The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a massive success for Nintendo as the film made over $1 billion at the box office. In celebration of Mario Day (March 10), Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto and Illumination Entertainment’s Chris Meledandri have announced that a sequel for the successful 2023 is in development.
“We are now creating a new animated film based on the world of Super Mario Bros,” Miyamoto explains in a video announcement that was posted on X (formerly known as Twitter. You can check out the full announcement below.
ILLUMINATION REVEALS THE DIRECTORS OF THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE ARE TURNING FOR THE NEXT INSTALLMENT
Meledandri and Miyamoto are set to return as producers in the upcoming sequel. According to Meledandri, animation will begin on the film soon. He also assured fans that Illumination will be “obsessing over every detail to get it just right.” Additionally, Michael Jelenic and Aaron Horvath will be returning in the director’s chairs while Matthew Fogel will once again be penning the screenplay.
The film is planned to be released on April 3, 2026 in the US and many other markets. In other territories, it will be released throughout the month of April. When it comes to the details of the sequel, Miyamoto explains it will be revealed at a later date.
“Now, as for the details of the new movie, as I often say, we’ll let you know once we’re at the stage where we’re ready to share more. This time, we’re thinking about broadening Mario’s world further and it’ll have a bright and fun story. We hope you’ll look forward to it! That’s all for now. Happy Mario Day!”
-Shigeru Miyamoto (Super Mario Designer)-
Nintendo is reportedly getting ready to launch its Nintendo Switch successor in 2025 while it is also producing an upcoming Legend of Zelda live-action film with Sony Pictures being a collaborator.
THE SUCCESS OF SUPER MARIO BROS.
Designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka, the platform game was developed and published in 1985 for Famicom in Japan and for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in North America. It was eventually converted to international arcades on the Nintendo VS. System in early 1986. After the game’s launch, it was frequently cited as one of the greatest video games of all time. It was successful both commercially and critically while also helping popularize the side-scrolling platform game genre.
In Japan, 1.2 million copies were sold during its September 1985 release month. Four months later, about 3 million copies were sold, which grossed more than $72 million at the time. Altogether, excluding ports and re-releases, 40.24 million copies of the original NES release have been sold worldwide. 29 million of those copies sold came from North America. Mario became a worldwide cultural icon and according to a study that was taken in North America in 1990, it was suggested that more children in the United States were familiar with Mario than they were with Mickey Mouse.
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There’s no doubt that the Nintendo World of Super Mario Bros has become a successful game. A person doesn’t have to be an avid video game player to know who Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, and other iconic characters are. It’s been nearly 40 years since it first launched and since the success of the 2024 film, Mario is still uniting people from all different sides of the fanbase and it will not be slowing down any time soon.
About The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Release Date: April 5, 2023
Runtime: 93 minutes
Directed by: Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic
Produced by: Chris Meledandri and Shigeru Miyamoto
Production: Illumination Entertainment
Distribution: Universal Pictures
Cast: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogan, and Fred Armisen
Synopsis:
For the first time, the iconic global entertainment brands Illumination and Nintendo join forces to create The Super Mario Bros. Movie, a new, big-screen adventure starring one of pop culture’s most prominent plumbers of the past four decades.
Based on the world of Nintendo’s Mario games, the film invites audiences into a vibrant, thrilling new universe unlike any created before in an action-packed, exuberant cinematic comedy event.
While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers Mario (Chris Pratt; Jurassic World and The LEGO Movie franchises) and brother Luigi (Charlie Day; It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) are transported down a mysterious pipe and wander into a magical new world. But when the brothers are separated, Mario embarks on an epic quest to find Luigi.
What do you guys think about the next installment of The Super Mario Bros. Movie franchise? Is this an exciting announcement for you? Are you a big Super Mario Bros. fan? Who’s your favorite character? Let us know and don’t forget to check out our socials and Discord! If you like this article, make sure to follow us for more content.
SOURCE: Illumination on X
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