Yoshi, Birdo, and Cosmic Chaos: Everything Revealed in the Super Mario Galaxy Movie Nintendo Direct. Watch Guide
By James Pus Published: Jan 25, 2026
The stars have aligned, and the Mushroom Kingdom is heading into deep space. In a surprise Nintendo Direct broadcast on Sunday, January 25, 2026, Nintendo and Illumination pulled back the curtain on The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, revealing a payload of new characters, power-ups, and a global release date that has been moved up to April 1, 2026.
Hosted by the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto, the presentation was a fast-paced tour of what fans can expect from the highly anticipated sequel. Here is every major reveal from the “Galaxy” Direct.
1. Yoshi’s Big Reveal: The Dinosaur is Finally Here
After being teased in the post-credits scene of the first film, Yoshi has officially made his debut. The trailer shows Mario and Luigi exploring a rogue Warp Pipe in an area resembling the Sand Kingdom from Super Mario Odyssey. Inside, they find a timid, fearful Yoshi who eventually joins the gang.
- The Voice Mystery: Notably, Nintendo did not announce a celebrity voice actor for Yoshi. In the trailer, Yoshi mumbles a few words and calls out his name, leading to speculation that long-time game voice actor Kazumi Totaka may be reprising the role or that the vocals are being handled internally by Illumination.
- A “Super Scope” Surprise: In a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, Yoshi is seen clutching a weapon modeled after the classic SNES Super Scope, a deep-cut reference to the 1993 game Yoshi’s Safari.
2. Deep-Cut Characters: Birdo, Mouser, and Lakitu
Nintendo confirmed that this sequel will delve into some of the franchise’s more obscure history.
- Birdo & Mouser: The trailer features a sequence in the world of Subcon (Super Mario Bros. 2), where Birdo is seen firing eggs at Princess Peach. For a split second, Mouser—the bomb-throwing rodent boss—also appears, suggesting a sidequest for Peach early in the film.
- Lakitu: The cloud-riding turtle makes his big-screen debut, harassing the brothers with his signature Spiny Eggs.
3. Power-Ups Galore: Frog Suits and Fire Flowers
The movie is leaning heavily into classic game mechanics.
- The Frog Suit: In a hilarious montage, Luigi is seen rescuing a Toad from a giant Cheep Cheep while wearing the iconic Frog Suit from Super Mario Bros. 3.
- Fire Flowers: Mario and Luigi are shown using Fire Flowers to navigate the darkness of the underground pipes, complete with the classic “Underground” theme.
4. Returning Favorites & New Cast Members
While Rosalina and Bowser Jr. sat out this specific trailer, their involvement was confirmed in previous announcements:
- Rosalina: Voiced by Marvel star Brie Larson.
- Bowser Jr.: Voiced by Benny Safdie (Oppenheimer).
The original cast is also back in full force, including Chris Pratt (Mario), Anya Taylor-Joy (Peach), Charlie Day (Luigi), and Jack Black (Bowser).
5. Production Update: Animation is Done
Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri made a guest appearance to announce that animation work is 100% complete. The film is now in post-production, with the focus shifting to sound design and music.
The Score: The film will feature a massive orchestral soundtrack. Themes from the original Super Mario Galaxy games are being re-recorded by a 70-piece orchestra to capture the epic, cosmic scale of the source material.
6. Release Date Move: April 1, 2026
In a move to align with international markets, the U.S. release date has been shifted from April 3 to April 1, 2026. While falling on April Fools’ Day, Nintendo assured fans this is no joke—the movie will arrive two days earlier than originally planned.
Super Mario Galaxy Movie Cast & Crew
| Role | Actor |
| Mario | Chris Pratt |
| Princess Peach | Anya Taylor-Joy |
| Luigi | Charlie Day |
| Bowser | Jack Black |
| Rosalina | Brie Larson |
| Bowser Jr. | Benny Safdie |
| Toad | Keegan-Michael Key |
| Kamek | Kevin Michael Richardson |
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