Chris Pratt’s Mario is heading back to space in Nintendo’s next big adventure.
On Friday, Sept. 12, Illumination and Nintendo revealed that the sequel to the record-breaking animated film The Super Mario Bros. Movie will be called The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. It’s scheduled to hit theaters on April 3, 2026, almost three years after the first movie made history with a $377 million global opening weekend—the biggest ever for an animated film.
A short preview clip shows Mario napping under a tree. A butterfly lands on him and then flies through the Mushroom Kingdom, past Princess Peach’s castle, and out into space, teasing a bigger universe to explore.
Chris Pratt, 46, will return as the voice of Mario. Anya Taylor-Joy is back as Princess Peach, with Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, and Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek.
The first movie earned over $1 billion worldwide, making it the 18th highest-grossing movie ever, according to Box Office Mojo. Nintendo and Illumination first announced plans for the sequel in March 2024, promising “a bright and fun story” that would expand Mario’s world.
While the first film was based on the classic 1985 Super Mario Bros. game, this sequel takes its name from the 2007 game Super Mario Galaxy, where Mario travels to different galaxies and planets to save Princess Peach from Bowser. In that game, Mario teams up with a star-shaped creature called a Luma after Bowser kidnaps Peach using a flying saucer.
Directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, who worked on the first film, will return for the new movie. Nintendo and Illumination said more characters and voice actors will be revealed in the coming months.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie blasts into theaters April 3, 2026.
