“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” takes audiences on an adventure beyond the stars, based on the 2007 video game “Super Mario Galaxy,” its 2010 sequel “Super Mario Galaxy 2” and the broader Mario franchise.
The film is a direct sequel to the 2023 “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” produced by Nintendo in collaboration with Universal Pictures and Illumination.
Big names including Chris Pratt (Mario) and Jack Black (Bowser) reprise their roles, with Donald Glover (Yoshi), Brie Larson (Princess Rosalina) and Benny Safdie (Bowser Jr.) joining the cast.
The story ventures beyond the Mushroom Kingdom as Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Toad and Princess Peach travel to space to rescue Princess Rosalina, the guardian of the cosmos, from Bowser Jr.
Before the film’s release, Nintendo announced several cameos, including Star Fox, Pikmin and R.O.B. However, a secret fourth cameo arrives in Mr. Game & Watch.
“Any character that isn’t just a Mario entity, working it into the Mario movie is usually kind of a difficult thing to do and it makes sense,” AMC Theatres viewer Jordan Rice said. “But they did it well, with the different galaxies being different parts of games.”
Fans of the video game franchise should expect to feel fully immersed in the galaxy setting, with the film taking heavy inspiration from the original source.
“I have played both games for the Wii, and I still have them physically, and replay them once every three years or so,” AMC Theatres employee Conner Zanchi said. “They are just some of my favorite games in the entire world. [The film] had everything almost perfect—the way they showed off the little details, the galaxies, they had the music perfect, the sound effects. They nailed everything.”
The film features parallels to several games in the “Super Mario Bros.” franchise, including references to “Super Mario Bros. 2” (1988), “Super Mario World” (1990), “Super Mario 64” (1996) and “Super Mario Sunshine” (2002) for seasoned fans to enjoy.
While still early in its theatrical run, overall fan perception has been positive, with sold-out showtimes and exclusive merchandise, including Yoshi- and Luma-themed popcorn buckets.
“We’ve only been playing [the film] today, so I haven’t heard much yet,” Zanchi said. “I will say I have seen most people come out happy. It’s a very family-friendly movie so a lot of kids are excited they got to see Mario.”
With the release of “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and several hints toward a “Super Smash Bros.” film, Nintendo fans should expect to see the Italian plumber continue his journey to save the world — and galaxy — from the evil King Koopa and his entourage.
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