Summary
- The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 is confirmed, but may focus on characters other than Mario, raising concerns among fans.
- The possibility of a spinoff rather than a direct sequel to the 2023 hit movie is worrying for the future of the franchise.
- Fans may prefer a direct continuation of the first film's story rather than a spinoff, as interest in the characters is still fresh.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie voice cast.
2022's Mario Bros. movie was the first time the franchise had been adapted for the big screen since the original 1993 live-action Mario movie, which failed badly. Luckily, this time around the adaptation made over $1 billion and was well well-received by both critics and fans. If the success of the 2022 movie is anything to go by, then the next installment should be almost guaranteed to also be a hit. However, what little has been released about the coming sequel has already created a reason to worry about the franchise's creative direction.
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The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 May Not Actually Be A Sequel
The 2023 Mario Day announcement hinted at a spinoff movie rather than a sequel
Nintendo celebrated 2024's Mario Day (March 10) with an official confirmation of a second Mario movie. While this is exciting news for fans of the first movie and the franchise at large, Nintendo exec Shigeru Miyamoto's wording could easily be interpreted in a way that betrays its face value. Speaking of the recently confirmed movie, Miyamoto stated, "This time, we're thinking about broadening Mario's world further."
Miyamoto's announcement is worded coyly, suggesting the plan for the second movie is to move away from Chris Pratt's Mario as the main character. Instead, the second film may very well focus on other figures within the Super Mario universe. While it's unlikely that Mario wouldn't feature at all, paying him less attention already seems like an unusual strategy. Every Mario game brings something new to the fictional universe, so it's possible the movies could be looking to the source material for inspiration rather than just continuing the story from the 2023 film. This, however, could be a misguided decision.
This Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 Has Us Worried About The Franchise
It's too soon for a Mario spinoff movie
If the plan is to reduce the focus on Mario himself in the second movie, then it's a worrying prospect. The Super Mario Bros. Movie created an alternative origin story for its main character, one that differed from his video game counterpart. Therefore, a true sequel stood the chance to further this fresh take on the iconic Nintendo figure. Building a second movie around another part of Mario canon so soon after the first installment would show a lack of structure to the storytelling.
Every Mario game brings something new to the fictional universe, so it's possible the movies could be looking to the source material for inspiration rather than just continuing the story from the 2023 film.
While the Super Mario franchise is inarguably a household name, the 2023 animated movie will still have been the first experience of the characters and setting for many of its viewers. Drawing in new fans with established characters only to rapidly alter course and make a spinoff movie could backfire on the Nintendo/Illumination collaboration. If so, then interest in the film series could quickly dwindle and ruin a promising new movie franchise.
Why Illumination Needs A Sequel Before Diving Into Spinoffs
Mario and Luigi need to stay in the spotlight for longer
The Super Mario Bros. Movie did a brilliant job of being a great film in its own right while also providing a solid foundation for further direct sequels to be added. Chris Pratt's Mario and Charlie Day's Luigi are new versions of the famous characters, so they need time beyond a single movie to be established as prominent iterations. Nintendo's implied plan to make a spinoff rather than a sequel may impede the progress they made with the first movie.
The main part of the Mario universe needs to be established in a much more thorough fashion before a spinoff movie can be considered. This can be achieved by sticking with Mario and Luigi for longer than one film, as they are the franchise's most well-known characters. There's no doubt that Nintendo and Illumination would put their hearts and souls into making a fantastic spinoff movie.
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However, that doesn't matter if no one is interested in seeing it. Fans are more likely to want to see the continuation of events shown in the first Super Mario Bros. film. So, if the two collaborators are indeed considering a spinoff instead of The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 as the next film in the franchise, they will also need to find a definitive way to tie it to the 2023 installment.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 is scheduled for a US cinematic release on April 3, 2026. The first movie is on Netflix.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2
- Prequel(s)
- The Super Mario Bros. Movie
- Franchise(s)
- Super Mario Bros.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 is the anticipated follow-up to the animated adventure, continuing the journey of Mario, Luigi, and their friends in the vibrant Mushroom Kingdom. This sequel expands on the classic video game world, introducing new characters and challenges as the heroes face a formidable adversary.
- Studio(s)
- Universal Pictures, Illumination, Nintendo
- Distributor(s)
- Universal Pictures
