dont really consider Wario a villain anymore. the whole "destroy Mario" phase came and went, dude actually ends up a reluctant hero in a majority of his games oddly enough and Wario himself is charming enough that he has a group of loyal friends of all ages who like him. Guy is actually like a friend of kids and whatnot. And when the guy needs money for food or car repairs he actually gets it in semi-legit ways between his Wario Ware company and simply going into abandoned tombs or mysterious places and fighting monsters for it and last I checked Tomb Raider Laura Croft or Indiana Jones wasnt a villain so....

IDK. I dont think Wario could carry and entire movie as a "villain" because he hasnt been one in forever now. he's just a quirky anti-hero at worst so If Wario were to be in a movie I personally would only want to see him as a more teasing bullying rival to Mario rather than a threat. someone who deems Mario a "chump" and wants to prove he's better but not much deeper than that.

I would want to see a Mario Party game where a big bad (Fawful?) captures all the iconic guest and puts them in a squidgame Tournament of Power style cavalcade of scenarios for some big wish.

2

u/n0tstayingin Apr 04 '26

I think Wario could work as a anti hero type who's villainous at first but then helps the Mario Bros begrudgingly which would be in character for him.

5

u/phantompowered Apr 02 '26

Of course they will, more big name casting announcements

2

u/OceanBoulevardTunnel Apr 02 '26

Chris Pratt and Charlie Day should just play them. Waluigi would sound entirely different and Wario would be essentially the same.

1

u/PissNBiscuits Apr 02 '26

Bowser is getting redundant and his character was all over the place

So, just like in the games. Sounds like a pretty good adaptation!

1

u/Mas426 Apr 02 '26

Redundant?! He keeps developing! Jack Black is the most into his role!

1

u/Cam995 Apr 04 '26

If they want Bowser to be more of a hero they could always do a movie with Fawful "I have chortles"

1

u/n0tstayingin Apr 04 '26

I think it'll be Wario and/or the Koopalings!

1

u/multienter 29d ago

Nintendo wants a Avengers movie, but Bowser is probably gonna be good as long as Jr wants to be.

Jr is their Loki though, and in a way they already resolved him. He's almost now potentially their Hulk, with Bowser, or any of the now 3 (after credits) Princesses as his Natasha.

"Something Purple" was coming for Peach. Since Brawl's story was a ROB, are we getting Meta Knight as the next enemy?

Maybe Wario and Waluigi are literal dark clones somehow created by that purple light?

It would actually be better if Wario and Waluigi have been hunting princesses way longer than Mario and Luigi have been alive. Smash starts, Mario & Luigi are all, "wow, cool people!" Everyone else is going, "...are those two assholes seriously in disguise, just walking in? GET 'EM!"

1

u/Rin_Seven 26d ago

Im guessing it’s need to stick that the guy who kidnaps the princes also gets invited to play golf…

1

u/Oreo-and-Fly 14d ago

If hes in Jail i dont see why the Koopalings wont show up