Nintendo and Illumination were never going to stop with the first Super Mario movie. After it became one of the biggest animated films of all time at the box office, the road was open to take its generous catalogue of properties and decide which ones were best suited to the big screen.
While it hasn’t confirmed any additional films beyond the live-action Legend of Zelda coming next year, it’s easy to read between the lines and realise that Nintendo has a broader cinematic vision that will see all manner of characters and universes make their mark. That’s if they don’t all end up as part of the same universe, since Fox McCloud being confirmed to show up in the upcoming Super Mario Galaxy makes me think this whole affair is going to be one huge crossover.
Why Is Star Fox In The Super Mario Galaxy Movie?
I knew when the Super Mario Galaxy film was announced that it was going into outer space for more reasons than simply adapting the Wii masterpiece. Early trailers already showcased environments and gimmicks from later games like Odyssey, making it abundantly clear that it was Nintendo and Illumination using a popular name as a springboard to a much wider take on the potential characters available to them.
By reaching beyond the stars, Nintendo has carte blanche to not only adapt both Galaxy titles but also explore other franchises like Star Fox and Pikmin that take full advantage of lovely interstellar settings. Pikmin were briefly spotted in a couple of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it reels in social media posts, while Fox’s blaster being glimpsed in a recent trailer was teasing us just before the full reveal. Whether he’s a cutesy cameo or a core ally of Mario and company, introducing Fox in this movie represents the crossing of a very important line.
Glen Powell (of Top Gn Maverick and Spy Kids 3D: Game Over fame) has been cast as Fox. One of the biggest challenges of bringing all of these Nintendo characters to life will be finding the right voices for them.
If he can be in the Mario movie, that means a number of other Nintendo characters aren’t off limits either. I wouldn’t bat an eyelid if Kirby, Kid Icarus (who made a cameo in the original with Mario playing the first game), or Captain Falcon showed up either, especially if the movie does the narrative work to showcase that Mario isn’t alone in this big universe and there are countless other distinct heroes waiting for their turn in the sun. It feels like Nintendo is setting the foundations for a Super Smash Bros. cinematic universe.
After decades of comic book movies and enduring a long-lasting feeling of fatigue after the release of Avengers Endgame, I expected to roll my eyes at this idea, but it got me pretty excited. After Ultimate failed to deliver a satisfying story mode that saw its massive roster properly interact, I’m aching to see these characters finally go adventuring together.
I can see Star Fox being introduced and becoming a friend of Mario as he offers to help take down Bowser in the film’s final act, because who better to defeat a villain using the power of space than Fox and his crew of expert dogfighters? I can smell the fan service from here. It could go to so many visually exciting places, even if I don’t expect the narrative to stand up to scrutiny after how basic the first film was. It needs to appeal to audiences young and old around the world with a tale of good versus evil as old as time, and you aren’t going to nail this by delving into overcomplicated Nintendo lore.
The Super Smash Bros Cinematic Universe Is So Ridiculous It Just Might Work
But goodness me, I would love it to go in that direction. What I really want is for Nintendo’s slate of animated films to reach a point where it can give us something like Spaceship Emissary from Super Smash Bros. Brawl. A narrative filled with beloved icons teaming up with unexpected pairings to take on larger-than-life threats. This game first released almost two decades ago as well, so there is so much room for expansion if we really are staring down the barrel of a Nintendo cinematic universe.
Start small with additions like Star Fox and Pikmin, making sure these characters have their own stories told through individual arcs within Mario’s outings. Then the bigger names, like Kirby or Animal Crossing, might get the chance to stand on their own.
They could be major parts of Mario’s narrative, or simply terrific bonuses that both casual and hardcore fans can appreciate. I have no idea what final form this SSBCU is going to take — see, I’ve coined it now and everything — but it presents not just an opportunity to tell new stories, but brings back a number of dormant characters in refreshed visual form and makes them relevant again.
Fox McCloud and so many other characters like him are confined to very old games which today’s younger audiences just won’t be interested in, so what better way to revive most of them through a film that millions of people are going to go and see? It’s smart, and honestly I’m also just a giant nerd who wants to see it happen.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
- Release Date
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April 1, 2026
- Runtime
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98 Minutes
- Director
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Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Pierre Leduc, Fabien Polack
- Writers
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Matthew Fogel
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Anya Taylor-Joy
Princess Peach
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