Nintendo and Illumination will partner on Super Mario Bros. movie sequel

Nintendo and Illumination announced they will make a sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie, due to arrive as a theatrical release set for April 3, 2026, in the U.S. and overseas.

It’s no surprise they’re going in that direction, as the 2023 film set records for a game adaptation by generating $1.36 billion in box office revenue worldwide. Nintendo also said it spurred more sales of Nintendo games and had a global audience of at least 168 million. Happy Mario Day!

Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic will direct the film, and Matthew Fogel is writing the screenplay. Part of the reason the 2023 film was such a success was that game creators at Nintendo were intimately involved in making the film. The new film will be co-financed by Universal Pictures and Nintendo and distributed theatrically worldwide by Universal.

Illumination founder and CEO Melendantri and Shigeru Miyamoto, representative director and fellow of Nintendo, will be the producers on the film.

Illumination made the prior film and it has also created Despicable Me, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch and The Secret Life of Pets.

The company said it is glad to continue its partnership with Nintendo, “bringing its signature mix of joy and discovery to worldwide audiences of all ages, allowing them to connect with the beloved characters and stories from one of the world’s most popular franchises.”