I'm Nerding Out Over The Super Mario Galaxy Movie's References To Other Nintendo Games

The first trailer for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie just dropped, and fans now have a better idea of what the famous plumbers and their friends are up to in the sequel sequel to the box office hit. I expected to see iconic characters like Rosalina and diverse planets, as both are in the acclaimed Wii game the film is (at least somewhat) adapted from. What I didn't expect to see, though, were big references to other Mario-fronted games, though I guess I should have given the first movie in this franchise.

Some may remember that The Super Mario Bros. Movie features a nod to Luigi's spookier spinoff, Luigi's Mansion, and it lays the groundwork for a Donkey Kong Country film. I'm assuming Galaxy Movie will have more references than have been revealed thus far. Nevertheless, here are two major nods that stuck out to me in the first full-length look at the upcoming video game movie.

Bowser Jr.'s Outfit Resembles His Look In Super Mario Sunshine

Bowser Jr. will make his debut in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, but what's most interesting is what he's wearing in the trailer. He's wearing the bandana he used in the game acclaimed game Super Mario Sunshine. Not only that, but the devious character is also equipped with the magic paintbrush he used to cause havoc all across Isle Delfino.

I'm eager to see how the diminutive villain utilizes those tools in the sequel. In Super Mario Sunshine, the bandana gave Bowser Jr. the ability to take on Mario's appearance, and that landed the hero in trouble when he arrived on the island.

It's also known that Yoshi will appear in this movie, and the dinosaur has a storied history with Bowser Jr. in video games. Given that, I wouldn't be surprised if Yoshi and Mario teamed up for a big showdown with Jr., possibly resulting in something akin to the final boss battle in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island.

The Sand Kingdom From Super Mario Odyssey Was Shown

Super Mario Galaxy (the game) is full of diverse planets with colorful new characters to meet. Imagine my surprise, then, to see Mario and Luigi traveling through what looks like the Sand Kingdom, which appeared in the latest game, Super Mario Odyssey.

This development has me wondering if The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will ultimately set the stage for a third movie and introduce someone like Cappy or one of the more obscure characters from Mario lore. I know I'd love to see some kind of nod to the Paper Mario series, as those games usually had the most colorful cast of characters.

Ultimately, this lifelong Nintendo fan is hyped to see another Mario movie coming out along with the fact that a Legend of Zelda movie is in the works. I'm so glad Hollywood is finally seeing the value in telling these stories, after the catastrophic failure that was the live-action Super Mario Bros. I can't wait to see what's next, though I'm crossing my fingers for that Super Smash Bros. movie to get greenlit.

For now, I'll settle for waiting on The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which is scheduled to hit theaters on April 3rd amid the 2026 movie schedule. Hopefully, we'll get more trailers leading up to the big release soon as well as a popcorn bucket that -- pun intended -- is out of this world.