I’ll admit it, I’ve become way more invested in movie theater popcorn buckets than I ever expected to be. Somewhere between the NSFW Dune sandworm chaos and those over-the-top Marvel tie-ins, these things stopped being containers and started becoming collectibles. But, even with how wild they’ve gotten lately, I did not have “one of them sets a world record” on my bingo card, especially not this adorable Super Mario popcorn bucket.

According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, one of the Super Mario promotional buckets didn’t just lean into the novelty of it all, but went all the way, maybe taking this phenomenon to its most logical conclusion. The mini Bowser cauldron bucket, which looks like something you’d pick up in the toy aisle rather than at a concession stand, officially set a world record for the smallest popcorn container.

The mini Bowser cauldron, see below, isn’t just small, it’s comically small. The Super Mario collectible measures about 2.6 inches wide and holds 5 to 11 kernels of popcorn. Designed to look like Bowser’s shrunken cauldron from the 2026 movie schedule entry, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, it comes decked out with clawed feet, little side handles and a dark, iron-like finish. That third attribute makes it feel more like a display piece (or a keychain) than something you’d actually eat out of. It’s the kind of thing that feels less like a concession item and more like a bit, which, honestly, makes it even better:

What’s funny is how perfectly this fits into what popcorn buckets have become. They’re not really about utility anymore. Nobody is buying a Bowser cauldron because it’s the most efficient way to eat popcorn. They’re buying it because it looks cool, it’s tied to something they love and it’s a physical piece of the moviegoing experience they can take home. Isn’t that kind of the whole point?

Theaters have been leaning harder into these collectible “vessels” to bring people back to cinemas. The more creative and limited these buckets are, the more they generate buzz, and in some cases, they even drive attendance. It’s not just about snacks anymore, but giving audiences something tangible to remember the experience by.

That explains why we’ve gone from simple tubs to things like character heads, light-up containers, to a full-on Castle Grayskull playset-looking container and, now, apparently, record-breaking mini cauldrons.

The Super Mario rollout is a perfect example of that strategy in action. Alongside the tiny Bowser bucket, AMC theaters also offered larger, more display-friendly options, like the adorable Yoshi containers and glowing Luma buckets. But it’s the smallest one that ended up making the biggest noise, which feels very on-brand for a franchise that’s always had a sense of humor about itself.

There’s also something kind of brilliant about the absurdity of the mini bucket. In a world where some buckets are pushing $50 or more and taking up half your living room, this one goes in the opposite direction. It’s tiny, it’s impractical and it somehow stands out because of it.

At this point, popcorn buckets have become their own weird little subculture, to say the least. People are lining up early, refreshing websites and even traveling just to get their hands on specific designs. Some of them flip on resale markets, others end up as display pieces, and a few, like this Bowser cauldron, end up in the record books.

So yeah, I didn’t expect a Super Mario popcorn bucket to make history. But, if any franchise was going to pull that off with something this weirdly charming, it makes sense it’d be one this big at the box office.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is still playing in theaters, so be sure to check your local listings for show times.

Light spoilers for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie lie ahead.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is in theaters and, as Illumination's sequel gets the rave reviews from audiences that it didn't from critics, it seems many are already ready for a third film. With the first two movies introducing characters at a rapid clip, it only seems like a matter of time before we get Wario in the mix. And, if that happens, Charlie Day has an awesome idea for the actor who could voice him.

Day, who voices Luigi in The Super Mario Bros. franchise, name-checked one of his It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia co-stars as a potential voice actor for Wario, should the character pop up in a future Nintendo movie. The actor revealed this choice while speaking to ScreenRant, enthusiastically saying:

Day is not the only one saying it either. I wrote about this exact casting when a rumor first popped up that Wario was in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Wario has traditionally been portrayed with a gruff, gravely voice, so I think the great DeVito would be the best person to get short of tapping the current actor Nintendo employs to voice Wario in the games, Kevin Afghani.

I'm curious if Charlie Day has the same line of thinking I do, in that Danny DeVito is also an actor who has played a lot of slimy and greedy characters over the years. Wario has the same energy as It's Always Sunny's Frank Reynolds, Harry Wormwood in Matilda, and maybe even Penguin in Batman Returns. The veteran actor would be such a natural fit for Wario, I'd honestly be disappointed if anyone else were to get the role.

Whether Wario will show up in a new Mario movie is up in the air. The post-credits scenes seemed to imply that a Star Fox spinoff movie would come our way, and whatever is next will include Princess Daisy. Many Nintendo fans over the years have considered Daisy to be the inverse of Peach, similar to how Wario is to Mario. Could the next movie confirm this, or do we have another sibling reveal on the way?

Personally, I think leaving Wario and his brother, Waluigi, out of The Super Mario Bros. movies would be a mistake. Especially at the rate the franchise is buzzing through supporting characters, Wario almost has to show up in the next one unless they want to find more Pikmin characters to include. And, should the character show up, let's hope it's Danny DeVito providing the vocal talent.

Catch The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in theaters right now and, based on the current box office numbers, I'd say the odds of a follow-up could be solid so far. Still, we'll have to wait to see how long it takes for Illumination and Nintendo to confirm another movie is on the way, and if Wario will be involved.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has everyone talking, as filmgoers and critics are at odds about how good it is. Now, amidst the chatter of a shared universe movie and plans for Glen Powell's Fox McCloud, quite a few people are talking about hearing what's presumably an accidental f-bomb.

The moment in question is making rounds over on X, after a Luma tracks down Princess Peach. The original line seems to be "Princess Peach, I finally found you," but because of the way it's voiced, it sounds like the voice actor says the f-word in the first part of "finally." Reactions are pouring in after people see the movie, with many of them commenting on the moment:

• “I fuckingly found you” - @savorsweetdavid
• For some reason it sounds like they overlayed the VA saying “Finally” and them accidentally saying “Fuck” over each other and didn’t notice in editing - @RupanSansei67
• I heard it too and so did the people next to me. - @Brule_64
• OK, so I'm not the only one who, for a split second, thought that Luma had said that! I got a little heart attack thinking that was going to be the punchline! 😭😭😭😭 - @DariusR24535200
• I heard it too with my partner and friends and we're like "DID IT SAY FUCK? LMAO" - @WattsterF

This whole situation feels like that "Yanny" and "Laurel" debate from a long time ago, or what happened with Toy Story 3. A viral clip alleged that Ken dropped the f-bomb as Barbie was tearing his clothes, but people heard "Oh, Barbie," which was the intended line.

This is to say, I highly doubt The Super Mario Galaxy Movie wanted to risk another billion-dollar box office all to have a random Luma drop a swear. That said, as someone who has seen the clip a number of times, I can confidently say I hear the f-bomb every time, and do agree with one of the previous commenters above that it seems the editing team missed a voice actor flubbing a line.

We'll see what Nintendo and Illumination do about this, if anything at all. Hollywood now has the capability to change movies while they're currently in theaters, as evidenced by the disastrous first release of Cats.

It may just slide under the radar, but I can't imagine Illumination likes the idea of word quickly spreading that their big movie may have one of the worst swears a child can say in polite society.

The Super Mario Galaxy is available to see in theaters right now, and I know I'm making an effort to try and see it this Easter weekend. I would love to get there and snag one of those awesome Yoshi popcorn buckets, but given how popular they are, I may be dropping an f-bomb at the concession stand after hearing they're sold out.

We haven't even reached the first weekend of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie being in theaters, and it's already setting the internet on fire. Amidst all the talk of Star Fox and other cameos in the movie, and the possibility of Nintendo doing a shared universe film, we now have to talk about the intergalactic gap between Rotten Tomatoes' Critic and Audience scores.

It's not uncommon for critics and audiences to have opposing viewpoints on major IP blockbuster releases, but the difference in opinion on this 2026 movie schedule entry is staggering. So, here's what we know about the situation, and why audiences are loving The Super Mario Galaxy Movie despite its reviews not being so great.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie's Critic Score Vs. Audience Score Is Wildly Different

Per Rotten Tomatoes, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Nintendo and Illumination's sequel to its billion-dollar box office film has a 42% critic rating and a 91% audience score as of writing. That's a pretty stunning difference for a movie that received middling-to-low reviews from critics who commonly panned it for its breakneck pace and overreliance on cameos.

It may not appeal to the average critic, but it seems people are overwhelmingly impressed with seeing Pikmin and all the other unexpected characters that show up in the film. Here are some of the verified audience reviews I came across:

• Whether you are a child or adult the movie captures all the classic characters in a larger than life fantasy world that is sure to give a sense of pure joy and nostalgia while incorporating modern points of the Nintendo universe. - Johnny C
• Fun film! Clearly made for Mario/Nintendo fans. - PD
• If you’re a Mario fan just go see it, you’ll love it! - Joseph
• This sequel was the perfect love letter to not just Mario fans, but to all Nintendo fans. - Jadan S
• My Grandson loved it. Quality of film was great. If you are a Mario fan, this one's for you! - Debbie

These aren't as comprehensive of reviews as what you'd see from critics, but they're also coming from an audience that likely isn't scrutinizing it as much either. It's comforting to hear as a Nintendo fan who also often sides with critics, and it makes me think I need to turn my brain off for this one.

What Critics Have Said About The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

By and large, the most common complaint I've read about The Super Mario Galaxy Movie from critics is that it prefers style over substance by an overwhelming margin. I think Empire's Helen O' Hara summarized the gist of complaints I've seen, with the following:

I heard a friend say it may be the first movie for a generation of kids raised on YouTube Shorts, which also may speak to the quick moments of fan service and never hanging on any one moment for too long. I gotta hand it to Illumination for that strategy, because they seem to have nailed the stuff kids today are most entranced by.

That said, the failure of the short-lived streaming service Quibi is proof that older audiences are not like the younger crowd when it comes to how they consume content. I'm curious to see what The Super Mario Galaxy Movie's success could mean for the future of kids' movies, and how other upcoming 2026 movies and beyond will be influenced by it.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is in theaters, and readers should definitely see it for themselves before passing judgment. I'm such a Nintendo fan, no review was going to stop me from seeing it, so I'm hoping I feel more like the casual audience who goes to the theater to watch this video game adaptation.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie just confirmed that Star Fox's Fox McCloud is in the movie, after rumors circulated on the internet about his involvement. That was exciting alone, but not nearly as exciting as the A-lister Nintendo and Illumination tapped to voice the character. That's because Glen Powell will apparently voice the space maverick, and his announcement video celebrating it is completely bonkers.

Powell, the latest big-name celebrity to join Nintendo's animated universe, cryptically shared the announcement over on Instagram. Check it out below, and see him wearing the iconic Star Fox vest while doing his best impression of mimicking someone frantically trying to complete a level on Super Mario Bros.:

If that weren't exciting enough, it appears Glen Powell is well-versed in the lore, based on his caption referencing the iconic Star Fox 64 meme "Do a barrel roll." I mean, obviously, someone on his team could've told him to say that, but given he's in his late 30s, I'd bet on the fact that he played the game back in the day.

It's also exciting that Illumination was able to get Powell because of his connection to the hit movie Top Gun: Maverick. Not that it's necessary, but they found someone who played a pilot in another movie to play a space pilot in this movie, which will surely help the audience unfamiliar with the Star Fox games remember (or figure out) what the character is about.

Powell's casting as Fox McCloud is a big one, and leads me to wonder whether this means Nintendo is considering a spin-off Star Fox movie. I would love to see an upcoming video game adaptation of the space adventure games, perhaps with a bit more edge than what the Super Mario Bros. franchise can provide.

I also have to wonder whether this adds any weight to the growing speculation that Illumination and Nintendo are ultimately planning a Super Smash Bros. movie that combines all the characters for one big adventure? We also learned the Pikmin franchise will be represented in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and a live-action Legend of Zelda movie is in development. So, it feels like anything could be possible.

It seems like Nintendo is rapidly introducing many of its beloved characters to the silver screen, though there are still many big names like Kirby and Samus Aran left off the list. Rosalina voice actress Brie Larson was touted for years as a perfect choice to play Samus, so I'm crossing my fingers that her working relationship with the game company eventually leads to her becoming the live-action space bounty hunter. Ugh, I can't wait to see where all of this is eventually headed.

For now, I'm just content to see Glen Powell is likely playing Fox in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which comes out on April 1st. I need to go ahead and purchase my tickets, because I have a feeling this sequel is going to be another billion-dollar box office pull once again.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is about to power up the 2026 movie schedule, and its cast of voice actors are in full promo mode. During a recent stop at Nintendo’s Museum for a special event, the group showed up ready to sell the film, but they also ended up doing something a little unexpected. The guys leaned into method dressing. And yes, “Let’s-a-go,” because I’m absolutely here for it.

Universal Pictures even shared a video on its official Instagram from the visit, which you can check out below, featuring the full cast having a blast with the setup. Everyone looks great, and I do have to give a quick nod to Anya Taylor-Joy and her subtle Princess Peach-coded pink top. But the real headline here is that the guys are finally getting in on the method-dressing fun, and honestly, it works way better than it has any right to.

Getting to see some of Hollywood’s guys step into the method dressing space, even in a more relaxed, playful way, feels like a nice change of pace. At the Nintendo Museum stop, Jack Black, who voices Bowser, showed up in a loud flame-print shirt that is about as on-brand as it gets for a fire-breathing villain.

Charlie Day kept things equally on-theme with a perfectly Luigi-coded green-and-striped shirt. Then there’s Chris Pratt, who went a bit more subtle, layering a jacket over a shirt covered in classic Mario characters.

Now, who had the best fit of this crew? Keegan-Michael Key. He was rocking mushroom socks for Toad. No notes. Perfect execution. Plus, we’ve got Donald Glover stepping in as Yoshi, keeping it simple with a cool, clean green look that still gets the point across. It’s low-key, but it works.

Now, let’s be honest, method dressing has mostly been the domain of actresses lately. Think Zendaya channeling Prince for The Drama, or Margot Robbie fully committing to Barbiecore a few years ago and more recently pivoting into Wuthering Heights mode. Even Halle Bailey leaned into Ariel-inspired looks during The Little Mermaid run. It’s become part of the fun, a way to blur the line between actor and character without it feeling like full-on cosplay.

If we’re expanding the Method Dressing Hall of Fame, Lindsay Lohan deserved a spot too. When she was promoting Freakier Friday, she didn’t just dress on theme but leaned fully into nostalgia. From Barbiecore moments to subtle nods to The Parent Trap, she clearly had fun with it, but that lavender dress paired with a guitar-shaped purse at the UK premiere was the standout. It was a direct callback to the original Freaky Friday, hitting that sweet spot where the reference felt obvious but still stylish rather than costume-y.

For years, method dressing has been dominated by women turning press tours into full-on fashion moments. But if this Super Mario Galaxy Movie stop is anything to go by, the guys might finally be catching up, or at least starting to.

The timing couldn’t be better, either. 2026 is a stacked year for gaming moviegoers with upcoming video game adaptations, and this sequel is right at the center of that lineup. Nintendo’s favorite plumber is heading back to the big screen when The Super Mario Galaxy Movie hits theaters on April 1.

Chris Pratt is a funny guy. His comedic timing was on full display when he played Andy on Parks and Recreation, I still think about the dance off from Guardians of the Galaxy, and he’s always been very charming and witty in interviews. However, now we have proof that his team is also very funny, as they pulled a Mario-centric prank on him in the lead-up to the release of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie on the 2026 movie schedule.

At the moment, there’s been a lot of talk about this movie, as they announced that Donald Glover will play Yoshi and fans picked a part new posters for deep-cut details. Meanwhile, the cast appears to be gearing up for their press tour as Pratt posted this hilarious video on his Instagram:

As you can see, Pratt’s team covered him in three different-sized Mario toys while he took a nap. And with each cut, the toys of the character he voices moved around him. By my count, the Marios moved about 26 times during the video. That makes me wonder how long they were at this, and how long the actor’s nap was. Clearly, they were committed to the bit, and I love how many positions they put the video game character in on and around Pratt’s body. (My personal favorite was the one where Mario had his plunger pointed at the actor’s nose, as if he were about to stick it up there.)

The Guardians of the Galaxy actor had a good sense of humor about all this, too. While he threw one of the toys at whoever was filming and had a sarcastic comeback in his caption, he seemed to have fun with this prank, as he wrote:

Now, while Pratt was being a bit moody in his caption, while also being entertained by all this, his wife was pointing out a different detail from the video. Down in the comments, Katherine Schwarzenegger wrote:

Listen, when you’re tired and in need of a nap, anything remotely soft can be a pillow…as this video proves.

All around, despite the caption that makes it seem like Pratt didn’t love this, this was such a wholesome and silly prank. And it got me even more excited for the release of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. I enjoyed the first one, which you can stream with a Peacock subscription, and I’m excited to see the shenanigans the characters pull when they return this spring.

Which, speaking of, that film comes out very soon. The video game adaptation will hit theaters on April 1, so who knows, maybe some more fun pranks and jokes are coming our way between now and then.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time, which makes its sequel, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, one of the most anticipated films on the 2026 movie schedule. We recently got to see the project's first trailer, which revealed a couple of new characters that will join the franchise, but many fans think that there may be more villains yet to be revealed.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie trailer introduced Bowser Jr, voiced by Benny Safdie, who will apparently be the main villain of the story. In the movie, he will try to rescue his father, who is still tiny and imprisoned by Mario and Luigi, but are there other major Mario game characters yet to be revealed?

An Unknown Voice Could Signal Additional Villains For the Super Mario Galaxy Movie

The theory, as summarized by ScreenRant, points to the Megaleg, the giant mechanical monster that the new character Rosalina, voiced by Brie Larson, dispatches in the trailer. The voice of the person piloting the Megaleg does not appear to be Benny Safdie, so if it’s not Bowser Jr. attacking this key character, who is it?

There already seems to be a popular theory among fans that, if the voice isn't that of Bowser Jr., it's likely another important character, one that would also have ties to Bowser. Luckily, there is a character in the Mario video games that fits that description. In fact, there are many of them.

Could The Koopalings Appear In The Super Mario Galaxy Movie?

First introduced in Super Mario Bros. 3, the Koopalings were seven Koopas that Mario had to battle throughout the game. Named Larry, Morton, Wendy, Iggy, Roy, Lemmy, and Ludwig, one was found at the end of each of Super Mario Bros. 3’s worlds as Mario progressed through the game.

The Koopalings have appeared in multiple games throughout the series. One of those titles was Super Mario World, which also included the first appearance of dinosaur Yoshi. The Super Mario Bros. Movie post-credit scene teased that Yoshi would appear in the sequel, and at one point, it was rumored that Super Mario World might be the title of the new film.

Interestingly, in Super Mario Bros. 3, it was said that the seven Koopalings were actually Bowser’s children. In subsequent games, this detail was changed so that Bowser Jr. was Bowser’s only child, and the Koopalings became merely trusted henchmen. Still, that connection, along with the other circumstantial evidence, may make the Koopalings' introduction alongside Bowser Jr. more likely.

There are almost certainly some secrets in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie that the trailer did not reveal. What those are, however, is anybody’s guess. Introducing all the Koopalings alongside Bowser Jr. and Rosalina is certainly a lot of new characters, since we also expect Yoshi to make an appearance, too, but it could certainly happen. We’ll find out when the movie hits theaters next spring.

Arguably the most highly anticipated upcoming video game adaptation that doesn’t focus on street fights or possessed animatronics, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is taking everyone’s favorite Nintendo mascot into the depths of outer space for a celebration turned sour thanks to that dastardly Bowser. And now we have our first big look at the sequel that’s likely destined for a billion-dollar box office when it hits theaters in 2026.

Like a lot of Nintendo enthusiasts, the gamers here at CinemaBlend were pumped when Galaxy was confirmed as the sequel’s focus, in part due to Rosalina’s introduction, and the trailer somehow manages to deliver the same kind of space-faring whimsy that made the original game such a surprising standout for the Wii. Why can’t we have super-cool Star Festivals here on Earth?

The trailer itself is really more of an extended clip with a montage tacked onto it, but I'm not complaining, since it introduces the one, the only, ROSALINA! And not just in a quick and meaningless way, either. We get to see her showing off her powers in a big way, and she even gets to do the action trope of looking completely calm as a gigantic explosion goes off in the background.

The Nintendo Direct showcase revealed not only the trailer itself, but also revealed the newest cast members to the franchise, with an MCU vet and an award-winning director now part of the team.

• Voice of Rosalina: Brie Larson
• Voice of Bowser Jr.: Benny Safdie

Speaking of Bowser Jr., check out the evil offspring with a sweet new color scheme, which seems to be confirmation that this movie will also be bringing in elements from Super Mario Sunshine.

According to Nintendo mastermind Shigeru Miyamoto, the animation team is “weeks away" from wrapping on the finished product, so there shouldn't be any worries about the sequel getting delayed and pushed to later in the year.

What's more, fans can look forward to way more than just Rosalina and Bowser Jr. as far as new faces are concerned. It was also stated during the live broadcast that audiences can look forward to seeing “an incredible range of characters" joining the party, "many for the first time.”

Surprisingly enough, Bowser Jr. isn't just a second banana baddie, either, and it sounds like Jack Black's villain will stay minimized and locked up for the main story here, with his offspring wreaking havoc to save his pops.

Returning for the sequel are Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, and Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek.

In a world full of studio leaks and insider detail drops, Nintendo and Illumination have kept a pretty firm grasp on all of this project’s details and secrets, though in the week before the trailer dropped, licensed snack packaging from Pillsbury was unveiled that gave fans a sneak peek at Yoshi’s new look, which was pretty much absent from the trailer.

The cookies also offered a pretty big hint that Bowser Jr. would be popping up alongside his dear old dad as a secondary antagonist in The Super Mario Bros. Galaxy Movie. And that ended up panning out, so I guess we should just always believe the cookies. The proof is no longer in the pudding.

The Super Mario Bros. Galaxy Movie will blast off into theaters on April 3, 2026.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is one of the most-anticipated sequels on the upcoming 2026 movie slate, as well as one of the most financially viable upcoming video game adaptations. I'm thrilled to see how Illumination will adapt the acclaimed outer space Nintendo Wii games. and am one of many fans already excited to see characters like Princess Rosalina on the big screen. Thanks to a recent leak, it looks like fan-favorite apple chomper Yoshi will indeed be in the mix for the first time.

Yoshi's impending arrival isn't a complete surprise or anything, as the The Super Mario Bros. Movie's post-credit scene showed the dinosaur's egg hatching. It would have been ridiculous to show that without a bulbous-nosed payoff in the next one. Now, thanks to a leaked Pillsbury cookie box promoting the upcoming movie, we have our first idea of what Yoshi will look like, and I'm loving this subtle change.

Yoshi Will Apparently Look A Bit Different For The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

Yoshi was spotted on cookie packaging for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and while he looks mostly the same, there's a key difference in the character's signature big eyes. While the Yoshi from the video games (pictured above) is said to have blue eyes, he's rocking the somewhat bizarre distinction of having a blue pupil inside a black iris. For the movie, those, those colors have been swapped so that he now has a more traditional blue iris around a black pupil, making them better resemble Mario's in that way. It's a welcome change that helps the creature stand out more.

Illumination Has Previously Tweaked The Look Of Classic Nintendo Characters

It's similar to how Illumination has tweaked the looks for various Nintendo characters. Nothing too substantial, as the characters still more or less resemble the more modern designs Nintendo has made for characters. After the first movie, I'd say that Cranky and Donkey Kong received the biggest changes, with the ridges in their faces being more pronounced.

The change to Yoshi's eyes is not too different, although I wonder if making his eyes more similar to Mario's was the intentional purpose. After all, he's supposed to be the hero's dinosaur companion, and I've heard pets often resemble their owners. If that's the case, though, I'm gonna need to see a lot more fuzz on his upper lip.

As we prepare for a new movie with Mario in 2026, Nintendo is already at work on a Legend of Zelda movie. There's even chatter that the grand plan is to ultimately bring all the Nintendo franchises together for a Super Smash Bros. movie, but I'd say we're still a ways out from seeing that happen. I'm excited to see how other Nintendo characters could be adapted to the big screen, and what other changes and tweaks may be made.

Catch The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in theaters on April 3rd, 2026. It's one of many gamer-friendly movies on the way, so be sure to check out what's coming up.

Nintendo has been behind beloved video games for decades, but now the company had expanded into the movie space. Illumination's The Super Mario Bros. Movie brought game-accurate characters to the big screen, and is one of the best video game movies in recent memory. It's sequel The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is already on the way, and a new rumor claims that an entire shared universe might be coming together. And that includes its own Avengers-esque crossover event.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a billion-dollar hit in theaters, and can currently be re-watched with an Amazon Prime subscription. Following the sequel announcement and chatter about a Donkey Kong movie, a report from scooper MTTSH claims that that a full cinematic universe is being formed. And after Luigi's Mansion, Donkey Kong, and Princess Peach films the characters will all collide in a giant Super Smash Bros. event. I don't know if this is legit, but now I really hope it is.

The Super Smash Bros. franchise dates back to 1999, and is a fighting game full of video game characters from Nintendo's catalogue. So if the studio is trying to build up to an Aveengers-level crossover, it makes sense that Smash would be the way to do it.

We should probably take this report with a grain of salt for the time being, and look to some official news from Nintendo and/or Illumination. Right now the only future title that's been officially confirmed is The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which will presumably bring the character Rosalina into the fray. So even if the aforementioned titles are in early development, it'll presumably be years before we see them on the big screen.

If a cinematic universe is formed and Super Smash Bros. movie is being planned for an Avengers-style event, I have one big question: does this mean other characters from Nintendo lore could appear? That is what the games are based on; seeing Mario and his friends fight the likes of Pikachu, Star Fox, Metroid's Samus, and more. This would be a thrilling concept for gamers, although I have to wonder if it would be less appealing to casual fans. After all, The Super Mario Bros. Movie was made to be family- friendly.

Additionally, I have to wonder about the possible legal troubles into making a Smash movie thats accurate to the games. While the characters all come from Nintendo games, there are different artists involved in each title. Would they each have to sign off for a crossover to happen? My head is spinning at just the thought of it.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will hit theaters on April 3rd as part of the 2026 movie release list. Hopefully we get information about whether or not this shared universe is happening sooner rather than later.

Nostalgia affects us in strange ways. It can change the way we remember our childhoods. It can change the way we see people. I can even change the way we see movies. Looking back on all the great ‘90s kids movies, there are quite a few that are objectively bad or downright awful, but those of us who grew up watching them will defend them until the day we die.

Whether it’s something like Hook, Dennis the Menace, or even the first Super Mario Bros. Movie, here are 32 kids movies from the ‘90s I still like no matter what…

The Little Rascals (1994)

I was six when The Little Rascals came out in theaters, so I was pretty much the target audience for this revamp of the classic TV show of the same name. I’ve watched it countless times since then, and while there are some issues with the 1994 movie, it’s still a blast from the past. This was especially true when I introduced it to my kids.

Rookie Of The Year (1993)

My dad took me to see Rookie of the Year, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. A kid getting to pitch for the Chicago Cubs? Sign me up! A lot of things don’t add up in this iconic ‘90s kids sports movie; the dialogue is rough, and the acting is even worse, but it did give us “Funky Butt-Loving.”

Dennis The Menace (1993)

Dennis the Menace, the 1993 movie bringing the beloved comic strip character to the big screen, is not a great movie. It’s not even a good movie. However, I can’t sit here and act like I don’t have a soft spot for it, even iif it’s just because of the way Christopher Lloyd eats apples with knife.

Camp Nowhere (1994)

Camp Nowhere is one of those ‘90s movies I completely forgot about until much later in life. I think I watched it at a friend’s birthday party in the second grade, and had a great time watching it. Yeah, it’s a little much at times, but not enough to ruin the experience.

Hook (1991)

You know, I didn’t realize people didn’t like Hook until a few years ago. I spent most of my life thinking that this 1991 Steven Spielberg film (either my first or second theater experience) was universally beloved. Though there are some serious issues with this film, it’s hard not to get carried away by the wonder and joy of this fantasy adventure.

Super Mario Bros. (1993)

When it comes to faithful adaptations of video games, the 1993 live-action Super Mario Bros. movie is about as bad as it gets. However, this bonkers movie starring Bob Hoskins as the iconic plumber and Dennis Hopper as Bowser has such a distinct style that it’s hard to overlook. Is it good? No. Will I watch it again? You know it.

Little Big League (1994)

There are so many things that don’t make sense when it comes to Little Big League. How MLB would let a child hold a majority stake in a team and then let him coach said team is beyond me. However, this movie has Ken Griffey Jr. and Randy Johnson in the final act, and that’s still cool 30-plus years later.

Problem Child (1990)

Problem Child is essentially a zanier and less scary version of The Good Son. The tone is all over the place, Junior is a diabolical force of evil, and the shenanigans in this movie are too much. That said, if this is on when I’m flipping channels, I’m going to watch.

Angels In The Outfield (1994)

Is Angels in the Outfield a silly, predictable, and arguably preposterous movie? Yes to all three. However, this 1994 baseball flick has a lot going for it. With four Oscar winners (no, not for this movie), an oddly dark turn at the end, and some great physical comedy, this is a wild ride.

Man Of The House (1995)

Not to be confused with the similarly titled movie starring Tommy Lee Jones, Man of the House came out in 1995 and sees a young boy (played by Jonathan Taylor Thomas) go to war with his mom’s boyfriend (played by Chevy Chase). I went back and watched this with my kids a few years ago to see if it still holds up. It doesn’t, but it was a fun trip down memory lane.

George Of The Jungle (1997)

George of the Jungle, a movie that made a killing at the box office, is nothing to write home about. However, I can’t lie to you all and say that I don’t like the 1997 comedy’s fourth-walling-breaking nature or all that physical comedy. I don’t know if I would like this movie now if I didn’t see it as a kid, but again, nostalgia.

Air Bud (1996)

As much as it pains me to say this, I still like Air Bud after all these years. Am I going to watch this over other ‘90s sports movies? No, probably not. However, if I want to disconnect and show my kids an okay-at-best sports flick starring a dog that can play basketball, this is it.

Honey, I Blew Up The Kid (1992)

When I first got a Disney+ subscription, I watched Honey, Blew Up the Kid with my daughter, and she loved it. I mean she LOVED it. It got her off a days-long Frozen 2 binge with that massive toddler destroying the Las Vegas Strip. Though we both loved it, this isn’t a good movie. But does that really matter with a spectacle like this?

Jungle 2 Jungle (1997)

Tim Allen was on top of the world when Jungle 2 Jungle came out. He was between Toy Story movies, the star of one of the top-rated sitcoms on TV, and putting out hit movie after hit movie. Though this 1997 family comedy isn’t the comedian’s best movie, it’s still a fun, and shockingly heartwarming father-son story that I can’t hate on too much.

Suburban Commando (1991)

There have been a ton of great movies starring wrestlers over the years, but Suburban Commando is not one of them. This 1991 comedy starring the late Hulk Hogan as an intergalactic mercenary trapped on Earth is actually about as bad as it gets. Despite that, this is a movie that I still like to watch all these years later.

3 Ninjas (1992)

3 Ninjas is a wildly fun movie despite being a complete and utter mess. With more plot holes than anyone can count, scenes that make no sense, and some awful characters, there’s a lot to hate. However, I watched this with my kids and quickly remembered just how much fun you can have watching a bad movie.

First Kid (1996)

I watched First Kid so many times growing up, and probably racked up some massive Blockbuster late fees for my parents because of it. And while this 1996 movie starring Sinbad as a hapless Secret Service agent protecting the President’s kid probably doesn’t hold up, that inner-kid in me can’t get enough of the hijinks throughout this slapstick comedy.

Blank Check (1994)

Blank Check is a fundamentally flawed movie when it comes to the value of the dollar in 1994, tax laws, and that whole scene where a grown woman kisses a pre-teen boy who’s madly in love with her. But let me tell you, watching this is like opening a time capsule from the early-to-mid ‘90s. The style, the toys, the technology, all of it.

Richie Rich (1994)

My grandma took me to see Richie Rich, and I walked out wanting a McDonald’s in my house and a rollercoaster in my backyard. Neither came true, and I think this movie isn’t as good as I remember it all those years ago. However, this is another one of those not-so-good ‘90s movies that I’ll watch if its streaming somewhere.

Ladybugs (1992)

I had a friend who was obsessed with Ladybugs growing up, and we watched this 1992 Rodney Dangerfield movie about a guy making his stepson dress up like a girl to play soccer way too many times. Looking back, this is an awful movie that should be erased from the collective consciousness, but can I watch it one more time before it’s gone forever?

Inspector Gadget (1998)

The Matthew Broderick-led Inspector Gadget is a movie that shouldn’t work, and judging by its Rotten Tomatoes score, the 1998 live-action adaptation of a classic cartoon didn’t (critics and audiences both hate it). Despite this, I’ve always had a fondness for this wacky, dated, and forgettable movie.

Mr. Nanny (1993)

There’s a scene early on in Mr. Nanny where Hulk Hogan’s character is riding a motorcycle, and you can see a random guy throwing a dog in the water behind him. I don’t know how that made the final cut, but it’s one of the reasons I love this totally terrible kids movie.

The Big Green (1995)

The Big Green could be seen as Disney cashing in on the kids sports movie boom of the ‘90s or even The Sandlot (both feature Patrick Renna in major roles). It’s not original, it’s predictable, and it’s forgettable. However, whenever I watch it, I just start calling people Deputy Dog all day.

Ernest Scared Stupid (1991)

I am obsessed with Ernest movies, no matter how good or how bad they may be. This is why I can never hate on Ernest Scared Stupid, one of my childhood favorites. Yeah, it’s nowhere as good as Ernest Goes to Camp, but that’s a top-tier comedy that’s better than pretty much everything else released in the ‘80s.

Houseguest (1995)

Houseguest didn’t do anything original when it came to its plot – a con man on the run from the mob hides out with an unsuspecting family whom he’s also conning – but the pairing of Sinband and the late Phil Hartman just works on so many levels. It’s not a good movie, but you don’t have to be good to be funny.

A Kid In King Arthur's Court (1995)

If you didn’t know any better, you’d think A Kid In King Arthur’s Court was a sequel to Rookie of the Year since both star Thomas Ian Nicholas as a baseball player in the early-to-mid ‘90s. Though nowhere as good as his 1993 sports comedy, the young actor’s 1995 fantasy film is way funnier than critics would make you think.

We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story (1994)

It seems like there were so many dinosaur movies in theaters in the years following the massive success of Jurassic Park. One that is often overlooked is We’re Back! A Dinosaur's Story. Released in 1994, this animated adventure is more fun than it has any right to be, especially considering it’s not really that great.

Jack Frost (1998)

I’ll admit, Jack Frost is a terrible movie that is the stuff of which nightmares are made. However, there’s something so campy and earnest about this 1998 family comedy following a boy who connects with a snowman containing his dead dad’s soul. It’s one of those weird Michael Keaton movies after he stopped playing Batman but before his big resurgence, and I’m here for it.

Good Burger (1997)

My mom took my brothers and me to see Good Burger the summer it came out, and I guess we had two completely different experiences. The three of us loved this All That movie starring Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell, but my mom was not about it. Like, at all. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that my mom was right, but I just can’t get this up.

Flipper (1996)

Flipper has a scene where Paul London’s character opens a coconut with his two fingers, and that’s about the best thing that happens in this 1996 movie. This movie is a total dud, but that scene gets me so amped up whenever this is on.

Leave It To Beaver (1998)

When I first saw the Leave It to Beaver trailer as a kid, I thought Christopher McDonald was going to be the villain since I basically only knew him from Happy Gilmore. Though I was disappointed to see him as the less-evil Ward Cleaver in this 1997 adaptation of the classic TV show, I’ve never been disappointed by this movie, despite it being an obvious cash-grab.

Small Soldiers (1998)

My godfather bought me a copy of Small Soldiers when I had my tonsils removed in the fifth grade, and I couldn’t get enough of this movie. Though it’s not as great as the 1991 action thriller Toy Soldiers, this kid-friendly action flick is nowhere near as bad as some make it out to be.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a massive hit, making an eventual sequel all but assured. While that follow-up movie was officially announced shortly after the original film’s billion-dollar success, it wasn’t until last week that we learned what the new movie would be called. The fact that the sequel will be called The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has fans excited, as it would seem to indicate the debut of at least one major franchise character. And the fan casting for the voice has already begun.

Super Mario Galaxy, the game that inspired the title of the new film, introduced the character of Rosalina, a mysterious woman who protects the galaxy and specifically cares for star creatures called Lumas. The title of the movie all but assures that Rosalina will be a major part of the movie, which then leads to the obvious question. Asked on Twitter by Pop Crave, who voice her? Fans have thoughts, including…

• It'll be Sabrina Carpenter - @feelineboy
• Emma Stone brings the right mix of elegance and edge for her. - @SirTopiano
• Hear me out…. Elle fanning or Hunter Schafer - @thecheeries
• Emily Blunt. She's got an elegant and lovely voice that would fit Rosalina. - @liamphibia

There are certainly some intriguing options here. While most fans are seemingly focused on a younger actress, due to the fact that the Super Mario Galaxy Movie is animated, there’s no reason somebody like Emily Blunt couldn’t do the part justice. Hunter Schafer is an interesting choice for a Mario movie, considering many were hoping she’d be cast as Zelda in the forthcoming Legend of Zelda movie. It seems some fans think she belongs in the Nintendo family somewhere.

In addition to these names, Ariana Grande and Margot Robbie are among the top candidates based on suggestions on social media, and none of these are bad ideas. Much like the rest of the characters in the Mario video game franchise, the actual speaking the character of Rosalina does is kept to a minimum, so the door is left open for almost anybody.

Beyond that, as the first Super Mario Bros. Movie proved, the film doesn’t need to go in an obvious direction. Chris Pratt wasn’t exactly the name that anybody was expecting to voice Mario. The character went from having a cartoonishly Italian accent in the games to sounding like, well…Chris Pratt. That said, Pratt’s performance worked perfectly fine. It does indicate, however, that the voice of Rosalina, assuming it is happening, could honestly be anybody.

With The Super Mario Galaxy Movie already in production ahead of an April 2026 release date, it’s a safe bet that if Rosalina is in the film, she’s already been cast, and the name is simply being kept back for a later announcement. The post-credits scene of the first movie also indicated the new film will introduce Yoshi, but that’s still more confirmation that we’ll have to wait to know for sure.

Adapting video games for the big screen can be difficult, but that particular subgenre has had some success in recent years. One of the best video game movies is arguably The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which hit over a billion dollars at the box office. A sequel title was just revealed, and it looks like my favorite Nintendo character to play as is headed to the big screen: Rosalina.

This news comes to us from the latest Nintendo Directs, which offers updates about games, movies and more. During the video it was revealed that The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 will actually be an adaptation of the iconic game Mario Galaxy games. Check out the announcement clip below:

Well, this is thrilling. The Mario Galaxy games were wildly popular, introducing new gaming mechanics to everyone's favorite plumber. This cosmic property also introduced Rosalina, who has magical abilities and lives within/takes care of the stars. Since her debut back in 2007 she's become a playable character in titles like Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros. and Mario Party. I'm psyched to see her on the big screen, and eager to know who might voice the fan favorite character. Hopefully we get more information about this sooner rather than later.

Of course, Rosalina hasn't technically been confirmed for the movie just yet. But since Super Mario Galaxy introduced her to the world, it seems pretty logical. She was on the to of my list of Mario characters that needed to join the movies, so I'm eager to see how she'll change things up.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (which is streaming now with an Amazon Prime subscription) kept its list of characters pretty tight, with the movie focusing on Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, and Donkey Kong... as well Bowser and his underlings. The movie's credits scene teased Yoshi's arrival, but now it looks like we'll be going into space for the next adventure.

If/when Rosalina joins The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, it would mark the first time she and Peach have shared a scene together. While they're both playable characters in various Nintendo games, they haven't interacted in projects like Galaxy or Odyssey.

Anya Taylor-Joy's Princess Peach was the only female character in the first movie, so some Nintendo fans have definitely been hoping to see the sequel bring in others like Daisy, Rosalina, Pauline, or Toadette. The above teaser didn't actually confirm Rosalina's appearance, but most Nintendo fans are likely assuming the same thing. Hopefully we get more information from Illumination and Nintendo soon.

All will be revealed when The Super Mario Galaxy Movie hits theaters April 3 as part of the 2026 movie release list. Given how soon this date is, I have to assume that the folks have been working on the sequel for some time before this announcement. Now give us the first look at Rosalina, you cowards!

A lot of people talk trash about the first video game movie, 1993's Super Mario Bros., but not enough people talk smack about the second video game movie, 1994's Double Dragon.

But, while some people have reevaluated the first Super Mario Bros. film and are now on its defense force (such as myself), I don't think I've ever seen anybody saying that they would die on the hill defending Double Dragon, and I think I know why.

It's because it sucks. And, I don't mean in a so-bad-it's-kinda-good sort of way like Mortal Kombat Annihilation. I mean, bad to the point of being forgettable. And, as a game/movie historian, I don't want people to forget about it. So, that's why I want to talk about Double Dragon today…even though it's awful.

First, The Post-Apocalyptic Setting In Double Dragon Is Nowhere Near As Interesting As The Setting Found In Super Mario. Bros.

A distinct art style is important. Even the first Street Fighter movie, which also came out in ‘94 (has its fans, for sure), had a distinct style. Art direction matters, and it can even elevate the worst movies to being somewhat interesting.

So, do you want to know what the first Mario Bros. movie did? It ripped off Blade Runner. As a kid, I hated this, but as an adult, it's one of the things that stands out the most for me. Dinohattan had a weird, cyberpunk aesthetic, and I applaud them for going that route, even though it looks NOTHING like the games.

Well, Double Dragon takes place in the far-off year of…2007, and earthquakes have ravaged Los Angeles. This has turned the city into New Angeles, and it's post-apocalyptic. However, it's not so in an interesting way, like the Mad Max movies. Instead, station wagons have computer monitors and rocket boosters, the gangs rule the streets, and people have mohawks.

Honestly, it looks more punk rock than anything else. The Mario Bros. movie did a far better job of showing a messed-up world. So, yeah, Dinohattan, memorable. New Angeles, not so much.

Abobo Is Nightmare Fuel

Now, Double Dragon isn't Street Fighter. In fact, they're not even in the same genre. Street Fighter’s a fighting game, and Double Dragon is what's considered a beat ‘em up. And, in beat ‘em ups, the characters walk around and just beat people up until they reach the end boss…and then beat them up, too.

In this way, beat ‘em ups typically have less memorable characters than fighting games. Well, if there's any character besides Billy and Jimmy Lee in the Double Dragon series that people likely know about, it’s Abobo, who’s one of the bosses in the Double Dragon games.

So, of course, they included him in the movie, but oh, my God. Look how they massacred my boy. He’s hideous! Now, yes, this is to make you sympathize with the character, as the main villain, Koga Shuko (Played by Robert Patrick, who I loved in The Marine, but hate in this), turned him into this monstrosity. But still! He looks terrible!

I mean, does he look as bad as the goombas in the Super Mario Bros. movie? It’s definitely debatable. But, whereas I find the goombas kind of cute with their silly grins, I just can’t get over how bad Abobo looks, especially when compared to how cool he looks in the games. Yuck.

The Two Lead Actors Are No Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo, That’s For Sure

Look, I’m well aware that a lot of people (besides the actor himself) didn’t think John Leguizamo played a great Luigi, but since I like Leguizamo in everything, I was happy that he played the role. The same goes for Bob Hoskins as Mario. I was a huge Who Framed Roger Rabbit fan at the time of SMB’s release, so I had no problem with him playing Mario.

And Dennis Hopper? Absolutely! Sure, he’s a weird King Koopa, but everything about the movie is weird, so that wasn’t really a huge deal for me. In every way, I think those actors actually elevate the movie rather than bring it down. Double Dragon doesn’t have that luxury, though. Party of Five’s Scott Wolf plays the hero, Billy Lee, and Brotherhood of the Wolf’s Mark Dacascos plays his brother, Jimmy.

No offense to either actor, but they ain’t Bob Hoskins or John Leguizamo, that’s for sure. And even though I love Robert Patrick, he’s no Dennis Hopper. The only star this movie got who I would say is superior to anybody in the Super Mario Bros. film is Alyssa Milano, who (and I just learned this today) actually plays the woman who’s kidnapped at the beginning of the first game.

She plays a resistance leader in the movie, which is way different from the game (and better), but there are a LOT of differences between the game and the movie, which I’ll get into next.

Plus, The Movie Effectively Expanded The Lore Of The Video Games…But Not In A Good Way

Beat ‘em ups aren’t typically known for their riveting stories. Sure, fighting games aren’t, either, but they typically have more of a narrative. Whether it's Zangief dancing with Gorbachev, or Kazuya smiling after dropping his dad off a ledge, fighting games like Street Fighter and Tekken already have lore built into them, so movies typically have plenty of source material to work with.

However, beat ‘em ups like Double Dragon are a lot more simplistic, and that’s fine. You’re not there for the story. You’re there to hit the punch button hundreds of times. For example, in the first DD game, your girlfriend is punched in the stomach, and then kidnapped. That’s it. Obviously, the movie couldn’t just go with that, but they went WAY overboard with the lore, expanding it way too far.

The movie is about two half-medallions that, when combined, give the wearers special powers, which, um, okay. However, following the movie, the franchise got really weird. We got an animated series that featured the brothers fighting a Shadow Master. We got a weird fighting game, and we even got a Neo Geo title based on the movie.

But all of these new narratives made a once-simplistic story into something with too much lore. And, I blame the movie for this. I mean, at least the Mario Bros. movie is as far away from the games as possible. The Double Dragon movie seemed to have spilled into the games with its expansion of the lore, which also sucks, because the lore is not good!

Lastly, It’s Mostly Forgettable, Which Is The Worst Thing About It

I once ranked the best video game movies, and while Mortal Kombat made the cut (And the original Mario Bros. movie made the cut PRIOR to the 2023 animated film, which knocked the ‘93 movie off my list), Double Dragon did not. Here's the thing: it wasn’t even close to making it.

Yeah, whereas I debated if I wanted to put Street Fighter or one of the Resident Evil movies on the list, I didn’t even consider Double Dragon. And, do you know why? It’s because I often forget that it even exists.

Because Double Dragon’s biggest sin is that it’s not memorable. In fact, I always forget about it until I tick off every video game movie in my head that I’ve seen, and then I remember, “Oh, yeah. There’s a Double Dragon movie!” Which is why I wrote this article. Because I forgot about it, and I don’t want you to forget about it, too.

Have you even seen it? If you have, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

While movies based off video games have had a checkered history, the subgenre has been on a bit of a roll lately. Arguably one of the best video game movies is 2023's The Super Mario Bros. Movie (which is streaming now with an Amazon Prime subscription). While fans wait for a sequel, some fan art imagined Anya Taylor-Joy's Princess Peach in her original character design. And I gotta say it's pretty cool.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a billion dollar hit, so an animated sequel seems all but inevitable. While fans wonder which Nintendo characters will appear in the sequel, they're also imagining alternate designs for the ones that did appear in the first movie. Case in point: the following tweet where Peach is given a look more akin to her early appearances. Check it out below:

I mean, how cool is that? While Peach looked super accurate to her modern look for Nintendo games, this would have given her a retro feel for those OG fans. That includes a deeper complexion, red hair, and a different color dress. On a quick glance, gamers might think that she actually looks more like Daisy than the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom. Speaking of which, Daisy had better be in the second Super Mario Bros. movie or I'm going to be super bummed.

What we know about The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 extremely limited, which is why fans are filling in the blanks with theories, rumors, and fan art. Most recently, it appeared like Donkey Kong might be getting a spinoff, but the studio hasn't confirmed or denied these reports. Clearly there's a ton of hype around the burgeoning franchise, thanks to the generations of Nintendo fans who are eager to see elements of the beloved games adapted for the big screen. Truly, it felt like the first movie was just cracking the surface of the decades-long lore.

It would definitely be fun to see the upcoming kids movie, especially since so many adults are invested in Super Mario Bros. 2. Knowing this, I wouldn't be surprised if there was extra jokes, content, or even character designs that might be specifically geared towards its adult audience. I mean, imagine if Princess Peach and the gang ended up in 8-bit form at some point in the sequel? Hey, I'm just spitballing here.

Anya Taylor-Joy's pink-clad character seems like a guarantee to return for the sequel, although there are some lingering questions about her. Namely, how where Peach came from and how she ended up in the Mushroom Kingdom to begin with.

As previously mentioned, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is streaming on Amazon Prime. The sequel isn't on the 2025 movie release list, as it's expected to hit April 3, 2026.

Movies based off of video games have had a checkered past in the movie business, with a number of failed projects arriving over the years. Some of the best video game movies arrived recently, and chief among them is Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic's The Super Mario Bros. Movie (which is streaming now with an Amazon Prime subscription). While we wait for news about a sequel, it looks like a beloved Nintendo character might be getting a spinoff.

The first Super Mario Bros. Movie was a billion dollar hit, and fans immediately started asking for a sequel. After all, there's a huge catalogue of characters that didn't get to appear yet. One that did make an impact was Seth Rogen's Donkey Kong, and it's rumored that he might be getting his own movie. Online public records indicate that Nintendo and Universal have applied for an "Untitled Donkey Kong Project", which will be a full motion picture. Does that mean a spinoff is happening?

We should probably take this with a grain of salt for the time being. The process of developing a DK movie could take years, and things could go wrong along the way. Plenty of projects sit in development hell before never being made, so it's probably best not to get one's hopes up until we hear from the studios. Still, it's a hopeful sign for those looking to dive back into this burgeoning animated franchise.

What we know about The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 is super limited, and there's been no real updates about its story or release date. Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto indicated that development was active, but didn't share much more than that. So perhaps Illumination is seeking both a sequel and a spinoff, creating a bonafide trilogy in the process. Given how well the first movie did, this makes a ton of sense.

Seth Rogen's Donkey Kong was a definitely scene-stealer throughout the first Super Mario Bros. movie. And with a the big guy getting a new game on the Nintendo Switch 2 called Donkey Kong Bananza and a Universal ride Mine-Cart Madness it seems like the perfect time for Nintendo and Illumination to lean into his iconography with a spinoff. We'll just have to wait and see if any official word is given by the studios or Rogen himself.

Animated blockbusters like The Super Mario Bros. Movie usually take years to bring together, so moviegoers are going to be patient when waiting on a sequel and/or the possible DK spinoff. While there's no new titles on the 2025 movie release list, Nintendo continues to be a beloved IP, one with multigenerational appeal. So returning to this new franchise seems like simply a matter of time.

No doubt about it, The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a massive hit, boasting the kind of success where fans were instantly clamouring for sequels. We know that a follow-up movie is in development, but what we don’t know is…literally anything else about it. Very few details about The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 have come to light, but Illumination and Nintendo recently spoke out about the project, and Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto got my attention.

Nintendo recently held its 2025 Shareholders' meeting, and the topic of the next Mario movie came up during the presentation. Illumination Animation studio head Chris Meledandri was on hand and said (via GamesRadar) that teams are currently working on a sequel that is aiming to capture an even bigger audience than the first film. According to Meledandri:

The idea that the sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie could captivate consumers who have not previously embraced Mario and Nintendo is honestly a pretty aggressive goal, considering the first movie made $1.3 billion at the global box office. The original film certainly found a quite significant audience, it’s almost hard to believe that there’s anybody who didn’t see the first film.

Of course, Nintendo has done a lot to expand the audience for its products in recent years. The first movie alone did a lot of that, but we also had the recent opening of Epic Universe at Universal Orlando Resort, which included Super Nintendo World, which may be the single most popular part of the brand-new theme park. Likely, new people are experiencing Nintendo for the first time, who might check out the new movie when it arrives.

Of course, fans are likely still curious just what the next Super Mario Bros. Movie will actually be about. Nobody is saying anything yet, but Mario’s daddy, Shigeru Miyamoto, is teasing fans with whatever the story is saying:

There isn’t a lot that we know for sure about the new movie. Voice of Toad, Keegan-Michael Key, has called the sequel “broader in scope,” which fits with the sequel’s rumored title being Super Mario World. The only hint that the first movie gave us was a post-credits scene that included a Yoshi egg, seemingly confirming Mario’s dinosaur pal will play a role in the next movie.

With a release date in April of 2026 on the horizon, it likely won’t be too much longer before we start to get some official details about the Mario Bros. movie sequel. We’ll likely even see our first trailer before the end of the year.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is gearing up for a sequel, and there's been no shortage of theories about what it will tackle. We here have theorized about Super Mario Galaxy as a potential inspiration, for example, but it looks like an earlier and more fitting Nintendo game may be inspiring the follow-up, at least if we can believe that the allegedly leaked title of Super Mario World is legitimate.

The supposed reveal comes from @Wario64, which noted NBCUniversal issued a press release that listed a selection of of movie titles that will be available post-theatrical-release with a Peacock subscription, with "Super Mario World" among those noted. The release was later edited with the title removed, so we don't know for sure if Super Mario World was accidentally leaked because of the title reveal, or if that was just a working title.

At this point, neither NIntendo nor Universal appear to have commented publicly on the matter to clarify anything, but it's worth noting that the press release also noted "Shrek" and "Minions" as being part of films set to stream in the future, and those titles were also removed. One can assume that those were stand-ins for the impending fifth Shrek film and Minions sequel, which perhaps speaks to the notion that Super Mario World's tentative.

Either way, I'm excited and ready to speculate if it is, and wonder if these key characters will be a part of the movie.

Will Yoshi Play A Big Part In The Sequel?

Super Mario World is a great video game for the sequel movie to reference, because it opens the door to Mario meeting up with his beloved dinosaur sidekick Yoshi. Considering the character was teased in the post-credit scene of the first movie, I don't think anyone is surprised he'll appear.

That said, I think the post credit scene paired along with this alleged title potentially means that the next movie could give Yoshi and maybe more of his kind a bigger spotlight. I'd love to see that, and honestly, I really hope it would lead to an adaptation of Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. That would require a Baby Mario and Baby Luigi to exist though, and considering we see Yoshi hatch after his future partner is a full grown adult, I don't see that happening.

Bowser's Koopalings Were Big Characters In The Super Mario World Game

Another big thing about the Super Mario World game is that while Bowser is the primary villain, he gets a lot of help from his Koopalings. Readers may be familiar with his son Bowser Jr., but there are similar young Koopas who aid in the big bad's efforts, even if they're only noted as being Bowser's children depending on which Nintendo game is being played. They are named below:

• Iggy
• Wendy
• Larry
• Morton
• Roy
• Lemmy
• Ludwig

I would love to see Bowser (and Jack Black's) viral cash cow hit "Peaches" performed with all his Koopalings. Do I think it will happen? The only reason I feel like it could be is because the movie title is allegedly Super Mario World, and those characters are in the original Super Nintendo game. Bowser didn't mention any children or underlings like the Koopalings in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, so it's possible that they don't exist in this film universe.

And to state it again, we don't know whether this movie is actually called Super Mario World. That said, Keegan-Michael Key's quotes on the sequel last year seem to hint that Universal accidentally let the cat out of the bag here. Whatever the title may be, this movie remains at the top of my list for my most anticipated movies that are video game adaptations, and I can't wait to see it opening weekend.

The follow-up to The Super Mario Bros. Movie is coming out in 2026. I'm sure we'll get a lot more information on the movie before that, so keep with CinemaBlend for more updates on which characters may appear, and if there are any other surprises in store.

Epic Universe doesn’t officially open at Universal Orlando until May 22nd, but a theme park is only really officially a theme park after some visitors are ushered in and some kinks have been worked out. CinemaBlend’s own Dirk Libbey was already able to check out some glorious experiences at the brand new park, and found them delightful. And some of the cutest experiences are already being teased on TikTok and elsewhere. Which brings me to Super Nintendo World.

Of all of the cute TikToks to come out of the new theme park experience, I’m super jazzed about this adorable video from Arce_lens featuring Toad shuffling around like he has no care in the world. It’s a mood.

The whole thing is so memorable it’s no wonder others wanted to express how cute the video is. More than 1.6 million views of the clip have happened at the time of this writing, with many of the comments mirroring exactly how I felt when this little video tugged at my heart.

• HIS LITTLE JUMPS HELPPPPP IM CRYING
• Stop he’s so adorable
• I have found my dream job
• I think I’d cry if I saw him in person
• Nobody puts toad in a corner

Listen, dancing characters have been a big part of the Universal parks for a long time. I’ve personally danced with Minions before. I’ve danced to pop music with the cast of Sing (a phenomenon Reese Witherspoon once experienced in theaters as well). I’ve shimmied a little while watching some Suess characters shake their groove thing (yeah yeah). But you’re telling me there’s a chance I can shimmy with TOAD?! This is a game changer.

Apparently, Toad’s been up to these antics at Universal Studios Hollywood for a while (that theme park opened its Super Nintendo World in 2023 to great reviews), but your girl has not been out to California in a couple of years and somehow missed the boat on this. There are other TikToks of Toad getting a little fed up with dancing, too, so I guess your bandwidth will vary depending on when you visit and what the circumstance is.

But if you're saying there's a chance, I'm all in on trying to catch Toad in action at Epic Universe.

As for the new theme park section, you can meet Toad at the Say Hello to Mario and Friends encounter in Super Nintendo World (as well as in merch throughout the park). Other listed characters include Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Donkey Kong, though I’ve heard Peach has her own gazebo in which to greet fans and Mario and Luigi hang out on a platform in the middle of the land, where Toad also likes to frequent. Things could change as the park officially opens, and we can’t wait to be there every step of the way.

Some of the most extraordinary performances in movie or TV history have seen the actor completely disappear into a role, not only changing their appearance but also adopting a voice almost entirely different from their own. Take a look at some of the most impressive voice alterations that an actor took on to perfect their unique portrayal of a now iconic character (or characters).

Robert De Niro (Cape Fear)

One thing that makes the 1991 remake of Cape Fear one of the most amusing Martin Scorsese/Robert De Niro collaborations is the actor's approach to playing Max Cady. The Academy Award-winning Italian-American dons a thick, over-the-top Southern accent but is still no less chilling as the sadistic, recently released convict seeking revenge on the defense attorney (Nick Nolte) who put him away.

Lupita Nyong'o (Us)

One of the scariest modern horror movie villains is Red (Lupita Nyong'o) from writer and director Jordan Peele's 2019 sophomore feature, Us. The Academy Award winner brilliantly differentiates the vengeful, "tethered" person from her above-ground double, Adelaide, and gives her an even more unsettling presence, with a raspy voice inspired by a condition called spasmodic dysphonia, which inhibits airflow and is commonly a symptom of traumatic experiences.

Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

As he would with any other role, Daniel Day-Lewis went to great lengths to become the sixteenth President of the United States for his Oscar-winning performance in Steven Spielberg's 2012 biopic, Lincoln. He even made sure to match Honest Abe's voice, which was high-pitched and reedy (according to the Library of Congress), as opposed to the low bellow many previous portrayals mistakenly attempted.

Mel Blanc (Looney Tunes)

To this day, it is almost shocking to learn that most of the original Looney Tunes characters were brought to life by just one actor. Until he passed away in 1989, Mel Blanc provided the diverse voices of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, and plenty more favorites under the Warner Bros. animation umbrella.

Austin Butler (Elvis)

The key to portraying Elvis Presley is nailing his distinct Southern drawl, which Austin Butler went to great lengths to perfect when he was cast as the influential musician in Baz Luhrmann's 2022 biopic. The work he put into the voice seemed to have a lasting effect on the actor, whom audiences could not help but notice continued to speak in the same accent during public appearances.

Seth MacFarlane (Various)

In addition to being one of the creative forces behind two of TV's longest-running hit animated shows for grown-ups, Seth MacFarlane is also responsible for bringing many of their most important characters to life. He voices Peter, Stewie, and Quagmire on Family Guy and plays Stan and Roger on American Dad – all of whom require him to be completely unrecognizable, while Family Guy's Brian is no different from his real voice.

Catherine O’Hara (Schitt's Creek)

What makes Moira Rose (Catherine O'Hara) one of the funniest characters on Schitt's Creek is the way she pronounces certain words with her over-the-top, posh accent. Classic examples include "baby" (beh-beh) and "enchiladas" (ahn-chuh-lah-dahs).

Jim Carrey (How The Grinch Stole Christmas)

It is still sometimes hard to believe that it is Jim Carrey playing the title role in Ron Howard's live-action adaptation of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas from 2000. Not only is he covered head-to-toe with green skin and matching fur in the Christmas movie classic but the comedic mastermind disguises his voice with an accent that earned comparisons to Sean Connery, as he told Entertainment Weekly.

Eddie Murphy (Coming To America)

Eddie Murphy started a career staple of playing multiple roles in the same movie with 1988's Coming to America. He dons an African accent to play Prince Akeem and brings his voice to higher octaves as Randy Watson and Clarence, but he undergoes the most intensive alteration of both his appearance and voice when playing elderly barber shop patron, Saul.

Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)

The Dark Knight is a superhero movie that won Oscars for Sound Editing and for Heath Ledger's astonishing, transformative performance as The Joker. No matter how many times you watch Christopher Nolan's acclaimed 2008 sequel to Batman Begins, it is always shocking to hear that wheezy, menacing voice coming from the late Australian actor.

Dan Castellaneta (The Simpsons)

If you have ever seen any of comedian Dan Castellaneta's live-action acting credits, it might shock you to learn that his most famous role is Homer Simpson. However, the Simpsons cast member provides the voice of plenty more characters than the infantile, Duff-swilling family man, including Grampa Simpson, Krusty the Clown, and Groundskeeper Willie.

Bill Skarsgård (Nosferatu)

Bill Skarsgård is no stranger to dramatically altering his appearance and his voice for the sake of scaring the living daylights out of audiences, having played Pennywise in back-to-back creepy clown movies, It and It Chapter Two. However, his transformation into Count Orlok for Robert Eggers' 2024 reimagining of Nosferatu was an even more challenging process, requiring a month-and-a-half of vocal training to perfect the vampire's dread-inducing growl.

Joaquin Phoenix (Walk The Line)

Joaquin Phoenix did all of his own singing when portraying Johnny Cash in James Mangold's acclaimed music biopic, 2005's Walk the Line. While appearing on Late Night with Conan O'Brien that year, the future Oscar winner told the late night talk show host that he worked with a dialect coach to replicate the Man in Black's deep baritone voice as authentically as possible.

Amanda Seyfried (The Dropout)

For her Emmy-winning performance on the Hulu original true crime miniseries, The Dropout, Amanda Seyfried had the challenge of imitating the infamous low voice of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder and CEO of the fraudulent blood-testing company Theranos.

Hugh Jackman (X-Men)

Many have been shocked to learn that Hugh Jackman is an Australian as his most famous role is the Canadian-native, Adamantium-clawed mutant, Wolverine. Of course, the Tony winner does more than just drop his natural accent for the X-Men movies but also incorporates a deep, nigh-animalistic growl.

Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

When Stephanie Beatriz debuted in the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast, she used her natural, higher-tone voice to play Det. Rosa Diaz. However, over time, the character's voice became progressively deeper until the actor settled on a low, more gruff tone that better suited the cop's hard-edged exterior.

Christian Bale (The Dark Knight Trilogy)

To play the lead in Christopher Nolan's beloved live-action Batman movies, Christian Bale pulled double-duty on changing his voice. In addition to dropping his Welsh accent when appearing as Bruce Wayne, he adopted a gravelly, identity-concealing growl when patrolling Gotham as the Dark Knight.

Kristen Stewart (Spencer)

Kristen Stewart did more to earn her Academy Award nomination for portraying Princess Diana in the 2021 biopic, Spencer, than donning a blonde hairdo and an English accent. The actor revealed to Howard Stern that she went so far as to dramatically evolve her vocal inflection by opening her mouth more widely than she normally would and, as a result, practically altered her physical appearance in the film.

Phil LaMarr (The Adventures Of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius)

Prolific voice actor Phil LaMarr, in addition to his transformative characters as a MADtv cast member, has made himself unrecognizable for countless iconic animated roles, such as John "Green Lantern" Stewart on Justice League or the title hero of Samurai Jack. However, no blip on his resume is nearly as surprising as the recurring role of foreign exchange student Bolbi Stroganofsky on Nickelodeon's The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.

Mark Hamill (Batman: The Animated Series)

There are two different kinds of Mark Hamill fans. There are those who know the actor as Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars movies and then there are those who know him as The Joker on Batman: The Animated Series and many subsequent animated Batman movies. The voice he puts on for the role – a wonderful mix of comically over-the-top theatrics and scintillating intimidation – has been recognized as the definitive portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime in the eyes of many DC fans.

Robin Williams (Popeye)

Robin Williams proved that he was the perfect choice to lead director Robert Altman's live-action adaptation of the Popeye comic strip. He matched the brave, spinach-swilling sailor's fast-paced growl, as originated by voice actor Billy Costello, to a tee in the 1980 film.

Maggie Wheeler (Friends)

Maggie Wheeler stole the show from the Friends cast with her recurring role as Janice Hosenstein, who was famous for her signature catchphrase, "Oh. My. GAWWWWWD!" What sold the character was her thick, nasally Brooklyn accent, which the actor came up with when she auditioned to play the character, as she revealed to Access Hollywood.

Idris Elba (Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom)

Idris Elba earned rave reviews for his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in the Oscar-nominated 2013 biopic, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. Being raised by West African immigrants helped the English-born actor develop an appropriate dialect to play the influential South African President, as he revealed to Oprah Winfrey.

Mia Goth (X)

Mia Goth played dual roles in Ti West's acclaimed A24 horror movie, 2022's X – both of which required her to conceal her mousy English accent. She spoke with a raspy Southern drawl as young aspiring starlet Maxine Minx and sounded similar, but significantly aged up, when playing homicidal elder, Pearl.

Megan Mullally (Will & Grace)

Megan Mullally absolutely earned her two Emmy Award wins for her committed performance as Karen Walker on the classic TV sitcom, Will & Grace. The key to the spoiled socialite's scene-stealing presence was her ear-piercing voice, which truly sounds nothing like the actor in real life.

Ana De Armas (Blonde)

Cuban-born actor Ana de Armas is known for having a strong accent, which she concealed in order to portray Marilyn Monroe in Blonde. Her commitment to matching the Hollywood icon's dialect in the 2022 Netflix original biopic would earn her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

Billy West (Various)

Billy West could be called the Mel Blanc of his generation as he can claim to have played about as many memorable animated characters as the iconic voice actor behind much of the Looney Tunes line-up did. To list just a few of West's best-known credits, he was both of the title characters from The Ren & Stimpy Show, took over as Popeye at one time, led Futurama as Fry, and plenty more.

Nicole Kidman (Being The Ricardos)

Nicole Kidman's Academy Award-nominated portrayal of Lucille Ball in 2021's Being the Ricardos was achieved with more than just makeup. The actor shed her Australian accent and added a smokiness to match the I Love Lucy star's natural voice but was also challenged to imitate the more high-pitched tone of the comedy icon's onscreen alter ego.

Melissa Rauch (The Big Bang Theory)

Dr. Bernadette Maryann Rostenkowski-Wolowitz easily boasts one of the most impossibly high-pitched voices in sitcom history. However, The Big Bang Theory cast member Melissa Rauch actually sounds nothing like Howard Wolowitz's bride, yet maintained the façade convincingly for 10 seasons on the hit CBS comedy.

Chris Pratt (The Super Mario Bros. Movie)

Despite making "total sense" to the directors of Illumination's The Super Mario Bros. Movie, fans of the original Nintendo video game series had some initial hesitation over Chris Pratt's casting as the older Mario brother. However, the actor wisely avoided the plumber's stereotypical Italian dialect from the games in favor of a Brooklyn accent that effectively masked his natural voice.

Robert Pattinson (Mickey 17)

Robert Pattinson plays the title role of Bong Joon-ho's 2024 sci-fi comedy Mickey 17 with an entirely unrecognizable and, admittedly, kind of goofy voice. According to IndieWire, the English actor based the voice for his "expendable" character and his many clones off of comedian Steve-O.

Johnny Depp (Charlie And The Chocolate Factory)

Say what you want about Tim Burton's 2005 adaptation of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but you have to admit that Johnny Depp did try something amusing with the role of Willy Wonka. To play the eccentric chocolatier, he adopted a high-pitched wheeze that almost makes you question if it really is the same guy who played Capt. Jack Sparrow under that top hat.

For almost as long as video games have been popular, Hollywood has been adapting them for movies and television shows. Often it's fighting games like Mortal Kombat, but even more G-rated games like Candy Crush have been adapted in one way or another. The adaptations aren't always great, but the games they chose usually are. Here is our list of great games that have been adapted into movies and TV shows.

Mortal Kombat

When the first Mortal Combat video game was first released in 1992 it was immediately one of the most controversial games on the market. It was also massively popular. It's still very popular, as new games have continued to be released over the years and there have been multiple adaptions, including for the first time as a movie in 1995.

Tomb Raider

The first Tomb Raider video game came out in 2001 and there have been multiple installments of the game about a female archeologist and action hero, Lara Croft. The game was first adapted into a movie starring Angelia Jolie in 2001's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, and its sequel. It was adapted again in a reboot starring Alicia Vikander, in 2018.

Sonic The Hedgehog

The first Sonic The Hedgehog game became a pillar of the SEGA gaming system in 1991. It took a long time, but it was eventually adapted into a hit movie in 2020 with the same name. In the '90s, it was briefly turned into an animated show as well.

The Last Of Us

The Last Of Us was an unlikely hit video game before it was turned into a very well-received hit TV show on HBO. The show, starring Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal, has found fans far from its core gamer base and is one of the best shows in HBO in recent history.

Warcraft

The Warcraft series of video games has been one of the more enduring franchises in the whole industry. It makes sense that eventually it would get adapted into a movie. It finally was for the first time in 2016. Unfortunately, the movie didn't live up to the popularity of the game and was a critical and box office flop.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

The Super Mario Bros. Movie released in 2023 defied all the cynics when it became a massive hit. Critics of the movie doubted the animated movie could be a hit, but in a tribute to the enduring popularity of a game series that started in the early 1980s, the movie went on to make over $1.3 billion at the box office.

Five Nights at Freddy's

Indie video games don't often turn into huge media franchises, but that is just what Five Nights at Freddy's has done. The original game, released in 2004 found a hardcore cult following that has grown with each subsequent release. The first movie was released in 2023 and made more than ten times its budget at the box office.

Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?

In the mid-80s, computer games were still in their infancy, and one of the most popular games was Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? It was so popular that it was turned into a kids game show in 1991 with the late, great Lynn Thigpen presenting it. It was rebooted by Netflix, but that proved to be a great example of a show that didn't need to be rebooted.

Twisted Metal

Between 1996 and 2012 the Twisted Metal franchise released eight games and became one of the most popular driving games of all time. More than a decade after its last release, it was turned into a TV show on Peacock where its enduring popularity made it a hit.

Assassin's Creed

The Assassin's Creed games have been wildly popular since the first game was released in 2007. Multiple version of the game, spread out over different eras of history, have remained popular in spite of the one attempt to adapt to a movie, starring Michael Fassbender, in 2016, disappointed critics and fans of the game alike.

Double Dragon

Double Dragon was one of the very first one-on-one fighting games when it was first released in 1987. It was also one of the first to be adapted into a movie when a film starring Robert Patrick, Scott Wolf, and Alyssa Milano was released in 1994. The movie was pretty bad, and that was reflected in its dismal box office performance.

Resident Evil

Resident Evil is a rare example of a video series and a movie series that have both been wildly successful. Multiple entries of both have proven to be popular over the last couple of decades. Zombies never really go out of style.

Fallout

The Fallout video game series launched in 1997 and multiple entires in both the main series and in spinoffs have been released in the years since. After a few attempts to get a movie made, the game was finally adapted for a TV show in 2024, and it became an instant hit on Amazon's stream service.

Rampage

Of all the movies on this list, Rampage has to be the one that was the most surprising to get a movie adaptation of it. Sure, the game was popular when it was released in 1987, but it never seemed like the kind of game that would get turned into a movie. That is until it was made into a disaster film starring Dwayne Johnson in 2018.

Pokémon

It's hard to pick just one adaption for Pokémon. The franchise is ubiquitous in every possible way. Whether it's video games, playing cards, comic books, TV shows, and movies, Pokémon is everywhere.

Pac-Man

In the 1980s Pac-Man was more than just a video game. It was a cultural phenomenon. It was really the first time a video crossed over fully into pop culture, so it makes sense that it would be one of the first games to get adapted into a TV show, in the form of a Saturday morning cartoon in 1982.

Doom

Dwayne Johnson has starred in a few video game adaptations, including 2005's Doom. The movie was based on one of the first, and most popular first-person shooter games of the same name that was also incredibly controversial as such. The movie was less controversial, and significantly less popular than the game as well.

Candy Crush

One of the early smash hit games for smartphones was Candy Crush when it came out in 2012. It was adapted into a game show presented by Mario Lopez in 2017, but it was not popular, to say the least, and was canceled after just nine episodes.

Maniac Mansion

Perhaps the weirdest entry on this list is Maniac Mansion. The 1987 PC-based game was pretty popular for its day, but no one would have thought it could be turned into a TV. Those doubters were proved wrong when it did become a TV show on Canadian television in 1990. The show did not have much in common with the game, however.

Halo

When the XBox was first released, a ton of effort was put into the first game included with the console, Halo. It has remained a staple of the console and many different versions of the game have been released over the years. After many starts and stops in other media, with multiple attempts to make various movies and TV shows, finally in 2022 the hit franchise was launched as a TV series on Paramount+, where it ran for two seasons.

Alone In The Dark

In 1992 Atari created the first Alone In The Dark game and it has since gone on to become one of the most enduring franchises since. In the ultimate proof that a game's popularity doesn't automatically translate to box office success, the 2005 Alone In The Dark movie, starring Christian Slater, was a huge bomb.

DOA: Dead Or Alive

Sometimes it seems that most video game adaptions bomb when they are adapted into movies. That's because of movies like DOA: Dead Or Alive. Based on the hit fighting franchise of the same name DOA: Dead Or Alive absolutely tanked at the box office, making less than $8 million against a $30 million budget.

Prince Of Persia: The Sands of Time

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time starring Jake Gyllenhaal was a huge gamble by Disney when they put up a monster budget to adapt the movie from the hit video game franchise, Prince of Persia. The movie made money, which must have relieved some at the House of Mouse, but it was a pretty modest success, and ultimately a planned sequel was canceled.

Tekken

Fighting game franchise Tekken launched on the heels of the massive success of Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter. For many, it's always felt like a bit of a copycat to those other two monster franchises, but it has a solid core of fans. Enough, in fact, to get a movie financed in 2009, but it completely bombed at the box office.

Knuckles

Paramount+ show Knuckles is a rare example of a spinoff of a video game adaptation. The show is based on the titular character, known as Knuckles the Echidna in full, who appears in the Sonic The Hedgehog movies and is also a playable character in video games. He first appeared in the third installment of the video game, in 1994.

Need for Speed

A popular genre of video game that seems like more adaptations could come from is racing games. There aren't many, though Need for Speed is a notable exception. The games are all great, and the movie is a pretty great car racing movie.

Wing Commander

For some of us, it's hard to believe that the Wing Commander video game franchise is more than three decades old at this point, but the first one was released in 1990. The movie adaption, released in 1999, was significantly less memorable, having bombed big time at the box office.

House Of The Dead

German director Uwe Boll made a name for himself in the mid-'00s when he adapted a slew of video games into films. Unfortunately, almost all of them bombed, including his first attempt, House of the Dead in 2013. It was adapted from the video game of the same name.

Gangs Of London

The 2006 game Gangs of London seemed like an unlikely choice for adaptation, but it defied expectations when it became a surprising hit TV show for Sky Atlantic and AMC in 2020. Popular with fans and critics alike, the show has proven to be more popular than the game it is based on.

BloodRayne

BloodRayne, starring Kristanna Loken, Michael Madsen, and Michelle Rodriguez was the third attempt by director Uwe Boll to adapt a video game. It was also the third time that an attempt bombed at the box office. The movie is based on a pretty popular game released in 2002.

Uncharted

With almost a dozen released over the years, Uncharted has remained a very popular video game series. As such, it makes sense that someone would try to adapt into a hit movie. The 2022 movie starring Tom Holland turned into one of the most popular video game adaptations of all time, bringing in more than $400 million at the box office.

Street Fighter

Before Tekken, and before Mortal Kombat, there was Street Fighter. For its many fans, it was and remains still the greatest fighting game of all time. With dozens of releases over the years on virtually every game console since the '80s, it's one of the giants in video game history. It was first adapted into a live-action film in 1994 starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and over the years it's been adapted into multiple animated movies and TV shows.

Cut me, baby. Cut me!

Okay, that sounded wrong. What I meant to say was that I love deep cuts. Whether it be on albums (like, I’d consider “Hey Bulldog” to be a deep cut Beatles song), or in movies (you might even call them easter eggs in a roundabout way), I just love them to pieces.

So when the voice of Toad, Keegan-Michael Key, told Men’s Journal that there would be some “deep cuts” as far as who we'll see in the next Super Mario Bros. movie, I got all kinds of excited. Because as a Nintendo fanboy for LYFE, I’m all about that, er, life. I mean, the 2023 Super Mario Bros. Movie was pretty much stuffed to the gills with easter eggs (much to some of our displeasure). So what kind of “deep cut” references am I looking forward to in the next movie? Well, you’re about to find out!

Rosalina

Okay, so I’m going to start off with a softball pick with Rosalina, who first appeared in Super Mario Galaxy. Our very own Corey Chichizola even mentioned that he would like to see her as one of the iconic Nintendo characters that need to be introduced in the sequel. And yeah, the thing is, she probably will be introduced in the next movie.

I only say this because Princess Peach even said in the last film that there’s “a huge universe out there with a lot of galaxies,” which led many fans to believe that she was referencing the Galaxy series, and that we might be seeing Rosalina in the near future.

Rosalina’s cool because she’s the other major Princess in the Mario franchise. Yes, you could argue that Daisy’s the other major Princess, as she was, strangely enough, the princess who was used in the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie–which I love. But, when it comes to sheer popularity, I’d definitely put Rosalina over Daisy.

Adding Rosalina to the sequel could add that trippy vibe that the two Mario Galaxy games have. So yeah, let’s see her next.

Pauline

You wanna know the OG damsel in distress? It’s gotta be Pauline, as she actually first appeared in Mario’s original title, Donkey Kong. Back then, Mario was known simply as Jumpman, and Pauline was often just known as “Lady,” or even “Beautiful Girl.”

Today, however, she's the freaking mayor of New Donk City (as per Super Mario Odyssey), and I think it would be cool if she was introduced in the movie as such.

We've already seen the Mushroom Kingdom in the first film, but it would be nifty if Mario and Luigi went to an alternate reality New York and it turned out to be New Donk City with Pauline as the mayor. Come on now, you know you want it.

Donkey Kong Jr.

Now I'm really going to be digging into the weeds with this next pick, as some might argue that Donkey Kong Jr. was already in the first Super Mario Bros. Movie. That’s because many fans believe that Donkey Kong is the son of Cranky Kong, who we saw in the first film.

However, fans have been going back and forth on this one for a while now. Many argue that the DK found in games such as the Donkey Kong Country series is actually the GRANDSON of Cranky Kong, meaning that Donkey Kong Jr. is technically DK’s real father.

Donkey Kong Jr. was in his own game back in 1982, and he also appeared in the first Super Mario Kart as a racer. Personally, I'd like to see this referenced (and clarified!) in the next movie. Because seriously, I gots to know.

Toadette

We got like a million different Toads in the 2023 Super Mario Bros. movie, but one “Toad” that I can’t believe they left out was Toadette.

Debuting in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Toadette is adorable with her mushroom pigtails and sweet disposition. She’s a member of the Toad Brigade, and has even been able to get an item called the Super Crown that enables her to transform into Peachette, which is super weird, but weird is why we love Nintendo, right?

I’d actually love to see the Super Crown in the sequel, as that would be one hell of a deep cut, and the best character to don it would of course be Toadette. Because heavy is the Super Crown that can metamorphosize you into somebody else.

I mean, wouldn’t that be cool if Toadette turned into a doppelganger Princess Peach in the sequel? Especially if they somehow add some kind of body horror element to it. Because who doesn’t want some good ‘ol body horror in their children’s film?

Nabbit

Dagnabbit, Nabbit!

Nabbit first appeared in New Super Mario Bros. U, and he basically steals and runs away. That’s pretty much it. He has an interesting design with that bandana with the drawn-on teeth, and he seems to be a rabbit of some sort (though not a Rabbid, which I’ll get into soon).

Nabbit would be a deep cut because even though you can play as him in the latest Super Mario Bros. Wonder, he’s actually the most recent character on this list, and his allegiance doesn’t really seem solidified as of yet.

Since we were first introduced to him robbing Toad’s house, I think that’d be pretty cool if he was doing something similar in the sequel. Some backstory would be nice, too, because I honestly still can’t get a read on him.

Wart

Even though I loved The Super Mario Bros. Movie, one gripe that I had with it was a minor scene at Bowser’s wedding.

In the scene, we see a variety of other bosses in attendance, such as King Bob-omb from Super Mario 64 and King Boo. But do you know who wasn’t in attendance who I was downright shocked about their absence? Wart from Super Mario Bros. 2.

Now, yes, I know, Wart has only appeared in one Mario title, and it was “the weird one.” That said, I was almost certain that with a movie with as many Easter eggs as the first movie, that Wart would show up somewhere. But he didn’t, and the next movie needs to rectify that, pronto!

Mad Piano

Speaking of Super Mario 64, one enemy that scared the crap out of me as a kid was the mad piano that could be found in Big Boo’s Mansion.

In fact, when Bowser sang his uber-popular “Peaches” song in the first movie, I really thought the piano was going to start biting his fingers as a nod to that horrific instrument, but no, it was just another missed opportunity. Make it a reality in the sequel, though!

Tatanga

You want a deep cut? Use Tatanga from Super Mario Land on the Game Boy. Now that’s a deep cut. Appearing as far back as 1989, Tatanga was the end boss in the first Game Boy Mario adventure, and he was an alien who flew around in a spaceship.

Now, hear me out. What if, let’s say, the next Mario movie DOES feature Princess Rosalina, and her home planet has been invaded by (wait for it…) Tatanga the Mysterious Spaceman!

Let me tell you, the 40-something Nintendo fans in the audience would lose their minds if they made this reference. And I should know since I’d be one of them.

The Rabbids

Okay, now here’s a stretch since the Rabbids aren’t really Nintendo characters, per se. I mean, yes, they have appeared in two Switch games with Mario, those being Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, and Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, but the Rabbids are Ubisoft characters, not Nintendo characters.

Still, I think it would be really interesting if Mario were to somehow acquire a blaster in the sequel, and maybe a Rabbid would be in the background or possibly even referenced somehow. I don’t know, but my nerdy heart would definitely do a backflip if it happened.

Ganon

Lastly, the deepest of cuts would be if they had Ganon in the movie. Now, I know what you’re thinking. We’re already getting a Legend of Zelda movie, but, hear me out.

Because what if this movie again referenced The Super Mario Bros. Super Show like they did in the original flick with the theme song, but this time, they referenced the other Nintendo cartoon that appeared every Friday on the show with The Legend of Zelda?

Sure, you might say, why not just have Link instead then? But, how much deeper of a cut could you get than with Ganon (Especially THIS Ganon) in the next movie? It’s perfect!

If any of these characters end up appearing in the next Super Mario Bros. Movie, we'll let you know.

The following contains spoilers for 32 movies with great cliffhanger endings. 

One of the things that usually defines the cinematic experience is that movies, unlike an episode of TV,  tell a complete story. They have a beginning middle and end. While sequels are always possible, that only means more adventures with our favorite characters. However, not all movies end quite so cleanly.

Many movies end on cliffhangers, with heroes either not completing the story by the end of the movie and finding themselves in jeopardy, or some new threat looming its head as the credits roll. This is often done when movie sequels are already planned, or at least expected. Other times it seems to happen just because filmmakers think it will be cool. Here are 32 times movies ended in cliffhangers, whether we eventually got a resolution or not.

 Back to the Future 

Back to the Future appears to have a happy ending. Marty has, however accidentally, changed his family life for the better. Or at least so he thinks. In the final moments, Doc Brown returns from the future to tell Marty that something is wrong with his kids. A big "To Be Continued..." promised us more to the story, which came after a very long four years. 

 The Matrix Reloaded 

While not technically called Part One, The Matrix: Reloaded was filmed alongside its sequel, so it's little surprise that the movie ended on a big cliffhanger. Agent Smith makes the jump from the Matrix to the real world somehow. Neo has shown some ability to use his abilities outside of The Matrix, and Zion is in danger. What is going on and what will happen next?

Avengers: Infinity War 

There has been no movie franchise in the last two decades as big as the Marvel Cinematic Universe and so it's not surprising that the biggest cliffhanger in recent memory was the end of Avengers: Infinity War. Half of our heroes were erased from existence and fans had to wait a year to find out what happened to everybody. 

The Italian Job (1969)

If we're talking cliffhangers, then it's impossible to leave out discussion of the original The Italian Job, a movie that ends with the cast hanging from a literal cliff. The thieves are on one side of the bus handing off a ledge, the loot is on the other, and Michael Caine is in between, trying to figure out how to get the goods without killing everybody.

The Thing 

One of the most talked about endings of all time. John Carpenter's The Thing sees an Antarctic research team battling an alien threat that can take the form of anybody. In the end, only two men remain and the alien might be dead, or one of the two survivors might not be a man at all. While some have suggested The Thing ending has a clear answer we never saw a true resolution.

 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest 

There are currently five films in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise starring Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow, but the character's fate was in question after only the second movie. Dead Man's Chest ended with Jack Sparrow taken to Davy Jones' Locker. His crew has plans to rescue him however, with help from an unlikely source, Geoffrey Rush's Captain Barbossa, who up until the final shot of the film, had been dead himself.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse 

Sony's animated Spider-Verse movies are viewed by many as the best cinematic version of Spider-Man we've ever seen. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse's ending gave fans an incredible story that left all our favorite heroes in a difficult position. Miles is in a universe other than the one he knows, the prisoner of an alternate version of himself. Gwen Stacy is mounting a rescue mission that hasn't even begun when the credits roll. 

 Halloween 

Considering just how many Halloween movies there have been over the years where Michael Myers wreaks havoc it's easy to forget that the original Halloween left fans wondering just what would happen next following its ending. Michael Myers is shot multiple times and falls off a balcony for good measure. He appears motionless at the bottom, seemingly dead. But when we look again his body is gone, leading the audience to wonder if the fight was really over.

John Wick: Chapter 2 

The first John Wick movie was a self-contained story that saw our hero set a particular goal, and achieve that goal. However, by doing so, he set in motion the events of John Wick: Chapter 2, which in turn, left viewers with a major cliffhanger at the end of that film. The entire assassin world is out to get John Wick, and all John can do is start to run. 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens 

During all of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the audience has one question. What happened to Luke Skywalker? The final moments of the film only partially answer the question. Luke has been found, but why he is where he is, and how he'll respond to being found is not revealed until the opening moments of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Kill Bill: Volume 1 

Kill Bill makes it clear from its title that Vol 1 is only going to give us part of the story, but beyond the fact that The Bride has yet to get revenge on all the Deadly Vipers at the end, the first movie teases the audience with a piece of news the main character doesn't yet know, that he daughter is still alive. 

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Part One

By the end of a Mission: Impossible movie you can usually count on Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt saving the day. Unfortunately, by the end of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, the day is not yet saved. While Ethan has the key that is needed to help stop the rogue AI, the location of that AI, is still a big mystery. 

Alita: Battle Angel 

James Cameron worked for years to turn Alita: Battle Angel into a film, and in true Cameron fashion, the movie didn't do anything by half measures. The film didn't simply tease a sequel, but demanded one, revealing a villain, played by Edward Norton, in the final moments who was meant to be part of sequels that have yet to materialize. Fans have wanted to see Alita sequels for years, but a follow-up to this cliffhanger is increasingly unlikely. 

The Divergent Series: Allegiant 

Following successful franchises like Harry Potter and The Hunger Games it became common for franchises to split their final stories in half. Unfortunately, this was bad news for The Divergent Series as it left its characters in the middle of their final adventure with a cliffhanger ending, before deciding to end the series without making the last Divergent movie, so the cliffhanger would never be resolved.

Godzilla (1998) 

Roland Emmerich's attempt at a Godzilla movie in the late '90s was not well received by critics or audiences. It's not the best Godzilla movie by a long shot. The movie would never get the chance to improve with a sequel, which is too bad considering the film had a solid cliffhanger. The movie would reveal that this version of Godzilla was female, and had laid eggs before dying. More of the creatures were going to be born, and who knows what they would have done.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug 

J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit is one of the most popular novels of all time, so it seems unlikely that anybody watching The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug didn't know what was going to happen after the second movie of the trilogy ended. However, for those few, the movie did conclude with a very angry Smaug flying to Laketown to destroy everything, and that's a pretty good cliffhanger. 

Saw III 

While the entire Saw franchise is a sort of bizarre horror soap opera, Saw III saw the greatest cliffhanger ending where Angus Macfayden's Jeff would fight his way through a series of traps only to lose his wife, and learn that Jigsaw had also captured his young daughter. What's worse, as the majority of Saw IV would actually be set prior to the events of Saw III, we wouldn't actually see this cliffhanger resolved until the opening of Saw V.

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back 

One of the all-time great cliffhanger endings. Han Solo has been captured and frozen in carbonite. Luke Skywalker has lost a hand and learned that Darth Vader is his father. What's been lost to the decades however is that it wasn't until Return of the Jedi that we learned for sure Vader was telling the truth. At the time fans had to simply wait to see how the trilogy would resolve.

Evil Dead II 

The first Evil Dead movie ends on a sort of cliffhanger when it is implied that the evil was not, in fact, dead. However, the sequel goes even harder when Ash vanquishes the evil by using the Necronomicon to open a portal to suck in the monsters. Unfortunately, he is also pulled through and the movie ends with him having traveled back in time to the past. How will he get out of this?

Super Mario Bros. 

While many people have worked hard to forget the live-action Super Mario Bros. movie, anybody who was a fan is very disappointed the movie wasn't a bigger hit. The film ends with Samantha Mathis' Daisy busting down Mario and Luigi's door to ask them for help. She doesn't say why, and we'll never know since a sequel never happened.

The Birds 

Alfred Hitchcock was one of the greatest film directors ever and his movies frequently ended with a twist or with some sort of finale that had people talking as they left the theater. The Birds sees every winged creature on Earth attacking humanity. There's no explanation for it, nor is there an explanation for why the birds stop attacking at the end of the film. Will they attack again? It's far from clear, but the movie certainly implies the story is not over.

Split 

M. Night Shyamalan is known for twists, but not necessarily cliffhangers. His multiple-personality monster movie Split appears to be just another of the director's mysterious films until the final scene reveals that Split is taking place in the same universe as the superhero film Unbreakable, and it's clear that a clash between The Beast and David Dunn is coming. 

It Follows 

Horror movies often have cliffhanger endings, as it's the perfect way for the horror to last all the way to the end. It Follows sees a monster transmitted via sex murder a number of teenagers, and while the evil appears to have been defeated by the end, in the final shot, something is following our characters. It's probably nothing...probably. An It Follows sequel has been discussed. That's all I'm saying.

28 Weeks Later 

28 Weeks Later was not a direct sequel to the original 28 Days Later, but it did continue the story of the world where the rage virus has ravaged The U.K. By the end of the film, however, we learn that the virus has made the jump to France, and potentially all of Europe. Whether there's any hope of survival at all is the only question left to ask.

The Dark Knight 

The first of Christopher Nolan's Batman movies teased us with the inclusion of The Joker, but that's not quite the same thing as a cliffhanger. The Dark Knight, however, ends with Batman on the run, with the city he protects believing he's the enemy. Now that is a cliffhanger.

Dune 

We knew Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part One wouldn't tell the entire story of Frank Herbert's novel. The only question was where would it end. While the movie doesn't leave any characters in jeopardy at the moment, it is still sure to give us a flash forward of one possible future for Paul Atraides, making us wonder just what would happen to him.

Fast X 

While Fast X wasn't given a title that implied it would be a "part one" we knew that another movie was planned after this one, so it wasn't exactly a shock when the movie ended on a cliffhanger. However, the Fast X ending saw half the team seemingly die in a plane crash while everybody else was looking to drown under the water of an exploding dam. That's a pretty furious ending.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 

While there have been several Jurassic Park movies, most of them end with the major threat, whatever it may be, having been dealt with. This made Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom a bit different as the film ended with dinosaurs having escaped into the continental United States. We knew this would change everything in the world but we'd have to wait for the next movie to see how. 

Planet of the Apes (2001) 

The original Planet of the Apes had one of the all-time great twist endings, and so it's little surprise that 2001's remake tried to do something to top it. Astronaut Mark Wahlberg believes he's made it home, only to find a version of his reality that Apes have taken over. What did it all mean? The movie's lackluster box office meant we would never find out.

Spider-Man: Far From Home 

Additional scenes during the credits of Marvel movies are commonplace now, but they usually tease the future of the wider franchise. Spider-Man: Far From Home, however, did something a little bit different by taking this moment to actually reveal Spider-Man's identity as Peter Parker to the world. What would happen next would be a major question for fans until Spider-Man: No Way Home answered it.

X2: X-Men United

For some the ending of X2: X-Men United might not have actually seemed like a cliffhanger. While Jean Gray dies saving the X-Men, that's a downer ending, not a cliffhanger. However, the movie's final moments give us an image of a phoenix, a reference to the Phoenix Saga from the X-Men comics, and a note for knowing fans that more was to come. 

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 

The second of the three live-action Spider-Man franchises was clearly planning for a big finale to its trilogy. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 ended with a man, cloaked in shadows walking through a collection of gear that belonged to Spider-Man's greatest comic book enemies. The movie teased the creation of the Sinister 6, but we never saw them, and exactly who this character was supposed to be was never revealed. 

Many of these movies eventually saw their cliffhangers resolve. For others, it seems no answer was ever planned. But who knows lots of movies in recent years have seen sequels decades after their original installments, so maybe seeing how these cliffhangers play out is still possible. 

The 2023 movie calendar has made for a huge year for everyone's favorite pair of plumbing brothers, with not only the massive release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, but also the mustachioed characters' return to side-scrolling action for the first time in over a decade. The highly anticipated release of Super Mario Bros. Wonder is now finally here, though as a slightly different game than what might have been released if the movie didn't exist. Nintendo apparently spent some of its billion-dollar box office on trying to make the game more like the record-breaking hit that easily cemented its spot as one of the 10 greatest video game films ever.

The newest game, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, pays homage to the beloved 2D classic game series but takes bold, trippy, and frenetic leaps into uncharted territory by way of its radical power-ups. According to a report by NPR, their pre-release look at Wonder afforded a tantalizing glimpse into this exciting new universe, and they even sat down with director Shiro Mouri and producer Takashi Tezuka, a duo with roots tracing back to the creation of the original Super Mario Bros., for which they worked alongside the legendary developer Shigeru Miyamoto.  

The game features revitalized character movements;  for instance: when Mario crouches, he adjusts his hat. The animation reflects meticulous design choices, even in the form of Elephant Mario navigating pipes. Producer Tezuka aimed to ensure that new fans drawn in by the Illumination-produced movie's animation would recognize and feel familiar with the character's movements. This approach underscores the commitment to delivering a cohesive and engaging gaming experience for new and long-time fans. Tezuka explains: 

Wonder's visuals live up to its name, presenting a more visually stunning experience than previous titles – aligning closely with the style of the Chris Pratt-voiced movie, as opposed to the more static animations of games past. Speaking to how this character-focused approach was a different avenue, Takashi added: 

Super Mario Bros. Wonder introduces familiar items for longtime fans, such as the Super Mushroom and Fire Flower, and exciting new power-ups for those transitioning from theaters to the gaming console. Among the fresh additions is the ability to drill through floors and walls, create trapping bubbles for adversaries, and transform into an elephant. This feature generated substantial online buzz when Wonder’s trailer was unveiled. Director Shiro Mouri aimed for the elephant power-up to achieve specific objectives, even if they had zilch to do with the animated feature. 

This year has been great for animation, thanks in no small part to The Super Mario Bros. Movie. The animated journey follows Mario (Chris Pratt) as he gets pulled into a tunnel leading to the Mushroom Kingdom. There, he joins forces with Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen) to thwart the nefarious Bowser (Jack Black). Moreover, the iconic Jumpman embarks on a quest to rescue his captive brother, Luigi (Charlie Day), in a film brimming with a plethora of nostalgic references and can be enjoyed with a Peacock subscription. 

After you catch up with the movie, you can enjoy Super Mario Bros. Wonder, released on October 20th exclusively for the Nintendo Switch. 

October is almost halfway over, which means it's the perfect time to get serious about those Halloween costumes. There are so many great characters to choose from among 2023's movie releases — almost too many if I’m being honest. However, we're here to help you, and from Barbie to The Super Mario Bros. Movie, there's a little something for everyone.  

If you’re a Halloween fanatic, there are definitely enough costume ideas here to change it up. Where one to work, one to a party, and then another to trick-or-treat. Even if you don’t have any Halloween plans, there’s no reason why you can’t spend October 31st dressed up. Whether you want to spend hours hand-selecting and making your own costume or purchase a pre-made one, there’s no shortage of 2023 movies to pick from, and we're going to start off with a movie that continues to break records: Barbie.

Everyone’s Going To Be Margot Robbie’s Barbie, But Weird Barbie Deserves Love Too

Move over orange; I think it’s safe to say pink is going to be the new color of Halloween this year. Margot Robbie had over 30 outfit changes in the Barbie movie, so there’s definitely no shortage Barbiecore of looks to choose from. Add that with the commercial appeal of Ken and his tie-dye “I am Kenough” hoodie, and well, you definitely have the most popular couples costume of the year. 

But if you’re looking to celebrate your love of the Barbie movie and its details while still being unique, I suggest opting to dress as Weird Barbie. After all, anyone who played with Barbies knows that Weird Barbie is more authentic than the perfect, fresh-out-of-the-box version Robbie plays. Sure, it may take a little more hands-on creativity, but there’s no way to bring Weird Barbie to life wrong. Let your imagination take control! 

Embrace Your Evil Side With Bowser From The Super Mario Bros. Movie 

Sticking with the theme of the biggest movies of the year, I suggest looking at one of the biggest 2023 video game movies, The Super Mario Bros., for inspiration. While Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach have been popular costumes for years now, thanks to the video game franchise, this might be one of the first years that Bowser gets to shine. 

What better way to celebrate Bowser and the greatness that is the “Peaches” viral song than to go as the overlooked villain? What’s even better is that there are plenty of costume options available! If you’re planning a Halloween night in but still want to dress up, consider the Boswer onesie. Or, if your child is the one breathing fire to be Bowser, then check out the child versions of the costume below. And if you're feeling sad about not having a Princess Peach to celebrate with, consider walking around with a can of peaches to add some whimsy to your costume! 

Show Off Your Love For A Fan-Favorite Guardians Of The Galaxy Character Rocket Raccoon 

There’s no denying that Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3 was Rocket’s movie. His origin story brought so many of us to tears (and educated even more on the horrors of animal testing), and it just reaffirmed why he's such a beloved character. So, this Halloween is the perfect time to honor the "secret protagonist" of the franchise by dressing up as him. 

While there have been handfuls of Rocket Raccoon costumes over the years since the release of the first two movies, now is the first time one can dress up as Captain Rocket. It’s a pretty easy costume to put together, too. A Guardians Captain hoodie is the first piece of the puzzle. Add a raccoon tail, some ears, and some black face paint to your eyes, and you’ve got yourself a Rocket costume. 

Step Into The Role Of A Bard And Become Edgin From Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves 

The critically acclaimed Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Amongst Thieves was one of the first big movie releases of 2023. However, it’s still fresh in so many people’s minds, especially to those fans who were playing the tabletop game long before the movie propelled it into mainstream popularity. While D&D experts might have their own original characters to dress up as, those of us with less of an imagination who still want to join the fun can channel Edgin from the movie. 

For the perfect costume, you’ll need a pair of khaki pants, which shouldn’t be too hard to find, but just in case, we’ve got you covered. While any flowy shirt will do, I suggest pairing the pants with a navy Pirate-style shirt and a Steampunk-inspired tailcoat. Of course, no bard goes anywhere without a lute, so make sure you get your hands on one of those to really complete the look! A real one will definitely break the bank, but there are a few cheaper options available. 

Celebrate Your Love Of Pixar By Being Ember From Elemental

While Pixar’s Elemental had a bit of a slow start, the movie ended up doing great at the box office and later even broke a Disney+ record. The heartwarming romantic comedy is not only worth watching if you have an active Disney+ subscription, but it’s the perfect movie to channel for Halloween. 

Hot-tempered Ember is such a fun character who has an even more fun style that would make a perfect Halloween costume. Since Ember is made of fire, I suggest purchasing a red or orange morph suit as your first layer -- make sure you ditch the hood, though. It’ll definitely save you a lot of time and energy later when you won’t have to worry about staining your shower with red body paint. Next, add a black and silver dress like the one Ember wears in the movie. Finish off the look with a flame wig, and you’re the perfect Ember! Now, all you need to do is find someone to be Wade. 

Make A Splash As Ariel In the Little Mermaid

Disney Halloween costumes are always all the rage, and with the live-action Disney movies on the rise, now there are more options to bring your favorite characters to life. While the animated Ariel is a classic, why not change things up this year and channel Halle Bailey's Ariel from loved live-action Little Mermaid instead? 

Walking around a party or the neighborhood with a tail isn't going to be easy, so I suggest opting for Ariel's human look instead. It's relatively simple to put together, too! All you need is a blue ruffled dress and a pink headband. For some extra fun, consider wearing a pair of fork -- I mean dinglehopper -- earrings! 

Since all these costumes are inspired by the biggest movies of 2023, there’s a chance you won’t be the only one representing these characters. But don’t let that stop you from having fun. If anything, you can create your own giant group of Barbies, Ariels, or even Bowsers! After all, Halloween is all about having fun, so go have fun and be safe!

Who would have thought animated movies geared towards the young and young at heart would be massive hits? Sarcasm aside, some of the most popular movies of all time are animated features. In fact, quite a few of them even made more than $1 billion at the box office, be it a surprise hit like 2013’s Frozen, a highly anticipated sequel like its follow-up, Frozen II, or a video game adaptation like The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which had a little something for everyone.

But what are the most successful animated movies of all time and how did they become such box office juggernauts? Well, we’re about to break down the 10 highest-grossing animated movies and the various ways they eclipsed $1 billion at the global box office.

Frozen II ($1.453 Billion)

Before Frozen II was even released in November 2019, there were estimates that the Disney animated fantasy musical would make a ton of cash at the box office, and it did just that. According to Box Office Mojo, the sequel hit the ground running with a $130 million opening weekend in the United States. The movie made a staggering $358.2 million globally during its first few weeks, per Deadline. 

By the time its theatrical run concluded in March 2020, Frozen II made $1.453 billion worldwide, with $477 million of that in the United States. And it wasn’t just because of the massive opening weekend, as the movie continued to bring in seven-figure daily totals more than two months after its debut. 

The Super Mario Bros. Movie ($1.355 Billion)

It wasn’t hard to imagine a world in which The Super Mario Bros. Movie would make money hand-over-fist, considering Illumination was making a movie about the most iconic video game character of all time. However, what the movie was able to achieve in no time at all was nothing short of impressive. According to Deadline, the Chris Pratt-led animated movie made at least $377 million during its opening five-day weekend (Easter holiday), with more than $204 million of that here in the States.

The movie would eclipse the $1 billion-mark not even a month into its theatrical run, one that totals $1.356 billion ($547 million domestically), per Box Office Mojo, and it’s still in theaters at the time of this writing in August 2023. Also of note, Mario didn’t experience a weekend dropoff of more than 50% until nearly a month into its run. 

Frozen ($1.284 Billion)

Disney’s Frozen brought in a total of $1.284 billion worldwide through its initial release in November 2013 and several re-releases in subsequent years, per Box Office Mojo. Though its sequel would have a better opening weekend six years later, Frozen drew in around $93.5 million during its first few days, and it would just continue to build up steam from there.

Be it the massive popularity of its signature song, “Let it Go,” charming story, or word of mouth, the all-time great Disney animated movie continued to be a massive hit in the United States, with eight-digit daily box office totals a common occurrence more than a month after its release; it finally left theaters (for the first time) in May 2014.

Incredibles 2 ($1.243 Billion)

Released in 2018, Pixar’s Incredibles 2 quickly became the studio’s most successful movie, pulling in an impressive $1.243 billion worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. Just like how it shattered trailer records in late 2017, the sequel to 2004’s The Incredibles became the first animated film to cross the $500 million-mark domestically (it would end up making $608.5 in North America; $1.243 billion worldwide).

Though there was a 53.7% dropoff between the first and second weeks, the movie wouldn’t dip more than 45% again until September, nearly three months after its initial release. Even more impressive is the fact it stayed in the top ten domestically for nearly two months.

Minions ($1.159 Billion)

The Despicable Me franchise was already a massive property by the time the Minions movie came out in July 2015, but it reached new heights (which haven’t been surpassed) with the animated prequel. Per Box Office Mojo, the movie brought in a stupendous $1.159 billion worldwide, with the vast majority of it, $823 million, coming from international audiences.

This isn’t to say Minions wasn’t a hit domestically, because it still made an impressive $336 million during its initial run back home. Its opening weekend alone made up $115.7 million of that total draw. 

Toy Story 4 ($1.073 Billion)

Though not the best movie in the franchise, Toy Story 4 was still a massive hit with audiences and critics upon its release in June 2019, and its massive box office numbers are proof of that. According to Box Office Mojo, the Pixar movie made a total of $1.073 billion worldwide, with $434 million of that coming domestically. Interestingly enough, the spread between domestic and international is only about $200 million in this case, unlike other movies on this list.

Also of note, Toy Story 4 had a $120.9 million opening in North America and continued to bring in a ton of cash throughout its run, which didn’t come to an end until that December.  

Toy Story 3 ($1.067 Billion)

Though released nine years before its slightly more successful sequel, Toy Story 3 was a booming success on multiple levels, and is still considered one of the top-tier Pixar movies more than a decade after the fact. Per Box Office Mojo, the third movie in the series brought in $1.067 billion worldwide, which was a lot of money back in 2010.

Like its sequel, the movie’s success was due to a number of factors including the familiarity of the franchise, that all-star cast, and incredibly emotional story, and the fact that it didn’t experience a dropoff over 60% until nearly three months into its run.

Despicable Me 3 ($1.034 Billion)

A couple of years after Minions became the first film in the franchise to cross the $1 billion-mark, Despicable Me 3 followed suit with an equally impressive box office return. Per Box Office Mojo, the Illumination movie brought in $1.034 billion worldwide, which more than covered its $80 million budget. 

The movie benefited from coming out just before the Fourth of July holiday in 2017, which resulted in a $266 million worldwide gross during its first week, per Deadline. Of that, $98 million was domestic. That trend would continue throughout its run, with $770 million, or 74% coming from the international market. 

Finding Dory ($1.029 Billion)

Released in what could be considered one of the best years for animated movies, Pixar’s Finding Dory had the heart, soul, and charm of its predecessor, Finding Nemo, and also made a ton of cash. At the time of its release, it was the highest grossing animated movie of all time at the domestic box office, and that doesn’t even touch on its international drawing power.

Overall, the movie made $1.029 billion worldwide, per Box Office Mojo. Of that total, $542.9 million, or just shy of 53%, came from theaters outside of North America. Back in the states, the movie just kept crushing at the box office, and it didn’t have its first major dropoff of 54% until nearly two months into its run. 

Zootopia ($1.025 Billion)

Disney’s Zootopia was another massive hit with audiences around the world in Spring 2016. According to Box Office Mojo, the movie brought in a total of $1.025 billion internationally, with $341.2 million of that being domestic. It didn’t have the biggest domestic opening on this list, but a $75 million debut wasn’t all that bad either.

One of the most fascinating things about the movie’s run is the fact that several weekends more than two months after its release saw box office receipts eclipse $1 million, showing that it was a massive hit with its key demographic: kids (and their parents who were dragged along). Zootopia ran wild until early August that year, nearly five months after its debut. 

BONUS: The Lion King (2019 Remake) ($1.663 Billion)

The 2019 remake of The Lion King technically made more money than any other movie on this list with a total take of $1.663 billion worldwide, per Box Office Mojo. However, since the 9th-highest grossing movie of all time blends live-action and CGI elements to tell its story, we’ll just have to leave it as an honorable mention. 

This certainly has been a fun and stat-heavy project to undertake. However, expect to see some major additions to this list in the coming years, especially with upcoming Disney movies like Frozen 3 and Toy Story 5 in the works.

As the summer movie season closes out, it’s clear that 2023 wasn’t quite the blockbuster hub that Hollywood studios would have no doubt loved to lavish in. Which isn’t to say that successes were completely unaccounted for, as The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Barbie can fully attest. In its third week of release, Greta Gerwig’s thought-provoking comedy (read our review) drove its pink ‘Vette through the Billion Dollar Box Office ribbon, becoming the second film to earn that much this year following the mustachioed plumber’s mega-earnings. Astoundingly, sequel news has not been made official for either film, but one fan offered up a humdinger of an idea that would no doubt spark another two billion in ticket sales. 

Now as far as this idea for sequels goes, we’re not necessarily concerned with what the stories should be, or what elements from the source material should be included in the potential follow-ups. Rather, this X user honed in on the marketing campaign that helped boost the shared release dates for Margot Robbie’s living doll film and Christopher Nolan’s historical journey in Oppenheimer. Here’s the idea: 

[Plays the Super Mario Bros. theme on a party horn, though not necessarily very well.]

Break out the pink champagne, people, because this idea is a cork-popping winner. I dare say neither movie needs to actually be good in order for this idea to completely take over pop culture, although that certainly helps with the word-of-mouth and reviews and that sort of thing. After all, look how popular the #Barbenheimer double feature idea turned out to be, and that was completely born of audience interest. 

Which then probably means that #Barbio would tank, because if Illumination and Warner Bros. went into crafting prospective sequels with double-features in mind, that might be too much of a hat-tip to an idea that isn't meant to create a shared universe or an overlapping experience. Both films should be their own things entirely, with only the viewing experience being the thing that brings them together. We don't need to see Barbie in her closet winking at the camera as she flips past Princess Peach's pink dress, and we probably don't need Kate McKinnon to voice "Weird Rosalina." (Although I'd certainly be down for a crossover short to showcase some of those silly elements in the meantime.)

And hey, why stop at just Barbio as a hook for the two possible sequels?

• #Marbie
• #MbarbioBarbothersMbovie
• #ItsMarbinTime
• #KoopaKen
• #GetJackBlackToSingASongInTheBarbieSequelEvenIfItIsNotAsBowser

The sky (world) is the limit here, people. And hopefully everyone at Illumination and Warner Bros. now understands that fans are just as capable of pulling off marketing campaigns as their own teams are, so everyone can put all of their focus on making sure each follow-up movie is the best that it can possibly be. It's likely that sequel news will arise at whatever point the WGA writers strike ends, which Chris Pratt seemed to hint at when he spoke about potential sequels. But considering the SAG-AFTRA strike is also a hurdle to get through before any movies get made in the industry at all, let's not hold our breath just yet. #Barbreath. Wait, no, that just sounds terrible.  

While waiting for Barbie to eventually make its way to Max, be sure to check out The Super Mario Bros. Movie currently streaming with a Peacock subscription. And then join me in waiting for the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch remake of Super Mario RPG and the brand new game Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which already features some elements I’d LOVE to see pop up in a movie sequel. 

Daniel Kaluuya has established himself as a formidable actor through his roles in  Jordan Peele’s groundbreaking horror films and his Oscar-winning turn as American activist Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah. Of course, he wasn't always a massive star as, before he became famous, he was a regular person (with buddies) like any of us. Kaluuya pulled back the curtain on his early years a bit by explaining that when he was growing up, his friends would actually call him Donkey Kong. And there's a hilarious story behind that nickname.

There are plenty of people who likely know what it's like to have a childhood nickname, even one that sticks with you well beyond your formative years. Daniel Kaluuya can relate to that, as he hilariously explained during an interview with IGN why of all nicknames, his friends humorously branded him with “Donkey Kong” when growing up in London, and it has to do with a sports jersey:

It's natural that he'd want his name on the back of the jersey. I can understand that, as such a thing personalizes the attire and makes it unique to said person wearing it. And ultimately, he got his wish, and the clothing was designed accordingly. While the star was happy with the way it came out, it ultimately had an unexpected side effect when it came to his friend group. The actor continued:

Can you really be friends if you can't occasionally tease one another with a nickname or two. This is a sweet anecdote from Daniel Kaluuya and one that indicates that he and his old chums still share a warm bond. To be honest though, I'm also imagining  how many jokes the London-born actor received when the Super Mario Bros. Movie trailer gave us a first look at Donkey Kong , who was voiced by Seth Rogen. And if the Widows star himself had been the actor to have taken on the role, I’m sure his friends would have thrown a number of puns and zingers his way.

Of course, that didn't come to pass and, at present, he's promoting his new voiceover role as web-slinging hero Spider-Punk in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. In the highly anticipated sequel, the character hails from the London of an alternate universe and crosses paths with Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy and a host of other Spider-People. I'm sure the actor's chums are proud of everything he's doing and will do (including that upcoming Barney adaptation), and I wouldn't be surprised if they have or will head to the theater to see his latest. Given how good he is in the movie, I also wouldn't be surprised if they send some sweet messages to "Donkey Kong" after they see it.

You can hear Daniel Kaluuya's work for yourself by seeing Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which is on the schedule of 2023 new movie releases, in theaters now. Those who also want in on some Donkey Kong action after reading this can see The Super Mario Bros. Movie now as well. 

Seth Rogen broke the internet in June 2022 when he posted a video of him sporting bleach-blonde hair. The internet went into a frenzy over his new blonde look. At the time, followers wondered why the comedic movie star had suddenly lighted his locks. Months over the online frenzy, Rogen revealed why the color change was objectively pathetic.

The Sausage Party star finally spilled about his blonde tresses while promoting his new Apple TV+ series Platonic. Rogen mentioned his new look was for the limited series. So, it wasn’t for the life-changing look that online fans thought it was. The Hollywood A-lister opened up about why dying his hair blonde was important for the comedy series.

His bleach-blonde locks were just part of Seth Rogen getting into character for the Apple TV+ series. Now, everything makes sense as he was playing a recent divorcee going through a midlife crisis. His look fits the character’s situation perfectly. Unfortunately, as Rogen stated, seeing a man in his 40s dying his hair blonde automatically screams someone trying to recapture their youth.

Despite the color change just being a project, Seth Rogen enjoyed his blonde locks and the response he got from them. The 41-year-old actor mentioned to Newsweek even though everyone enjoyed his new look he couldn’t ignore the correlation between his age and color choice. Rogen spilled what happened after he decided to shave his head.

The comedy star just wanted to avoid being called out by his family, friends, and fans once the project was completed. Being the same age as his character could’ve translated to his real-life interactions. So, he had the forethought of cutting the criticism off at the knees before it even started. If you want to relive Rogen’s bleach-blonde era, just look at his viral Instagram reveal below.

If social media isn’t enough, you see Seth Rogen as a blonde Will by watching the first three episodes of Platonic through an active Apple TV+ subscription. Rogen hasn’t set aside his film career for TV as he can currently be heard in theater courtesy of the box office hit The Super Mario Bros. Movie as Donkey Kong. The animated hit is just the first of multiple movies in 2023 set to star Rogen with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem arriving in theaters on August 2. 

I loved The Super Mario Bros. Movie. And I mean really loved it. So much so, that when it started getting bad reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, I was all like, naw, man, I don't even care what the critics have to say about this movie. It's the cat's (Mario's) pajamas for me!  

That said, I also really loved the Sonic the Hedgehog movie. In fact, I once argued that the first Sonic film was the best video game movie ever. And, you know what? I still stand behind that statement.    

However, when it comes to the next Sonic the Hedgehog movie, there are five things that I think it can learn from The Super Mario Bros. Movie to make it potentially even better than its predecessors. Ready to hear them? Well, then let's-a go!    

Oh, and minor spoilers up ahead.  

Lean Heavily Into Not Only Sonic's History, But Also Sega's History As A Whole  

One complaint that some critics had with The Super Mario Bros. Movie (including our very own Eric Eisenberg) was that it was just a "checklist" of video game references. And, while yes, The Super Mario Bros. Movie was stuffed to the Cheep Cheep gills with references, I don't necessarily consider that a bad thing. 

In fact, I consider it a good thing! Especially when it comes to multiple viewings. While I did watch the first Sonic the Hedgehog movie multiple times, I only watched the second movie twice, and I think twice is more than enough. You might be wondering what point I'm trying to make here since the second Sonic film is definitely closer to the games than the first, but that second movie, which I feel was weaker than the first, had more "fan service" than anything else, and I'm not looking for fan service in my video game movies. I’m looking for fire flower hot passion. 

The Super Mario Bros. Movie, despite what some critics think, was not overstuffed with fan service. Nay, The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a loving tribute to the entire history of not only the Super Mario Bros., but also Nintendo as a whole. That love was built into the movie's very DNA, from the Punch-Out Pizzeria, to Mario playing Kid Icarus in his room, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is peak Nintendo.   

And, why can't Sonic the Hedgehog 3 be like that, but switch Nintendo for Sega? Like, I don't necessarily think that other Sega classics like Ecco the Dolphin or Golden Axe would make for great video game movies, but I would definitely love to see Sonic playing Crazy Taxi in his room, or there being a poster of Vectorman in the background. I mean really lean in to Sonic being Sega’s mascot, and make Sega an overall part of the world itself, just like The Super Mario Bros. movie did with Nintendo. Because if I don’t get a Shenmue Lan Di reference somewhere in this third movie, I’m gonna riot.  

Use Countless, Recognizable Songs From The Games And TV Shows  

The Sonic the Hedgehog series has some of the most recognizable music in video game history. And, I’m not just talking about from the 16-bit era, but also the Dreamcast era, and even beyond when Sonic went multi-platform. I mean, who doesn’t love them some Sonic Herroooess. Sonic Heeerrroooess?   

Plus, I’m not even just talking about the games. Why didn’t we get music from the many Sonic cartoon shows in the movies, either? I mean, the fact that we didn’t get the Sonic X theme song featured prominently in either movie is a crying shame.   

The Super Mario Bros. Movie on the other hand made me tear up at times from all of the musical cues from the entire history of Mario. Music is potent after all, especially if it’s something from your childhood. So, if the third Sonic movie actually had a wide assortment of songs from Sonic’s history, well, I would just consider that a win, wouldn’t you?  

Have Multiple Dr. Robotnik's Played By Different Actors  

Like CinemaBlend’s Mack Rawden, I too enjoyed watching Jim Carrey be a complete weirdo in Sonic the Hedgehog. I don’t know if I’d consider him a perfect fit for the character (I’d actually prefer somebody like Brian Cox), but I do like Carrey’s version. It’s unique in its own way.    

Well, one thing I loved about The Super Mario Bros. Movie was all the different enemy types found in the film. I’m talking about Shy Guys, Goombas, Koopa Troopas, hell, even the blue shell, King Boo, and King Bob-omb made appearances in the film. 

And, it got me to thinking – Is one villain really enough for this third Sonic the Hedgehog movie? Yes, I’m well aware that Sonic voice actor, Ben Schwartz, is interested in possibly starting “the villainous stage” of his career with Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which may or may not mean that he’s interested in voicing Shadow the Hedgehog. But, come on now. Dr. Robotnik will always be Sonic’s primary antagonist. 

I think it would be cool if we had multiple Dr. Robotnik’s, a la Sonic Prime. A third movie could really up the ante in the villain department, just like The Super Mario Bros. Movie did. And then maybe, I could get my Brian Cox Dr. Robotnik. Come on, dream(cast)s can happen! 

Go Hard On The CG This Time Around And Keep Most Of The Story In Sonic's Worlds  

One major benefit (a 1-up, if you will) that The Super Mario Bros. Movie has over the Sonic the Hedgehog movies is that it’s a cartoon, so the Mushroom Kingdom can look as glorious and as beautiful as it does in the game, and there’s literally no limit to what they can put on the screen because again, it’s a cartoon. The Sonic the Hedgehog movies don’t have that luxury, though. Both movies were set almost entirely in the real world. And, while I felt that it worked in the first movie, I definitely didn’t feel like it worked in the second.  

And, that’s no good. I think with Sonic the Hedgehog 3, it’s time to show a lot more of Sonic’s world. While yes, I know this would cost a LOT of money, I also think it would really make the third movie in the series come full circle with the first, since we were introduced to the cinematic version of Sonic in his world. So, come on, Paramount. You already splurged on Sonic’s redesign, and that went well. So now, let’s see a fully realized CG world for Sonic the Hedgehog. The Sonic fans would eat it up like Sonic devours chili dogs. Come on, Paramount. You can do it!     

Have Meaningful Story Arcs For The Characters, Which Were Sorely Lacking In The Super Mario Bros. Movie  

Lastly, as much as I loved The Super Mario Bros. Movie, one thing I can definitely say that The Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie can do BETTER than the Mario movie is having a genuine, heartfelt story with real stakes and meaningful character arcs. Because come on. Let’s be frank. The plot of the Mario movie is pretty paper-(Mario)-thin, and Mario doesn’t really grow much as a character at all, unless you count when he eats a mushroom. 

And, that’s okay! I wasn’t expecting a well-crafted movie with innermost cave moments for Mario’s heroic journey. All I wanted to see was Mario don the Tanooki Suit. And he did that. So, yeah, best movie ever! 

Of course I’m being facetious (Sort of), but one area that I think could make the third Sonic movie really shine (And be even better than The Super Mario Bros. Movie) is if I actually care about Sonic this time. I enjoyed the first two Sonic movies (the first more than the second), but I wasn’t really deeply invested in it. 

I’m not saying that I need Pixar level story arcs – though, they wouldn’t hurt – but I actually want to feel something for Sonic this time around, and I think a genuine story arc where we really want to see Sonic succeed, would be pretty rad. Is it really too much to ask?

Maybe, but I thought I’d at least throw it out there. But, what do you think? Could the third Sonic the Hedgehog movie be even better than The Super Mario Bros. Movie? For more news on both Sonic and Mario, be sure to spin dash here often.  

According to Rotten Tomatoes, a near majority of movie critics don't like the Super Mario Bros. movie, and guess what. I don't care. 

Even our very own Eric Eisenberg, who I greatly admire and respect, didn't like the movie. And look, I get it. Does the Super Mario Bros. movie have deep character arcs, a compelling narrative, and rich, universal themes? Well, no, not really.    

But, is the Super Mario Bros. movie full of recognizable characters, Easter eggs aplenty, and just a fun overall experience? Oh, hell yes. The Super Mario Bros. movie may not be a great movie, but it's the perfect video game movie, and here's why. 

Oh, and a sprinkle of light spoilers here or there. 

This Movie Was Made For Me! 

As an apologist of the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie, I can honestly say that the original movie wasn't made for me. Or at least, it wasn't made for the younger version of me who saw the movie in the theater with his dad.    

Truthfully, I don't know who that movie was made for. But, it's only through years of watching mediocre to outright terrible adaptations that led me to put that oddball, and quite frankly, bold movie on my list of the 10 greatest video game films of all time, which I think says more about the garbage that we've had to endure over the years than anything else.   

But, while I will admit that I think the first Sonic movie is a better overall flick, I'm overjoyed to admit that the 2023 Super Mario Bros. movie was an overall better movie-going experience. This might be because this was the Mario movie that I always wanted as a child. And, as a man whose inner child needs as many hugs as possible, the Super Mario Bros. movie touched me in ways that I never could have imagined.    

From the very first Mario Kart audio cue, I was in. Because this movie truly uses musical and visual cues that any lifelong Nintendo fan will connect with immediately. In that way, the deep cuts feel deeply personal to me. Seeing Glass Joe's face on a wall, or Mario playing Kid Icarus in his room speaks to me in a way that I don't think any other film has ever spoken to me before.  

I know the critics have said that the movie is just Easter eggs, but in a lot of ways, those Easter eggs MAKE the movie. This isn't like Transformers or the Ninja Turtles reboots, which warped or changed the characters for a new generation.  

This is something else entirely as it's perfectly comfortable with leaning into its source material, from the early '80s all the way to current day, which is why any gamer who's stuck with Mario for all these years will likely be deeply touched by this movie, just like I was.  

But It Was Also Made For My Kids 

Halfway through the film, my son, who is six, turned to me and said, "This is great!" And yeah, it truly was.

It didn't surprise me that my son loved it as much as I did, and yet, it kind of did. You see, I introduced my two children to Nintendo as early as I could. I have a really cute picture of my daughter playing with a Kirby doll, and my son's second birthday was a Mario-themed party, so my kids are already deeply invested in Nintendo, just like I am.

So, when they showed Bowser's true intentions in the movie, my son said, "Dad! This is just like Super Mario Odyssey!" And, when they had the whole Mario Kart section of the movie, my son said, "Dad! That's the same music in the game!"  

And, that’s the thing. This movie pulls from all of Mario's history, so there was really something for every Mario fan in attendance. My only complaint is that there were key characters who were absent that my daughter really wanted to see, but I guess those characters are what the possible sequel will be for.   

The Animation Is Gorgeous 

I was there for the 8-bit era. I was there for the 16-bit era. I was there for the blocky 64-bit era, the more refined GameCube era, the slightly better looking Wii and Wii U eras, and I'm here for the current Switch era. Hell, I was even there for the black and red Virtual Boy era. 

All this is to say that I've been there for every iteration of Mario, and he has never looked this good. 

This is important from an animation standpoint, as I actually don't think any animated film has ever looked this good (aside from the upcoming Across the Spider-Verse, which I can't wait for -- have you seen that trailer?!). And, I think this is yet another reason why this movie should be applauded.   

It's a new milestone in computer animation, and I can only dream of what a Mario game would be like if it actually looked this good. The Switch 2 (or whatever the next Nintendo console will be) can't get here soon enough! 

The Voice Acting Was Incredible  

So, it turns out that all the backlash concerning Chris Pratt's voice as Mario turned out to be hogwash. But, what else is new? Chris Pratt did a wonderful job as Mario, as did all of the cast. I loved Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, I loved Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, I loved Charlie Day as Luigi, and I loved, loved, LOVED Jack Black as Bowser. Hell, I was even on board for Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Seth Rogen laugh and all.  

And, this is no small feat, as I've known these characters for my entire life. So, if anybody was going to be hard to please, it was me. But, guess what! I was pleased! So, even though the plot was nothing special, the fact that these characters were brought to life in a brand new way (and still felt incredibly faithful to their in-game characters) is worth its weight in gold coins for me.  

It Makes Me Excited For Possible Future Nintendo-Related Movies 

Last but not least, the Super Mario Bros. movie gets me SUPER pumped for other potential Nintendo movies. I didn't feel this way about the Sonic movies, as I viewed those more in a vacuum, but I definitely feel this way about a future Nintendo universe where we could potentially see The Legend of Zelda, Luigi's Mansion, and (be still, my heart) my beloved Metroid as future movies. 

Honestly, the Super Mario Bros. movie succeeded for me since it proved that some of my favorite games of all time could finally have faithful and loving adaptations made about them. 

Because it's clear that the people behind the Super Mario Bros. movie are massive fans of the series (I mean, Mario's papa himself, Shigeru Miyamoto, helped with the project). So, the idea of a Star Fox, Pikmin, or an Avengers-level Super Smash Bros. movie with the same love and attention as the Mario movie just fills me with so much joy and hope, you have no idea! 

So, yeah. The critics didn't love the Super Mario Bros. movie, but I sure did, and I don't care what the critics think this time around. But, what did you think? For more news on all things Mario, be sure to swing by here often!  

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is here, and while not all critics are in love with it, the box office has shown the new Mario movie is already a massive hit. And not only did the audience go in droves to see the film, but most people who have seen it seem to love it. This is in stark contrast to the original Super Mario Bros. film, which most people agree isn’t great, but now we’re seeing lines drawn from some of the cast of those films.

It’s to be expected that when a popular IP gets a second film, people are going to look back at the first. I this case maybe not that fondly, but John Leguizamo, who played Luigi in the original film says he’s got a real problem with the new movie. Meanwhile Seth Rogen is taking some pretty hard shots at the live-action movie.

What John Leguizamo Has Said About The Super Mario Bros. Movie

It’s perhaps a bit understandable that a member of the cast of the original Super Mario Bros. might have an issue with another moving being made. The first film was given a very specific sequel setup, which never happened because the film flopped. The new animated Super Mario Bros. Movie is another acknowledgment that what they did the first time didn’t work. 

However, John Leguizamo recently told TMZ he’s boycotting the movie. This isn’t because of the movie itself, but specifically due to the casting. Leguizamo has stated previously that the first film broke new ground by casting him as Luigi, and he would have liked to have seen more diverse casting in the animated film. Back in November, Leguizamo said…

It was certainly a surprising choice, especially for a movie in 1993, to cast a Latin-American actor to play an Italian-American character. And for all the movie’s problems, casting of the Mario Bros. was not one of them.

Seth Rogen’s Opinion Of The Original Super Mario Bros. Does Not Hold Back

If it were just one person with beef that would be one thing, but the war of words goes both ways. Seth Rogen, who voices Donkey Kong in the new film, has said the first Super Mario Bros. isn’t simply a bad movie, but one of the worst movies ever made. Rogen says he was 11 when he saw the movie for the first time and even then he knew it was terrible. Rogen said…

When you’re a kid every movie is great and Rogen indicates that Super Mario Bros. was the film that disabused him of that idea. Maybe for that reason, it actually seems worse than it was. Or maybe not.

Neither of these verbal shots is directed at anyone specifically. It’s just general opinions about each film, but there are clearly strong feelings here. And with a strong indication that the new animated Super Mario Bros. Movie could see the sequel that the first film never got, we could see the war of words persist. 

Since, the beginning of March 2023, Hollywood has been releasing a lot of titles that movie-goers are excited to see – resulting in a number of records being broken. Last month was huge for blockbusters, as Michael B. Jordan's Creed III, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett's Scream VI and Chad Stahelski's John Wick: Chapter 4 all set new high bars for opening weekends within their respective franchises. To say the least, the industry has been on a roll of late, and this week's we've seen the debut of the biggest hit of them all: Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic's The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

As far as individual franchises go, The Super Mario Bros. Movie far outgrossed Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel's Super Mario Bros from 1993, but what's far more significant is the fact that it had one of the best weekends of all time for an animated feature. Check out the full Top 10 for the past three days below and join me after for analysis.

With A Wednesday Release Date, The Super Mario Bros. Movie Has Already Surpassed $200 Million Domestically

We've seen some wonderful big screen success stories already in 2023, despite the fact that it's only April, but The Super Mario Bros. Movie is arguably the biggest win thus far. Having made $146.4 million domestically over the last three days (according to The Numbers), the video game blockbuster now sits atop the list of biggest opening weekends of the year – easily surpassing Peyton Reed's Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania, which brought in $106.1 million back in February.

Of course, that's also not the full story. Hoping to take advantage of the holiday weekend, Universal Pictures opted to put The Super Mario Bros. Movie in theaters on Wednesday instead of Friday last week, and that move definitely helped pad ticket sales. Before the weekend even started, the film managed to bring in more than $58 million in the United States and Canada (about the same amount of money that the successful Creed III made when it hit wide release in March.

Unlike all of the big box office wins last month, The Super Mario Bros. Movie notably didn't arrive in theaters on a wave of pre-release buzz. The first full reactions went online just shortly before the first showtimes, and the film received middling reviews (its presently sporting a 56 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes). This, however, is a film that was always going to be critic-proof. For starters, this is a movie directly aimed at young children and that's not exactly an audience taking advice from professional critics regarding their consumption of entertainment. More importantly, though, this is a big, colorful feature based on one of the most popular video game franchises of all time, and curiosity about it was always going to beat any negative word of mouth.

The film is the latest feather in the cap for Illumination Entertainment, which is best known for producing the Despicable Me and Minions titles. The company has released a number of hits since 2010, but nothing that they've made has been anywhere near as big as The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Before Friday, the company's biggest opening weekend success was Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda's Minions, which made $115.7 million when it first arrived in theaters in the U.S. and Canada in July 2015.

The new animated feature has also already outgrossed a number of Illumination titles, as Garth Jennings' Sing 2, Chris Renaud's The Secret Life Of Pets 2, and Tim Hill's Hop all made less during their entire theatrical runs domestically than what Super Mario Bros. has done in the last five days.

As you might have guessed, the picture for the film only looks rosier when one looks at its worldwide box office performance thus far. The $200 million-plus the feature has made at home has been matched by an estimated $173 million in earnings from abroad, which puts the global total for The Super Mario Bros. Movie at $377.6 million. That means that it is already ranked fourth among the Top 2023 movies, and it only needs to make about $110 million more to catch up to Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania. It's very realistic at this point that it will surpass the total earned by Yimou Zhang's Full River Red, which was released in China back in January and has made $673.3 million. 

The box office success we're seeing with this feature could end up lasting the rest of the month. While there are some notable titles set to come out in April, none are primarily targeting the same audience as The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which means that it could put up some crazy numbers before its time playing on the big screen comes to an end.

Ben Affleck's Air Lands In The Top 5 As Counterprogramming For Adults

While The Super Mario Bros. Movie was released to attract the attention of young people, Ben Affleck's Air also hit theaters this past Wednesday to operate as counterprogramming for more mature movie-goers, and it mostly worked as expected. It's unclear where the final numbers will place it in terms of ranking in the Top 10 (somewhere between second and fourth place) but early reports from Deadline suggest that its made approximately $14.6 million since Friday. Combined with the money the feature made mid-week, its domestic gross is already up over $20 million. 

Air premiered at the SXSW Film Festival in mid-March, quickly earning positive buzz, and it's good to see the movie – a non-genre blockbuster for mature audiences –make some money on the big screen. As an Amazon Studios production, the film will be available to watch on Prime Video before too long, but audiences seem curious to see the star-studded story behind the creation of Nike's Air Jordans in theaters. 

John Wick: Chapter 4 Does Battle With Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, As The Fantasy Movie Drops 61 Percent Weekend-To-Weekend

Nobody who follows box office developments can be overly surprised by the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, but what's good news for the video game feature isn't such great news for John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein's Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. The fantasy movie was riding high last weekend when it first hit theaters, taking the box office crown with a $38.5 million haul, but there were questions at the time about its legs and ability to justify its reported $150 million budget (per Variety). Now, things aren't looking so great.

Since Friday, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves has added just $14.5 million to its domestic total, which now stands at $62.3 million. That's a 61 percent drop that comes despite positive responses from critics and an "A-" grade from CinemaScore. Worldwide, the film has made $124.1 million, which means that the chances of fans getting a sequel seem pretty slim at the moment.

What's not-so-great news for Dungeons & Dragons did end up being good news for John Wick: Chapter 4. The action epic starring Keanu Reeves added $14.6 million to its domestic ticket sales in its third Friday-to-Sunday, and it has thus far made $147.1 million in the United States and Canada. Worldwide, it's made $268.9 million thus far, meaning that it only needs to make another $58.3 million to become the highest grossing title in the John Wick franchise.

Looking ahead to next week, there is every expectation that The Super Mario Bros. Movie will once again be the film on top of the box office chart – but what will that mean for Julius Avery's The Pope's Exorcist starring Russell Crowe and Chris McKay's Renfield with Nicolas Cage? Head back here to CinemaBlend next Sunday to find out, and you can always sneak a peek at what else is coming to the big screen via our 2023 Movie Release Calendar.

Seth Rogen has seriously been crushing it in Hollywood! Since getting his start on Freaks And Geeks over 20 years ago, he’s proved himself to be a multi-hyphenate talent, between being a bankable Hollywood star, talented writer, producer and director and becoming a pot businessman. (And he also has an impressive knack for ceramics.) When speaking to CinemaBlend, he admitted that so much of his career has been “very surprising” to him. However, there’s one element of it that he apparently did expect. 

Our own Jeff McCobb spoke to Seth Rogen (about Kanye West and more) amid the junket for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which we know quite a lot about. During his chat with the actor (who voices Donkey Kong), Jeff pointed out that Rogen has become a “bonafide voice actor” within the past decade. When asked if he’s shocked to see himself become so accomplished in that realm, he responded with these honest thoughts: 

Seth Rogen definitely has an iconic voice, with his laugh being particularly notable, as many of us could likely clock from a mile away. As the star pointed out, a lot of things have really surprised him over the years regarding how his career has played out, but he’s perhaps known for a while that voiceover work would be viable for him -- and it very much has lately. 

The star has a sizable voice-acting resume that dates back to 2006 when he had a small spot as “student” on an American Dad episode. After that, it only grew, with the actor then working closely with DreamWorks Animation on properties like Kung Fu Panda and Monsters vs. Aliens and voicing an alien named Paul in the R-rated comedy of the same name. In 2016, Rogen co-wrote the raunchy animated movie Sausage Party and starred in it as the voice of a sausage named Frank. 

If that weren't enough, Rogen has voiced some seriously iconic characters in the last few years including Pumbaa in the hugely-successful The Lion King live-action remake and now as Donkey Kong in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the latter which is poised to be another big movie. Per THR, the movie based on the Nintendo franchise is set to break records and have the second-best box office debut of all time for an animation movie, behind Incredibles 2 with an expected $368 million global five-day opening. 

While there’s certainly been discourse about Chris Pratt voicing Mario, the animated movie is earning hugely positive reactions from fans, even if critics -- including our own Eric Eisenberg, who gave it 2 out of 5 stars in our The Super Mario Bros. Movie review -- are calling it more of a “checklist of nods to the games” than a movie. Regardless of the reception though, Seth Rogen seems to have had a blast voicing Donkey Kong, and it'll be exciting to see what he does down the road. You can hear his work in the film now, as it's currently playing in theaters. 

There’s been a lot of buzz surrounding Nintendo and Illumination Entertainment’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and particularly Chris Pratt’s role as everybody’s favorite video game plumber. The actor has faced some backlash regarding his voice for the beloved character in the trailers and limited footage released so far, but he’s asked fans to “go see the movie” before making any final judgments. That opportunity is upon us, as the animated film is set to hit theaters on April 5. Now the reviews are in to help us know what to expect from the video game adaptation.

In addition to Chris Pratt, the movie boasts an impressive cast that includes Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong and other big names. The first reactions to the film were overwhelmingly positive, but now that critics have a chance to expound on their theatrical experiences, let’s dive a little deeper, starting with CinemaBlend’s review of The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Eric Eisenberg rates the movie just 2 out of 5 stars, saying despite the great animation, the characters come off as one-dimensional and bland. He continues: 

Germain Lussier of Gizmodo agrees the movie is a mess, with characters who barely learn anything and stakes that don’t elicit any emotion. The critic wishes the filmmakers would have aspired to more with IP that is so beloved, saying: 

Joshua Rivera of Polygon notes that The Super Mario Bros. Movie provides loads of nostalgia but feels built to capture screenshots rather than make memories in its own right. The critic argues that the film’s attempts to bottle the appeal of Mario end up mostly just referencing it. The review continues: 

Not all of the reviews were so bleak, however. Owen Gleiberman of Variety joins the other critics in praising the animation but disagrees with the above critic's assessment that non-fans won’t respond to The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s energy. He also praises the fairy-tale story that provides a satisfying video game buzz, saying; 

Tom Jorgensen of IGN rates the movie a “Great” 8 out of 10, calling it a “pipe dream come true” and arguing that the movie’s charm and energy make up for its paper-thin plot. The critic concludes: 

The critics seem to agree that the animation is impressive, while the plot is lacking. Their overall enjoyment of the film beyond that is varied, so time will tell if this goes down as one of Chris Pratt’s best roles. If you want to see Mario, Luigi and the rest of the classic video game crew on the big screen, you’ll have your chance starting Wednesday, April 5. And it’s never too early to start planning your next trip to the theater, so be sure to check out our 2023 Movie Release Schedule to see what else is coming soon.

Excitement is high for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and it’s not just the video game enthusiasts who have been looking forward to hearing Chris Pratt and the rest of the star-studded cast bring the well-known characters to life. Conversations about another movie to follow the 1993 live-action flop started years ago, and now the wait is finally over, with Illumination’s animated film set for a slightly early release this Wednesday, April 5. The movie screened April 1 in Los Angeles, and those who have seen the movie have hit Twitter with their reactions.

In addition to Chris Pratt as Mario, The Super Mario Bros. Movie stars Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad and Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong. There was a bit of backlash after Pratt was cast in the main role, and the actor said he understands and is grateful for the passionate fanbase, but he implores fans to see the movie before they make any final judgments. There are now plenty of people who have seen the movie, so let’s see what they’re saying. 

One critic loves what the leading man did with Mario, and he says the movie hits some major nostalgic notes for those who grew up playing the video games, tweeting: 

Another viewer rates it a 10 out of 10, tweeting that they haven’t been this excited about an animated movie since The Lego Movie: 

The Dallas Film gives a high score as well, rating it a 9 out of 10. This viewer and several others are advising fans to be sure to stay through the credits: 

Atom goes so far as to call The Super Mario Bros. Movie “one of the BEST family films ever,” and says Jack Black and Chris Pratt are great in their roles -- but it’s Charlie Day as Luigi who is the highlight. Check out the full thread: 

Video game fans were hoping for some Super Mario Easter eggs, and it sounds like the movie doesn’t disappoint. Erik Davis of Fandango calls the movie “the ultimate love letter to every era of Mario”: 

Seth Rogen’s confirmation regarding Donkey Kong’s entrance song already has fans buzzing, and Tim Gettys of Kinda Funny says the music is the star of the show and that Nintendo fans are going to be obsessed: 

He isn’t the only audience member who had an emotional reaction to seeing the animated film on the big screen. André Segers of GameXplain called the movie a blast, despite a somewhat shallow plot. Segers says: 

Mike Manalo of The Nerds of Color also touches on some minor criticisms, saying the jokes don’t always land, and he wishes Luigi had played a bigger role. However, The Super Mario Bros. Movie perfectly captures the spirit of Mario, and Jack Black steals the show — a true feat given the talented cast. The critic tweets: 

The reactions to the flick are overwhelmingly positive, and even the viewers who pointed out some issues like a shallow plot seem to have enjoyed the movie overall. It definitely sounds like a crowd-pleaser, especially for those who love the games. It sounds like some are already hoping for more and, in that case, we’ve got some characters we need to see in the sequel. 

The Super Mario Bros. Movie hits theaters Wednesday, April 5, and be sure to check out our schedule of 2023 new movie releases to see what else is coming soon. 

Movies based off of video games have had a somewhat troubled history. And while there are countless projects that failed to successful adapt a game for the big screen, there have been some success stories lately including the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, Detective Pikachu, and Mortal Kombat. The next upcoming video game movie is The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which will hit theaters shortly courtesy of Illumination Entertainment. And if the upcoming animated blockbuster gets a sequel, there are 5 iconic Nintendo characters that I think need to be introduced in a significant way. 

Entire generations of gamers have been brought up with Nintendo iconography, and the company has introduced a number of iconic characters throughout its decades providing new titled. The Super Mario Bros. Movie including favorites like Mario (infamously voiced by Chris Pratt) as well as Luigi, Peach, DK, and Bowser. But there is a large pool of characters that the burgeoning franchise might be able to bring into the fun. Below are my personal choices, which I think would both please hardcore fans and open up some new narrative possibilities with a possible animate sequel. Let's a-go. 

Daisy

If there's one thing Nintendo is really great at, it's iconography. And their beloved characters have therefore appeared in a number of games throughout the years. Daisy is no exception, her first appearance dates back to 1989's Super Mario Land for the Game Boy. In it we were introduced to the nation of Sarasaland, where Daisy is a princess. While she resembled Princess Peach (who is played by Super Mario Bros. Movie by Anya Taylor-Joy), she's usually far more bombastic and tomboyish than her counterpart.

Rather than making Princess Peach a victim who needs to be rescued, The Super Mario Bros. Movie shows her as a capable leader of the Mushroom Kingdom. And the only thing that would make this better is giving her a bestie in the form of Princess Daisy. There are a ton of hardcore Daisy fans within the Nintendo fandom, and smart money says she's going to be at the top of people's list if a sequel is ultimately green lit. But who should voice her?

Yoshi

Yoshi is a Nintendo character that goes way back, first appearing in 1990's Super Mario World. While he was originally a mount for Mario to use throughout the game, the little green guy and his relatives ended up becoming independent characters that are mainstays of games like Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros. and Mario Party. And as such, Yoshi seems like a super obvious choice to bring into a possible sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie. 

Honestly, it's a little surprising that Yoshi wasn't a shoe-in for a main character in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. But perhaps the folks at Illumination wanted to lave some options if the movie does well and ends up inspiring a sequel. Alternatively I'd love to see Yoshi get its own movie a la Yoshi's Story from the Nintendo 64. Either way, fans would no doubt love to see the fruit eating green guy show up on the big screen sooner rather than later. 

Toadette

Toadette is one of the newer characters on this list, but that doesn't make her any less deserving of getting a role in a sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie. She showed up for the first time in 2003's Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, which was a super popular title for the Nintendo Gamecube. Since then she's become a regular in the games, either as a playable character or a NPC like in Mario Party. So she's got a fair amount of fans. 

The first movie's trailers showed off a ton of Toads, who are ruled by Princess Peach. And as such, it seems like bringing in Toadette could happen easily if a sequel ends up happening from Illumination. Actor Keegan-Michael Key voiced the primary Toad in the first Super Mario Bros. movie, and it would no doubt be fun to see him interact with Toadette in a follow-up. Fingers crossed that a sequel actually happens; it'll likely all depend on how the box office performance. But with both kids and adults invested in the iconography, it might do well. Even if there's backlash about Chris Pratt voicing Mario. 

Wario

Of course, Nintendo characters aren't all heroes. Jack Black's Bowser made a serious impact when he debuted in the movie's trailer, and he'll presumably be the primary antagonist of the Super Mario Bros. Movie. And if the burgeoning franchise is going to expand with a sequel, then there's going to need to be more antagonists joining the fray. For me, the most obvious to include in a possible big screen sequel is Wario, who is in many ways the antithesis of Chris Pratt's mustachioed plumber that we know and love. 

Wario debuted in Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, which arrived on the Game Boy in 1992. He was an antagonist for Mario and his friends, although he's since become a fully formed character himself. In addition to appearing in titled like Mario Kart and Mario Party, Wario also got to lead his own story in games like Wario World, Wario Land, and the WarioWare series. Rather than finding a new actor to voice him in a Super Mario Bros. sequel, I actually think it would be more fun to have Chris Pratt voice that character as well. The Guardians actor has the pressure of playing the movie's beloved protagonist, why not raise the stakes? 

Rosalina

This one is admittedly a little bit personal. Because in games like Mario Kart, Mario Golf, and Mario Party I am definitely a Rosalina main. And while Daisy is a more recognizable character, I'd also love to see her in on the fun and working alongside Princess Peach. 

Rosalina first showed up in Super Mario Galaxy, and has since been adapted as one of the most common playable character for players in Nintendo Games. Indeed, Daisy has been left out of certain recent titles in favor of including the magical queen of the cosmos. And so while she hasn't been around for nearly as long as other characters on the list, she seems like an obvious choice to pop up in a Super Mario Bros. movie. 

The Super Mario Bros. Movie will arrive in theaters on April 5th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Movie adaptations of video games have had an interesting tenure in theaters. While they’ve historically been unsuccessful, that changed with the release of projects like Detective Pikachu, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Mortal Kombat. Another entry is coming to theaters shortly with The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which features a killer cast of voice talent. Chris Pratt is leading the movie as Mario, but there’s been a ton of criticism about his accent in the limited trailers and footage. Pratt recently responded to that backlash saying “go watch the movie.” Let’s a-go and see what he’s got to say.

In the Nintendo video games both Mario and Luigi have over the top Italian accents. That’s why some fans were shocked when  The Super Mario Bros. Movie trailers revealed Chris Pratt’s take on the voice, which sounds more like a New York accent. The Parks & Rec alum was asked about this discourse by Extra TV, responding honestly with:

There you have it. While Chris Pratt has obviously heard the chatter about his voice in the trailer for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, he seems confident in his performance in the upcoming animated blockbuster. Luckily for us, we only have to wait another week until the movie is finally released, and we get to see Pratt and his co-stars inhabit beloved Nintendo characters like Bowser and Donkey Kong.

Chris Pratt’s comments about the Super Mario Bros. backlash seems quite honest. And rather than being offended, it sounds like he actually understands why there’s been so much chatter. After all, these characters have been passed down across generations at this point, so the fandom is very strong. But he seems to think that the movie’s contents will speak for itself.

Of course, Chris Pratt isn’t the only the person in the cast of The Super Mario Bros. Movie that is making bold choices. None of the cast are doing impressions of the video game voices, and are instead putting their own spin. That includes Anya Taylor-Joy’s Peach, Charlie Day’s Luigi, Jack Black's Bowser, and Seth Rogen’s Donkey Kong. 

As a reminder, you can check out the movie’s trailer below, including some voice lines from Chris Pratt himself. 

It should be interesting to see what moviegoers actually think of what Chris Pratt brought to the table as Mario. If the new Illumination animated blockbuster does well at the box office, this could potentially become a bonafide franchise. And a sequel would make the way for more beloved characters to appear on the big screen.

The Super Mario Bros. movie is hitting theaters on April 5th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie. As for Chris Pratt, he’s got some other exciting projects coming own the line including Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. 

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is finally about to be released, and video game fans around the world couldn’t be more excited. The first movie based on the iconic Nintendo video game franchise in 30 years, and only the second ever inspired by the legendary Jumpman, the animated feature film from Illumination and Nintendo, looks to be a daring and dashing adventure celebrating the property’s nearly 40-year existence. And hopefully one that is filled with all kinds of references, Easter eggs, and callbacks to everyone’s favorite plumber.

In anticipation of the upcoming The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and as part of our ongoing partnership with AMC Theatres, where tickets are now available to purchase, we have put together a list of eight references we’re hoping to see on the big screen starting April 5th. 

‘But Our Princess Is In Another Castle!’

While it doesn’t look like Anya Taylor-Joy’s Princess Peach Toadstool will be the damsel in distress in need of rescue by Chris Pratt’s Mario in the upcoming movie, hopefully directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic find a way to incorporate the classic “But our princess is in another castle” from 1985’s Super Mario Bros. 

Longtime fans of the game either look back on the line with a state of nostalgic bliss or pure anger from all the times they thought they were saving the princess from Bowser in the various castles at the end of each world in the Nintendo classic only to be greeted by one of her attendants, and then starting the process over again. And with the humor that has been hinted at in the various Super Mario Bros. Movie trailers so far, this would be an ideal addition.

The Warp Whistle (And Other Great Power-Ups)

The Warp Whistles hidden throughout the early goings of Super Mario Bros. 3 were the stuff of legend back in the day, and including the great power-up that allows you to skip not just levels, but entire worlds would be a fun addition.

Mario doesn’t necessarily have to use the Warp Whistle in the movie, but seeing one (as well as other iconic power-ups from the franchise) put on display in a hall of treasures like the one seen on Asgard in Thor: Ragnarok would be clever throwback that wouldn’t take too much time. But we’d be down with the whistle being used too, if they decide to go that route.

A Callback To 1993’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie

The 1993 Super Mario Bros. is often considered one of the worst video game movies of all time, but it’s still a core part of the property’s cinematic and cultural journey. That being said, it would be fun to see the animated Super Mario Bros. Movie at least feature a brief callback to its much-derided live-action predecessor starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo.

This could be something as simple as including a reference to the movie's tone and dark aesthetic, or by taking a page from Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers and lambasting the movie like the Disney+ exclusive did with “Ugly Sonic” in May 2022.

Jumping Off A Staircase To Reach A Flag

Is there anything more rewarding in the first Super Mario Bros. game than jumping off the staircase at the end of each level with enough momentum so that you reach the top of the flagpole? 

This is a must for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and we’d be shocked if it’s not brought into the fold at some point throughout its runtime. Either with Mario running through the Mushroom Kingdom or jumping off the stairs to defeat Bowser, we just have to see it.

The Blue Shell From Mario Kart

That dreaded blue shell in the Mario Kart games, the great equalizer shot from the back to bring the race leader back to reality, is another small piece of Mario lore we’d love to see in the upcoming movie. We already know there is a Mario Kart portion of the movie thanks to multiple trailers, and so this one seems extremely likely to happen. 

But seriously, is there anything worse than hanging onto first place in an intense race on the Rainbow Road only to miss the podium because Wario shot a blue shell your way? 

The Different Versions Of Super Mario Bros. 2 (Japanese vs. American)

Those who have played the American version of Super Mario Bros. 2 (a reskin of Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic) and the Japanese version of the game (later released as Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels) know that the two games couldn’t be more different from each other. The latter featured some of the hardest Mario levels of all time (so much so that it was deemed too much for Western audiences), and the former was nothing like its predecessor in any way besides the characters. 

These differences could be fun to see as some kind of Easter egg or alternate world in The Super Mario Bros. Movie if we’re going to be celebrating the legacy of the franchise.

A Virtual Boy Reference Would Be A Fun, And Blinding Touch

The Nintendo Virtual Boy, a great idea but a terrible system, will probably forever go down as the worst console the company has put out. With an uncomfortable headset and red-framed visuals that make your eyes hurt just thinking about it, the Virtual Boy had an incredibly short lifespan (July to December 1995 in Japan, August 1995 to August 1996 in North America) and a dearth of games (with even fewer passable titles).

Still, the console is a major part of Nintendo’s, and Mario’s, journey, and should at least be featured in a small capacity in the upcoming movie.

Shigeru Miyamoto’s Non-Mario Characters

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is going to feature some of the video game world’s most important heroes and villains, and there will surely be surprises around every corner throughout the big-screen release. But, it would also be cool to see some of the characters dreamt up by Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto make some kind of appearance when everything is said and done.

Characters like Link, Princess Zelda, and Ganon from The Legend of Zelda games, various racers from F-Zero, and multiple others, would all make great Easter eggs, and would make video game fans around the world happy.

We’ll have to wait and see if any of these references and Easter eggs pop up in the highly-anticipated movie. But the only way to know for sure is by watching The Super Mario Bros. Movie when it debuts in AMC Theatres nationwide on April 5th, so go ahead and purchase your tickets before it’s too late.

Across Nintendo’s nearly 40-year history with the Super Mario Bros. franchise, it’s been common for Princess Peach to be the damsel in distress, and for Mario to journey the far reaches of the Mushroom Kingdom to save her. However, in the 2023 new movie release, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Peach is getting a new narrative that is much more empowering than helpless. 

Across the clever marketing for The Super Mario Bros. Movie that has made us especially excited to see the animated movie, Princess Peach looks to be a stronger female character in comparison to how she's portrayed in the video game. One of the movie’s directors, Aaron Horvath said this about the characterization of the iconic video game character in the movie: 

During an interview with Total Film (via ComicBook), the co-director of The Super Mario Bros. Movie shared that Princess Peach’s leadership role in the Mushroom Kingdom will be a focal point of the film. In a notable swap from the norm of the franchise, it will be Charlie Day’s Luigi who is captured by Jack Black’s Bowser. Mario will go on a wondrous adventure to rescue his brother and Princess Peach will be instrumental in helping him out. 

It’ll be a nice change of pace for Princess Peach after decades of needing to be rescued in the popular game. As Horvath shared, the switch-up will allow the character to explore her role as a protector of a people, something we’ve not yet really seen from Peach. 

The actress behind the voice role is Anya Taylor-Joy, known for numerous dramatic and critically-acclaimed roles over the years like Queen’s Gambit or, most recently, The Menu. Taylor-Joy has previously shared that she wasn’t very familiar with the Nintendo franchise before the movie role came along. Since nabbing the role, the actress said she’s become a “gamer”, especially in terms of tearing up the arcade with friends. 

Her leading co-star in the stacked The Super Mario Bros. Movie cast is Chris Pratt as Mario, which has been a controversial decision among fans, but according to the filmmakers made “total sense” due to the actor’s ability to play a “blue-collar hero with a ton of heart” really well. 

This week it was announced that The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s release date has been moved up by a couple of days. Rather than it hitting theaters on Friday, April 7, the movie will now debut on Wednesday, April 5, perhaps giving the movie more lead way to open really big at the box office. And we’re certainly excited to see the filmmaker’s new take on Princess Peach once the movie hits theaters one month from now. 

30 years ago after the live-action Super Mario Bros. movie failed to critically and commercially impress (although it does have some supporters), the Nintendo franchise’s iconic plumber and his supporting cast of characters will soon be back on the big screen, but this time in animated form. Illumination’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie has gotten a lot of attention over the year for casting Chris Pratt as the title character, with many feeling he wasn’t the right choice for the role. Now The Super Mario Bros. Movie directors have chimed on why they think bringing Pratt aboard “made total sense.”

Several days after Chris Pratt poked fun at the Super Mario Bros. Movie voice controversy surrounding him, directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, who previously worked together on Teen Titans Go! to the Movies, spoke with Total Film about their work on this 2023 new movie release, including crafting an origin story for Mario and his brother Luigi and doing their best to make this feature “a very authentic Nintendo Super Mario experience.” When the subject of Pratt voicing Mario was brought up, Horvath said the following:

While the public has gotten used to Charles Martinet voicing Marion in numerous video games, for the kind of story The Super Mario Bros. Movie is delivering, Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic felt that Chris Pratt embodied the essence of their version of the character quite well. Like his video game counterpart, Pratt’s Mario is a plumber who’s transported to the Mushroom Kingdom and must save the day, even though he has no hero experience under his belt already. Horvath later referred to this movie’s Mario as an “everyman,” but as far as the “blue-collar hero” aspect goes, Pratt has certainly given off that vibe before playing Star-Lord in the MCU and Owen Grady in the Jurassic World movies.

Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic are the latest people associated with The Super Mario Bros. Movie to defend Chris Pratt’s casting. In November 2021, Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri called the actor’s Mario voice “phenomenal,” and the following June, he reaffirmed that love following the 15 recording sessions that had happened by that point. Then in November, a month after the first Super Mario Bros. Movie trailer debuted, Khary Payton, who’s voicing the Penguin King, said that he thought Pratt was doing a “kind of a fun take” on Mario. See what you think of Pratt’s Mario voice by watching the latest Super Mario Bros. Movie trailer below.

Chris Pratt’s co-stars on The Super Mario Bros. Movie include Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Jack Black as Bowser, Charlie Day as Luigi, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Sebastian Maniscalco as Foreman Spike and Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek, along with Charles Martinet appearing in “surprise cameos.” Matthew Fogel wrote the script. The Super Mario Bros. Movie arrives in theaters on April 5, a few days earlier than it was previously scheduled.

One of the more highly anticipated releases of the spring has to be Illumination's The Super Mario Bros Movie. The last time that the iconic Nintendo characters Mario and Luigi were brought to the big screen it didn't go so well, so fans are hopeful that this new attempt will be the one that brings the video game characters to life properly. And those fans will have their chance to find out even earlier than we thought, as Super Mario Bros. is now set to open a couple of days earlier than previously scheduled.

Instead of opening on Good Friday, April 7, Deadline reports that Super Mario Bros. will now bow on the previous Wednesday, April 5. The specific reason for the change is unclear, but it may have been to align the release with other markets, as the film is set to drop in 60 different regions on its opening day. And with the weekend being a holiday, it's likely that a lot of people are taking extra time off, and may be interested in grabbing a movie on a Wednesday night.

If nothing else a couple of extra days of release will give even more people the chance to see The Super Mario Bros. Movie early, or to give anybody who really loves it the chance to re-watch. There's no real opening weekend competition for the animated film, so the decision to move up the release wasn't to give it any sort of separation from another high-profile movie.  

When it was first announced that we would be getting a new theatrical Super Mario Bros. movie, fans weren't sure what to make of it. The attempt to make the Nintendo characters work in live-action...did not work at all. The movie with Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo as Mario and Luigi is generally seen as one of the worst adaptations of a video game into a film, and that's even considering that the majority of video game adaptations have not been great. 

Even the new movie hasn't been without its own controversies. When Chris Pratt was announced as the voice of Mario fans were curious, to say the least. While the Mario of modern video games barely has a voice at all, whatever you might expect Mario to sound like, for many Chris Pratt was not it. Having said that, there have not been riots in the streets since Mario's voice was revealed. 

But if nothing else, the trailers for The Super Mario Bros. Movie have shown us that the new animated film is doing its best to create the characters and worlds of a Super Mario Bros. game accurately. The Mushroom Kingdom has come to live in the movie just as it has at the new Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood.

When the first trailer for The Super Mario Bros. Movie dropped, fan got a taste of the vocal stylings that'll be heard inside and around the Mushroom Kingdom. However, it seems that when a new promo, drops folks have mixed responses for Mario's big-screen adventure. For instance, some have noted that it's jarring to hear all-American guy Chris Pratt’s controversial Italian accent for the beloved plumber, while other aspects of the flick have been received more warmly. Now, Seth Rogen’s Donkey Kong voice has been revealed and, to no one's surprise, the Internet was quick to share thoughts.

A new clip from The Super Mario Bros. Movie arrived, courtesy of Illumination. The promo shows Mario going head to head with Donkey Kong only for the hero to go down in seconds due to the imposing ape's swift grabs and punches. As soon as the behemoth speaks, it’s easy to point out that the actor behind the punch-out gorilla is voiced by Seth Rogen, and it's more than apparent to fans as well. One Twitter user opined that what Rogen seems to be bringing to the antagonist’s voice feels out of place:

The comedic actor has done plenty of voiceover work at this point. He brought his A-game to animated features like Sausage Party, the Kung Fu Panda movies, The Lion King, Monsters Vs. Aliens and more. He could do something with his role as the video game icon here, too, but fans don't seem convinced of that just yet. Butis co-star, Anya Taylor-Joy, has been getting a lot love for her work as Princess Peach, which she says actually turned her into a gamer. In addition, Jack Black’s Bowser is on point as well. 

Despite some uncertainty regarding Seth Rogen's Donkey Kong voice, he does seem to be getting better reactions than colleague Chris Pratt has gotten for his turn as Mario. In fact, one person even questioned why that appears to be the case when Rogen's rendition is radically different as well:

A number of people have made some interesting arguments on behalf of the Superbad icon, though. One fan even took to Twitter to pose a question to those who've chastised the decision to cast the actor as the beloved gorilla. Check out what they had to say:

I mean, that is a fair point. Also, it's hard to argue just how entertaining Seth Rogen's voice is in general. He definitely just has a naturally sharp sense of humor, but he also knows how to use his voice to hit just the right comedic notes. Chances are Rogen leaned all the way into this approach, which is probably why one Twitter user revealed that they thought they would hear another of the star's signature attributes during the promo:

Who knows, maybe Seth Rogen's voice is actually a reason why we should be pumped for The Super Mario Bros. Movie. That's all up to one's opinion, though, and it should be worth mentioning that there are plenty of other elements -- aside from the voice acting -- that need to be considered. Plus, it’s got to be better than the 1993 live-action film which was considered one of the worst video game movies of all time. So it's probably best that we hold off on judging Rogen -- and Pratt, for that matter -- before the movie comes out.

You can finally see The Super Mario Bros. Movie for yourself when it opens on April 7th as part of the schedule of 2023 new movie releases.

Chris Pratt has become part of some pretty big franchises in his career, but he’s not exactly an actor known for physical transformation like a Christian Bale or Gary Oldman. He mostly just looks like himself. And while one of Pratt’s big roles for 2023, as the voice of Mario in the Super Mario Bros. movie, really doesn’t require a physical transformation. It seems that Pratt has gone full Mario-stache in the new year. 

In a pair of images posted to Instagram Chris Pratt is looking significantly more like Nintendo’s famous plumber than usual. He has grown out a mustache, but not just any mustache. This one is a pretty significant stache, check it out in the picture below.

While Pratt does have  bit of beard going on, this new look is almost all mustache, which is a look that men don't generally go with these days. It feels like a throwback to another era and while it would probably take some getting used to. It's not a bad look for the actor. 

When an actor goes through even the slightest physical transformation one has to wonder if it’s being done for a role. Growing or shaving facial hair, along with hitting the gym, is a pretty common element of an actor getting ready to play a character. He does have a couple of films that he’s attached to, including The Russos. Bros. The Electric State and the long in development Cowboy Ninja Viking, directed by Michelle MacLaren. It’s possible the new look means one of those films is about to start shooting.

Of course, it could also just be that Chris Pratt is enjoying the holiday season by doing something he probably rarely gets to do, like grow out his hair. Because his roles require him to generally have a certain look, even if that look is simply “look like the Chris Pratt that everybody expects” he likely doesn’t often get to grow a mustache just because he wants to, so this could be his chance to do it before having to go back to work. Pratt's not the only guy to just let the facial hair go over the holidays.

Of course, the fact that Chris Pratt looks just that much more like Mario could ultimately be intentional. The Super Mario Bros. Movie is set to hit theaters in early April, which will be here before you know it. Perhaps Chris Pratt will keep this new look until then. He’ll be doing lots of promotion for the film between now and then, it’s his next major project, coming out a month before the long awaited Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, so if he’s going to be doing lots of interviews about the movie, he might as well look that much more like the character he plays.

Video game movies don’t have the greatest track world, as there have been countless disappointing projects released over the years. But there have been some winners recently, including Detective Pikachu, the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, and Uncharted. The subgenre is getting a new installment with The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which features a killer cast bringing the Mushroom Kingdom to life. And a newly released scene brings a level of the video game to life… plus more of Chris Pratt’s accent.

Ever since the cast of The Super Mario Bros. Movie was announced, there’s been some backlash surrounding Chris Pratt playing Mario himself. This has only increased thanks to the limited footage from the trailers, with the Guardians of the Galaxy star taking a ton of flak for his accent work. A new clip from the animated blockbuster recently hit Twitter, featuring Keegan-Michael Key as Toad showing Mario around, and it feels delightfully accurate to a level from the beloved gaming franchise. Check it out for yourself below:

I mean, how fun is that? While there’s plenty of shade being thrown at The Super Mario Bros. Movie, it does look like it’s ripped straight out of the Nintendo Games. This clip perhaps proved this more than any other footage that’s been released, as we watch Toad and Mario walk through a maze of game mechanics. Although the reaction online has been all about Chris Pratt (of course).

The above clip comes to us from the official Twitter of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and is a highlight for both the movie’s visuals and the voice performance being given by Keegan-Michael Key as Toad. It opens on various Toads mining coins from a coin box, and it seems like jumping like that is easier in the games than in the movie. We also see the fish known as cheep cheeps, as well as a tube used to transport characters around.

Keegan-Michael Key is pretty hilarious in this scene, especially when he’s shouting out about Luigi’s impending death in order to get his fellow Toads to get out of their way. Chris Pratt only gets a few lines as Mario, but they immediately served as fodder for memes online. Case in point: the follow tweet which pokes fun at his performance while also showing a deep love for Mario lore:

When Chris Pratt was cast as Mario, there was immediate backlash from certain corners of the internet. Although the trailers have increased this, as some fans have been disappointed with the accent chosen by the Parks & Rec alum. He doesn’t go for Mario’s over the top Italian dialect, sounding more like a New Yorker, which is a point of contention for the generations of Nintendo fans out there.

Chris Pratt has one major line in this new clip from The Super Mario Bros. Movie, saying: “Ok so these bricks are just floating here?” That one moment of dialogue inspired a number of responded online, with one voice actor tweeting:

Indeed, this brief clip featuring Chris Pratt’s new line of dialogue has already been ripped and distributed online in social media outlets like Twitter and Instagram. One bit of criticism compared his accent to the one and only Jerry Seinfeld, reading:

Clearly the discourse surrounding Chris Pratt in The Super Mario Bros. Mario is showing no signs of slowing down, as folks will no doubt be dissecting every line of dialogue from the upcoming movie’s protagonist. While none of the movie’s actors are trying to imitate their video game counterpart’s voices, Pratt remains the only person in the hot seat of public opinion. But any publicity is good publicity, so perhaps it’ll increase chatter and box office results as the movie approaches its release.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is currently expected to arrive in theaters on April 7th, 2023. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your trips to the theater in the New Year. We’ll just have to wait and see how the marketing continues to roll out footage, and which clips are chosen.

Comparing the Russo Brothers to the Super Mario Bros is not something that likely ever would have crossed my mind until I saw Chris Pratt’s Instagram story. But, nevertheless here we are, someone has photoshopped Mario and Luigi hats and mustaches onto Anthony and Joe Russo, and I can’t look away. 

With The Super Mario Bros. Movie trailer being released, we got our first looks at lots of beloved characters including, Princess Peach, Toad and Mario’s brother Luigi. This movie has been highly talked about and memed for a while now, but this joke takes the cake for me. This is because the Avengers: Endgame directors do kind of resemble the two plumber brothers from the iconic video games. Check it out: 

Not only does Chris Pratt have a hilarious sense of humor about the comparison, the Russo brothers also acknowledged the resemblance in a funny way, commenting on @agbofilms original Instagram post:  

Well, I highly doubt that is true, but they do low-key look like the iconic video game brothers, especially when you add the hats. I mean since Joe Russo is a bit shorter than Anthony Russo, along with this Photoshop job, I can totally see the resemblance, and I personally think it would be quite fun to see them pop up for a small cameo in the upcoming Super Mario Bros. Movie. 

Now, as for Chris Pratt, his casting in the upcoming movie has caused some controversy. People have not been a fan of Pratt doing an Italian accent for the movie, like the one Mario has in the games, but an actor in the film Khary Payton, clarified that Pratt is doing more of a New York, Italian accent. A producer on the film also commented on the backlash, saying they understand the complaint, and that Charlie Day, who is playing Luigi is Italian American. 

Despite the backlash, there is a lot of excitement surrounding this movie. I know I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the trailers and can’t wait to see it next year. Based on the Russos’ comment it seems like they’re also excited about the movie, and are in the mood for the silliness it’s bound to bring. 

If you’ve watched the Marvel movies in order, you’ll know that the brothers have worked with Pratt a few times on Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, so I’d imagine they’re all for supporting the actor on his latest project. 

Along with The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Pratt is also starring in one of the major upcoming Marvel movies this year. He’ll reprise his role as Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which is scheduled on the 2023 film schedule for May 5 about a month after the release of the Mario movie.

So, while we await this highly anticipated video game adaptation to come out on April 7, you can go back at watch both the Russo brothers’ Marvel movies, and Pratt’s MCU films as well with a Disney+ subscription. 

Upon the announcement that Chris Pratt was leading the cast of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, there was some backlash from the interwebs. As one of potentially most exciting 2023 movie releases, it’s a decision that’s still hotly debated by fans. However, O.G. Super Mario Bros. star John Leguizamo has been criticizing the movie's casting for other reasons, and recently explained why he feels Pratt’s casting is “backward.”  

As he was on hand for the New York premiere of The Menu, Leguizamo spoke with IndieWire about the matter on the red carpet. He's called out the lack of diverse talent in the cast, the man who once brought Luigi to life in live-action expanded upon his feelings with memories of how he nabbed the role in the first place: 

John Leguizamo’s specific issue with the lack of Latin leads is clarified a little more with this background information. While the '90s Super Mario Bros. movie may not have been perfect, the casting of Luigi was a pretty big deal. Looking at the new film’s casting choices could definitely be seen as a step backward when compared to how The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s predecessor handled assembling its team.

Though the initial release of Super Mario Bros. was a disaster, time seems to have brought a new fanbase to the film. Even the actor seems to have softened in his views, as the stories behind the film’s infamous production paint some interesting pictures. All seems to be forgiven, because Leguizamo is grateful for the opportunity that movie gave him early on in his career.

To want that opportunity for the current generation of diverse talent is square in the wheelhouse of what John Leguizamo has tried to draw attention to throughout his career. His upset that The Super Mario Bros. Movie is failing to vary its lead casting in a manner that the ‘90s live-action adaptation actually achieved is totally understandable. 

It’s a lesson that more video game projects, as well as entertainment productions in general, can stand to learn from as we move forward on the subject of diversity. For now, we'll have to wait and see what the overall reaction to The Super Mario Bros. Movie happens to be, as it's scheduled to hit theaters on April 7, 2023. 

Meanwhile, fans of John Leguizamo can see him return to the big screen in the upcoming movies The Menu and Violent Night. Those films open November 18th and December 2nd, respectively. 

Video game franchises like Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and even Pokémon have been adapted into feature films multiple times since the respective release of each game, while perhaps the biggest gaming series of all time — Super Mario Bros. — had a one-and-done approach to big screen adaptations. Well, that will change in the very near future with Nintendo and Illumination’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which will hopefully right the wrongs of its 1993 live-action predecessor and introduce the iconic plumber with an affinity for mushrooms to a new generation. 

With a voice cast that includes the likes of Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, and a who’s who of top talent, not to mention some big-time producers including the man who created Mario, there’s a very good chance Nintendo’s signature character will get quite the redemption story when the movie lands in theaters in Spring 2023.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Will Be Released Theatrically In April 2023

The legendary plumber-turned-video-game-hero will hop his way into the hearts of moviegoers when The Super Mario Bros. Movie opens in North American theaters on April 5, 2023. The video game adaptation was originally slated to make its theatrical debut in December 2022, but Universal and Illumination elected to push the release back by about four months.

More information on the international release of the long-awaited game adaptation should become available in the coming months, so make sure to keep your ear to the ground (or any green tunnels that pop up throughout the Mushroom Kingdom). Now would be a perfect time to find the warp flute from Super Mario Bros. 3 to skip through the next year.

The Super Mario Bros. Cast Includes Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy And More

Video game fans around the world were in for quite a surprise during the September 2021 Nintendo Direct event when Shigeru Miyamoto, the man who created Mario and a number of the company's other iconic characters, appeared on screen to talk about The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Miyamoto couldn’t share any details about the story or how it fits into the canon of the franchise, which dates back to 1981, he did share the all-star (and somewhat controversial cast).

First off is Chris Pratt (and not Danny DeVito) who will add to his busy schedule by portraying Nintendo’s mascot, Mario. Joining him in the Super Mario Bros. cast is Anya Taylor-Joy, who will be taking on the role of Princess Peach. Other members of this star-studded cast include Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek, and Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike. 

Chris Pratt Has Said His Mario Voice Isn’t Like Anything Else In The Super Mario Bros. Universe

Not long after it was announced Chris Pratt would be providing the voice of the iconic plumber in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, longtime fans were worried the portrayal would be offensive since Pratt is not Italian nor is he an Italian-American. Months later, Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri told TooFab that he understood the concerns and backlash from fans while also stressing that the Guardians of the Galaxy star wouldn’t be doing the typical “It’s a me, Mario” voice prevalent in the games dating back 30 years.

In June 2023, while speaking with Variety, Pratt himself said his portrayal of the character would be something new, something “unlike anything” heard before, stating:

And although Pratt’s take on the pipe-jumping and princess-saving plumber has yet to be revealed, Meledandri told Variety just days earlier that he loved the performance, calling it “strong.”

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Trailer Offers The First Glimpse At Chris Pratt’s Mario

Following several months of anticipation and worry by longtime Nintendo fans, the video game company and Universal Pictures finally released The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s teaser trailer, which offered up what everyone was waiting to see: Chris Pratt’s Mario. The trailer, which clocks in just shy of two-and-a-half-minutes in length, makes you wait until the second half before you get to see Mario and even longer until you get to hear Pratt’s voice. Prior to that, Jack Black’s Bowser is on full display, looking as menacing and oversized as ever, as he takes over another kingdom in his quest for world domination:

The Guardians of the Galaxy star saw the brief trailer a couple of weeks before the rest of the world had the opportunity in October 2022, saying he was “simply blown away” and that it was “very special.” In addition to Bowser and Mario, the trailer also showed off Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) and Luigi (Charlie Day), the latter of which was the topic of several Super Mario Bros. Movie responses on Twitter.

Longtime Mario Voice Actor Charles Martinet Will Appear In ‘Surprise Cameos’ Throughout The Movie

Dating back to the 1992 release of Mario Teaches Typing (the CD-ROM version only), Charles Martinet has voiced the cheery plumber and various other characters in the series of Nintendo games. Even though he won’t be lending his voice to Mario in the upcoming movie, Martinet is very much involved in the project. During the September 2021 Nintendo Direct event, Shigeru Miyamoto revealed that the longtime Mario voice actor will be portraying “surprise cameos” throughout the movie, none of which have been revealed at this time. Though if we were to guess, Wario, Waluigi, and maybe even an alternate-reality Mario would all be good bets.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Is Being Co-Produced By Illumination’s Chris Meledandri And Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto

Following the Nintendo Direct event, the company, alongside Illumination Entertainment, announced that two of the respective companies’ top executives would be leading the charge by producing The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Shigeru Miyamoto, the man who created Mario himself, will serve as one of the producers, while Illumination’s Chris Meledandri will stand in as the other.

In a statement that accompanied the announcement, Meledandri explained that he was “honored” to work with the legendary video game creator before saying Super Mario Bros. will be a unique Illumination project:

Similarly, Miyamoto was excited to collaborate with Illumination and create a new experience for the Mario brand:

The video game legend also asked for fans to be patient throughout the production and wait just a little bit longer for the movie to come out in theaters.

The Movie Will Be Directed By Teen Titans Go! Developers Aaron Horvath And Michael Jelenic

​​In addition to having two high-profile producers helping keep The Super Mario Bros. Movie on track, the upcoming animated film will be directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, who previously worked together on the DC Comics animated series Teen Titans Go!, and the 2018 feature film Teen Titans Go! to the Movies. Nintendo and Illumination also announced that the movie’s script will be written by Matthew Fogel, who wrote The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, as well as  Minions: The Rise of Gru which crushed the competition upon its July 2022 debut.

Expect To Hear Some Classic Themes From The Game Within The Film Score

Anyone who has played any of the Mario games with the volume all the way down knows just how important Koji Kondo’s classic themes are to the playing experience. Though the longtime Mario composer isn’t completely in control of The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s soundtrack, producer Chris Meledandri revealed during an October 2022 Nintendo Direct that the legendary figure is “working hand-in-hand” with composer Brian Tyler to integrate those themes into the score.

Exactly how Kondo’s presence will impact the movie’s score remains to be seen (and heard), but it would be hard to have a movie based on the video game franchise without at least hearing that iconic song from the Super Mario Bros. opening level or other memorable tracks.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Has Been In The Works Since 2017

Although it is just now getting traction, this version of The Super Mario Bros. Movie has been in the works for half a decade now. Back in November 2017, The Wall Street Journal reported that Nintendo and Illumination Entertainment were getting together to make an animated movie based on the groundbreaking video game franchise. Through this partnership, Nintendo would hold on to some creative control and would have a say in the process, unlike the live-action Super Mario Bros. movie that was a box office failure upon its release in 1993. Only one film was confirmed at the time, hopefully more will not be far behind if the movie is a success at the box office.

This Is The First Time The Iconic Video Game Franchise Has Been Adapted Since The Ill-Fated 1993 Live-Action Movie

When The Super Mario Bros. Movie opens in theaters on April 7, 2023, it will be nearly 30 years since the live action disaster of the same name was released. Often regarded as one of the worst video game movies of all time, the dark, gloomy, and all-around not-so-fun film failed to even bring fans of the game series (which was arguably at its peak in popularity) to the theaters upon its release in May 1993. Mario only by name, the movie took a major deviation from the path to the Mushroom Kingdom and instead gave audiences what could best be described as a fever dream starring Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo, Dennis Hopper, and Samantha Mathis. Despite this, there are some who will argue the merits of the movie.

There is still a lot of time between now and the April 2023 release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, so expect to hear more about the movie, including its plot and a full trailer, as we get closer. In the meantime, go ahead and get an early start on what other major releases will be on the 2023 movie schedule.

Nintendo’s lush video game world is finally getting the big screen treatment in the form of Illumination Entertainment’s animated The Super Mario Bros. Movie, set to be among 2023’s upcoming movie releases. And finally, fans got a first look at it on Thursday when the first trailer for The Super Mario Bros. Movie dropped online during the Nintendo Direct event. So of course it’s time for those first reactions. 

First off, Billy On The Street’s Billy Eichner gave the absolute best reaction to the trailer by calling out himself following the box office bomb of his movie Bros. The LGBTQ+ romantic comedy unfortunately underperformed last weekend, to which the actor/writer asked audience who are not homophobic to go see it. Check out his Mario tweet: 

Get it? Because they both have Bros in the title? Anyways, there are a lot of other thoughts on The Super Mario Bros. Movie first look. And of course, there’s a lot of talk about Chris Pratt’s voice of Mario, which has earned backlash since the Jurassic World actor was cast. Here’s what one fan thought: 

Looks like that’s a thumbs up, even if it’s odd to hear the voice behind a myriad of massive films, including various MCU movies and The LEGO Movies tap into the beloved video game character next. Here’s another take: 

Jack Black’s Bowser opens up the trailer, and lots of fans are super into how the character looks and sounds. The Super Mario Bros. Movie includes a stacked cast, with Anya Taylor-Joy playing Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek and Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike. Wait, there’s more Bowser love: 

And along with a first look at Bowser and the Mushroom Kingdom, one especially big favorite showed his face for a moment, and fans are also stoked. Check it:  

Gotta love Luigi! You can check out the full first trailer of The Super Mario Bros. Movie below: 

This Super Mario Bros. movie, of course, follows the infamous 1993 movie starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo, which has its share of lovers and haters. The Nintendo property has a massive fanbase of gamers of all ages who’d be curious to see Mario and Luigi take on an animated movie. If it does well, it could become another successful franchise for Universal Pictures on the heels of Super Nintendo World soon having a presence in more of their parks in the near future.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is heading to theaters on April 7, 2023.