“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” was one of my most anticipated films of 2026, especially since its predecessor, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (2023), performed extremely well and was also something I had been looking forward to at the time.
With three years having passed since Nintendo and Illumination first brought the iconic Italian plumber and his friends to the big screen in cartoon animation, I went into the sequel with high expectations and a lot of hope for how they would expand the story.
My two best friends and I planned our monthly hangout and watched the film together on April 7. I had been going through a tough few weeks mentally, so it meant a lot to spend time with them again, especially since we all have jobs and family responsibilities that keep us busy.
I really enjoyed the movie, in fact, I might have liked it more than the first one. I won’t go too deep into detail since it just came out, but this film definitely had more depth compared to the original. From the trailer, I noticed references to games like Super Mario Odyssey, Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2. However, while watching, I realized one of my assumptions was off, as the film actually included references to “Super Mario 3D World’s DLC,” “Bowser’s Fury,” from the Nintendo Switch version. Imagine the plot of Super Mario Galaxy and a few different Nintendo franchises rolled together in one film.
The characters were phenomenal as always, as Rosalina, Yoshi and Bowser Jr. were introduced, but one standout moment was the cameo from Fox McCloud from the “Star Fox” series. Even though his appearance had been revealed a week before the film’s release, I was a bit disappointed that the studios chose not to keep it a surprise for fans.
The film also featured two post-credit scenes, both of which added even more excitement for what’s to come next. The first scene centered around Fox McCloud, giving him a strong and memorable moment while clearly teasing that he could be getting his own standalone film in the near future. It felt like a major setup moment, expanding the universe beyond just Mario and hinting at something much bigger. The second post-credit scene was just as impactful, revealing another beloved character who is expected to appear in the third installment. The way it was presented built suspense and left the audience anticipating how everything will connect moving forward.
With the amount of references packed into the film — not just the ones I mentioned earlier — it really feels like the studio is laying the groundwork for a much larger cinematic universe. Because of that, it seems almost confirmed at this point that a movie connected to one of my favorite games of all time, Super Smash Bros., could eventually happen. The idea of all these characters coming together on the big screen makes the references feel more intentional rather than just fan service.
Unfortunately, a lot of people online have been criticizing the movie, saying it was disappointing or not as good as the first one. Some feel like it didn’t meet their expectations or lacked certain elements they were hoping for. But at the same time, it’s important to remember that this is a video game adaptation centered around one of Nintendo’s most iconic characters and their world. Films like this are often meant to be fun, visually engaging and full of references for fans, so reactions are always going to be mixed depending on what people expected..
