Super Mario Bros. Movie
Image: Nintendo Life

In perhaps the least shocking news of MAR10 Day 2024, Nintendo revealed that another Super Mario Bros. Movie is on the way and it's coming in 2026.

A sequel should come as no surprise, let's not forget that the first film pulled in 168 million views at the global box office and went on to become one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time. Yet there was something about Miyamoto's announcement that suggested things might not be quite as cookie-cutter as we'd expected — "We are now creating a new animated film based on the world of Super Mario Bros." and "We're thinking about broadening Mario's world further". Hmmm.

Now, we could just let this lie until Nintendo reveals more information in the coming years, but where's the fun in that, eh? A group of us Nintendo Lifers have come together to share our hopes and dreams for the next Mario movie including who we want to see, where we want to go and needle drops we definitely don't want to hear.

Have a read through our wishes and then take to the poll and comments to share yours.

Ollie Reynolds, Staff Writer

Super Mario Sunshine
Image: Nintendo

Look, there's really only one direction the next movie can go in... Now that Mario has integrated himself into the Fremen community, it's time to conquer Arrakis, overcome the Harkonnens, and become 'Mario Muad'Dib'. Wait... Sorry, I'm getting mixed up.

Let's just take Mario and co. to Isle Delfino, hmm? It seems customary with a lot of animated sequels to send the cast off on some sort of holiday, so why not take the beautiful scenery from Super Mario Sunshine and make it even better in a full-scale Illumination movie? It would present a great opportunity to introduce the likes of Bowser Jr. and the Piantas, but also deviate from the game somewhat and bring in even more fresh faces. Let's get Wario and Waluigi in there, for starters.

As for the plot, I genuinely don't know. The first movie wasn't spectacular, but I didn't enjoy it for the plot necessarily, so the sequel could do just about anything and remain a perfectly watchable, inoffensive experience.

Jim Norman, Staff Writer

Super Mario Galaxy
Image: Nintendo

Wario and Waluigi. That's it. That's the answer (although the first movie's concept art suggests Daisy might be the more realistic choice).

If I was really pushed to think of something else, I would love to see the film explore some of those "galaxies" that Princess Peach so nudge-and-winking-ly referred to in the first movie. You can't just use a word like 'galaxy,' show us a kart chase through space, and then not follow up on that promise. It's 'Chekhov's Goomba'. Or something.

I'd agree with Ollie that the last film was hardly rammed with plot, but I'm quietly hoping that Nintendo and Illumination manage to squeeze in a little more story and development for the second time around. We have had our reference-filled colour fest and we've all got to grips with the characters, now can we please have just a bit of plot? Maybe some restraint on the needle drops too? I'm asking for too much now, aren't I?

Alana Hagues, Deputy Editor

Yoshi's Crafted World
Image: Nintendo

So Yoshi has to show up, right? I know the dinosaurs show up briefly in the first movie, but I'm talking about the Yoshi — green body, orange boots, etc. I'd honestly love it if Mario and crew went to Dinosaur Land for the sequel. Just don't give Yoshi a voice, goodness me. And I'm sure Bowser Jr. is going to show up — that feels like a natural evolution of Bowser's character.

In general, if the sequel wants to be a better movie, it needs to be less about just being a nostalgia trip and be a bit more focused. I don't want those Nintendo references to be stripped, but I think there's a way to make them meaningful. The second movie doesn't need to be a 90-minute commercial for all things Mario, so I think it'll at least be an improvement.

But what do I know — I didn't like the film that much and it was a billion-dollar hit.

Gavin Lane, Editor

Super Mario World SNES
Whatever happened to the magic? — Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life

For me, I'd like to see a little more heart — something that conveys the joy that Nintendo fans feel on the regular while playing the games.

Don't get me wrong, the first Mario Movie was a fine first swing. It had loads to do setting up the world for a cinematic adventure, balancing a dozen different elements with the weight of fan expectation, and it did a good job. As a breathlessly fun 90 minutes of colourful popcorn flick for the family, it hit a home run — and as a laser-tooled piece of cross-media marketing, it's perhaps the slickest I've ever seen.

What I want from the next one, though, is some sort of extra-dimensional theme getting at the heart of Nintendo. Something that explores what these games mean to players around the world. Honestly, I don't care much about Mario as a character, or Bowser kidnapping Peach, or DK, or any of them — to me, they've always been ciphers enabling play in Nintendo's worlds. That's what I'd like to see examined on the big screen; that feeling Nintendo games give us and why it's important.

Essentially, I want The LEGO Movie, but Nintendo.

There are our hopeful predictions, but what would you like to see? Fill out the following poll to tell us your top pick and then take to the comments to share more.

What do you want to see the most from the next Mario Movie?

(You can select up to 2 answers)