Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is Nintendo’s animated film adaptation of their iconic video game franchise, Super Mario Bros. It was estimated that the film cost $80 million to make, not to mention, included big names in its cast like Chris Pratt, Jack Black, Charlie Day, and Anya Taylor-Joy, just to name a few.
This film adaptation received so much hype, while at the same time, some backlash, mostly due to Chris Pratt voicing Mario. But for a film based on the Super Mario franchise and knowing how big the fandom is for this video game title, has Nintendo announced plans that for a Mario sequel?
Will The Super Mario Bros. Movie have a sequel?
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is Nintendo’s second attempt to bring Mario and Luigi to the big screen after the game’s 1993 live-action film adaptation, titled Super Mario Bros. was a commercial flop. Since then, Nintendo hasn’t had the confidence to bring another Nintendo character to the big screen.
At the moment, there hasn’t been any news regarding whether a sequel is in the works. However, there are clues that a second installment could be on the table. For starters, the film’s end credits scene gave subtle hints for a potential part two. Not to mention, Seth Rogen, the voice actor who played Donkey Kong in the movie, said he’s down to reprise the role once more, especially for a Donkey Kong Country film adaptation. Let’s not forget, Nintendo acquired an animated studio, Dynamo, back in 2022, according to The Washington Post.
While these three pieces of information make it seem that The Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel could come to fruition, it also depends on the film’s performance. As of writing, this Nintendo animation received an average critic score of 56 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. And while the score is somewhat slightly above passing, it’s still learning towards the rotten side of the spectrum. It all depends on fan reception and the film’s gross earnings to see if Nintendo will have the confidence to continue telling Mario’s story in a future installment.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie will soon hit theaters on April 5, 2023.