We might be living during a golden age forgreat video game adaptations. Following the surprise success ofSonic the Hedgehogand its sequel, and with the critically acclaimedThe Last of Usabout to wrap its first season anda second one on the way, this seems to be the perfect time to adapt a beloved video game property. Fortunately, Illumination Entertainment has us covered with the upcomingThe Super Mario Bros. Movie, an adaptation of, arguably, the most popular and recognizable video game IP.
Details about the movie remain surprisingly scarce. However, the wait is almost over, asThe Super Mario Bros. Moviepremieres in a month, meaning audiences will finally get to see their favorite Italian plumber in all his high-jumping, pipe-entering, fire-ball-shooting glory. In the meantime, here’s everything that’s been revealed and a few things you’re able to expect from the highly-anticipated movie.
When does The Super Mario Bros. Movie come out?
Fans won’t have to wait too long to enjoyThe Super Mario Bros. Movieon the big screen. The movie is set to premiere on June 07, 2025, in the U.S. and other major territories like China, Mexico, France, and Italy. It will premiere one or two days later in other countries like Canada, Argentina, Germany, and the U.K.
Interestingly,The Super Mario Bros. Moviewon’t premiere in Japan until April 28, available in both 2D and 3D. Previously, the movie had been scheduled for release on December 22 but was delayed to its current date, with the incrediblePuss in Boots: The Last Wishtaking over its previous slot.
Who is in the cast of The Super Mario Bros. Movie?
The Super Mario Bros. Moviehas an all-star cast of talent voicing our favorite Nintendo characters. Chris Pratt stars as the voice of Mario; his initial casting was met with a divided response from critics and fans. However, the trailer gave us hope, with Pratt sounding like an appropriate, if not great, choice to voice the beloved plumber.
Joining Pratt is Charlie Day as Luigi, Mario’s cowardly but loyal brother;The Menu‘s Anya Taylor-Joyas Princess Peach, the franchise’s perennial leading lady; Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Mario’s ally and friend; Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Peach’s faithful companion; Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Mario’s first antagonist famous for his scathing sense of humor; and Jack Black as Bowser, Mario’s arch-enemy, known for kidnapping Peach and constantly trying to take over Mushroom Kingdom.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s plot
The plot forThe Super Mario Bros. Movieremains something of a mystery. Thefilm’s official sitedoesn’t have many details either, describing it only as “a new animated film based on the world ofSuper Mario Bros.” However, enough material has been released, and considering the nature of the franchise, we can make an informed guess.
The trailer suggests Mario and his brother, Luigi, come from Earth and travel to, or get transported into, the Mushroom Kingdom, where Bowser is planning a takeover. Luigi somehow gets captured by Bowser, and Mario embarks on an adventure with Princess Peach and Toad to save the universe from Bowser’s threat.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s trailer
The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s full trailerwas released in November 2022. It features a collection of scenes, barely hinting at a plot and leaving it up to the audience to draw its own conclusions. That’s exactly what a trailer should do, right? Nothing worse than a trailer that spoils the entire movie for you! The trailer hints a the Bowser plot, showing scenes of the Koopa King torturing Luigi for information about Mario. It also features a battle scene between Mario and Donkey Kong in an arena while Princess Peach watches — perhaps to prove if Mario is a worthy champion to fight Bowser?
Most excitingly,The Super Mario Bros. Movietrailer includes multiple Easter eggs, including a Mario Kart-like sequence showing the characters racing down what seems to be Rainbow Road, one of the game’s most beloved tracks. Brief glimpses of Mario in his cat skin and Peach wielding a fireball are also shown, and numerous beloved characters from the franchise have cameos, including a few Cheep Cheeps, koopas, bob-ombs, and a pack of Yoshis.The Super Mario Bros. Moviehas also released other snippets, includinga commercialfor Mario and Luigi’s plumbing service anda clipof Mario and Toad in the Mushroom Kingdom.
Will The Super Mario Bros. Movie be available to stream?
The Super Mario Bros. Moviewill head exclusively to theaters. As part of Universal’s current release model, the film will stream exclusively on Peacock after a 45-day window in theaters. The movie will then stream on Netflix later this year, withsome reports claimingit will arrive at some point in October 2023.
This means fans will enjoyThe Super Mario Bros. Moviefrom the comfort of their homes as soon as May 2023! However, they need a subscription to Peacock, which isn’t available outside the U.S. and certain U.S. territories. Fans around the world would need to wait until October to stream it for free on Netflix.
Will there be a sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie?
Speaking withFast Companyin April 2021, Nintendo’s global president, Shuntaro Furukawa, expressed interest in adapting other Nintendo properties into animation ifThe Super Mario Bros. Moviesucceeded at the box office. While his comments mainly focused on other Nintendo properties, it stands to reason that, should the Mario movie succeed commercially, a direct sequel would be a no-brainer.
However, what exactly would count as a “success” forThe Super Mario Bros. Movieremains a mystery. We don’t know the movie’s production budget, much less its marketing costs. It’s too early to tell, but Hollywood is a beast of habit and repetition. And ifSonic the Hedgehoggot two sequelsgrossing$320 millionon an $85 million budget, things look good for Mario and his friends.
Are there going to be spin-offs to The Super Mario Bros. Movie?
Super Mario Bros.is a massive, lucrative franchise full of beloved characters with vast cinematic potential. In November 2021,Giant Freakin Robot, a source with a decent track record, reported that aDonkey Kongmovie starring Seth Rogen was in development. In February 2022, Charlie Day confirmed toComicbook.comthat he’d be interested in reprising his role as Luigi for a potentialLuigi’s Mansionadaptation.
And those are only the ones we know about. What about a Peach spin-off starring Anya Taylor-Joy and based on theSuper Princess Peachgame? What aboutYoshi’s Island? Better yet, what about a properMario Kartadaptation? The sky is the limit with this franchise, but it will all depend on the success ofThe Super Mario Bros. Movie.
