---
title: "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie"
year: 2026
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie"
fi1m_id: "the-super-mario-galaxy-movie"
imdb_id: "tt28650488"
tmdb_id: 1226863
wikidata_id: "Q124806421"
fi1m_score: 38
critics_score: 36
critics_reviews: 11
published: "2026-09-09"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:43.761568+00:00"
region: "CH"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026)

Directed by Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic · 1h 38m · CH 6 · Family, Comedy, Adventure, Fantasy, Animation

## Identity

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** the-super-mario-galaxy-movie
- **IMDb ID:** tt28650488
- **TMDB ID:** 1226863
- **Wikidata ID:** Q124806421
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28650488/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1226863, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q124806421

**Fi1m score: 38** · Critics 36 from 11 reviews

*In a sentence:* A firework display where somebody keeps shouting the names of the fireworks

> The brothers go to space and the film goes with them at a sprint, never holding a shot long enough for a joke to land. Handsome to look at, tiring to sit through, and most critics have said so. Poor.

## Synopsis

Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) leave the ground for the stars. Bowser (Jack Black), who now has a son, Bowser Junior (Benny Safdie), to prove himself to, is once more the threat, and the brothers go after him with Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) and Yoshi (Donald Glover) alongside. Out in space they meet Rosalina (Brie Larson), and are troubled along the way by Kamek (Kevin Michael Richardson), Ukiki (Roxana Ortega) and Wart (Luis Guzmán). Glen Powell voices Fox McCloud. Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic direct from a screenplay by Matthew Fogel, with a score by Brian Tyler. Animated, certificate PG, 98 minutes.

## Review

Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic directed the first *Super Mario Bros.* film in 2023, and they are back for the sequel with the same producers, Shigeru Miyamoto and Chris Meledandri, and a screenplay by Matthew Fogel. The idea, taken from the 2007 game, is to send the brothers off the ground: Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) leave the kingdom for the stars, meet Rosalina (Brie Larson), and chase Bowser (Jack Black), who now has a son, Bowser Junior (Benny Safdie), to prove himself to. It is a quest, with stops. It is also poor, and most critics have said so. We are not going to be the ones to disagree.

The trouble is not the idea but the speed. Eric E. Osmond’s cut does not hold a shot long enough for anything to land, a joke, a fall, a look between brothers. A planet appears, is run across, and is gone; a villain arrives, is bested, and is replaced by another. We were tired by the half-hour mark, and by the end we were cross about being tired, because a film for children has no business wearing out an adult in 98 minutes. There is a difference between energy and hurry, and this film has only the second.

Guillaume Aretos’s production design is the best thing here. His little worlds hang in black space like sweets on a tray, each a single colour, each with one gimmick, and in the few seconds before Osmond cuts away they are pleasant to look at. Brian Tyler’s score pushes on every one of them, brass over every jump and strings over every reunion, so that we are told what to feel a good while before we are given a reason. It works on small children. It worked on the small children around us, who were loud, and we do not blame them.

Pratt and Day play the brothers as they did last time, and the film’s one attempt at feeling is between them, a quarrel about who looks after whom that the script raises and then drops to make room for another planet. Anya Taylor-Joy’s Peach is along for the ride, and mostly it is a ride. Jack Black’s Bowser is still the only performance that seems to know it is in a comedy, and his scenes with Safdie’s sulking Bowser Junior are the closest the film comes to a story with a middle. Donald Glover’s Yoshi is a pleasure for the minutes he has. Keegan-Michael Key’s Toad talks fast. Glen Powell turns up as Fox McCloud, a pilot borrowed from a different game altogether, does a flourish and leaves; the part of the audience that knew who he was cheered, and the rest of us waited.

Then there are the references. Luis Guzmán’s Wart, Roxana Ortega’s Ukiki and Kevin Michael Richardson’s Kamek are villains most viewers will not know, and the film does not need us to know them; it needs us to notice them. Every scene has something in the corner of it to recognise, and the recognising is offered in place of a joke. Several critics have called the film an advert, and that is fair, though not quite for the reason they give. It is not that it sells things. It is that it cannot stop pointing at them, and 98 minutes of being pointed at is a long time.

The first film had the same habits and was a good deal calmer about them, and calm turned out to matter. Set against what a family animation can be, one that lets a shot breathe, one that trusts a child to follow a face, this is well below the line. It carries a PG certificate, and there is nothing in it a child should not see. There is also nothing they will remember by the weekend.

It opened in Britain on 1 April 2026, in time for the school holidays, and it will fill cinemas whatever we say. If you have a child who plays the games, they will be happy, and you will be able to close your eyes for stretches without missing a plot point. If you do not, wait, and then perhaps keep waiting.

*Fi1m score 38, published 9 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics dislike it, and several dislike it intensely. The reviews return again and again to the same complaints: a plot so thin it barely registers, a pace that never lets up, and a screen crowded with cameos and references standing in for story. Many hear a sales pitch in it; The Telegraph calls it one long advert, and The Times gives it nothing at all, finding it lifeless and painful to sit through. Lack of humour is a recurring charge, with Empire and The Guardian both finding it joyless. Where there is praise it lands on Illumination’s animation, which even sceptics concede is bright and busy, and on the voice cast.

The spread is wide. A few reviews, led by Deadline, Collider and the Los Angeles Times, find it a fun, playful family sequel with charming casting, though even Collider admits the story is thin and the new characters underserved. Polygon sits in the middle, dazzled by the visuals and bored by the plot.

## Straight answers

**Is The Super Mario Galaxy Movie worth watching?**

*The Super Mario Galaxy Movie* is not worth watching unless you have a child who plays the games, and we scored it 38. Guillaume Aretos's little single-colour planets are pleasant to look at, but the cut never holds a shot long enough for a joke to land, and we were tired by the half-hour mark. Small children will be happy; adults will be waiting for the end.

**How long is The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and what is it rated?**

*The Super Mario Galaxy Movie* runs 1h 38m and is rated 6 by the CH in Switzerland. It is a family and comedy film.

**Where can I watch The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in Switzerland?**

*The Super Mario Galaxy Movie* is available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from CHF 7.50. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How does The Super Mario Galaxy Movie compare to The Lego Movie?**

*The Super Mario Galaxy Movie* is the weaker film beside [*The Lego Movie*](https://film.one/film/the-lego-movie), which is also built from a toy catalogue and also moves too fast, but finds jokes and a heart in the clutter. The Mario sequel offers recognition in place of jokes and drops its one thread of feeling, a quarrel between the brothers, to reach the next planet. Families wanting a comedy should choose the Lego film.

**What should I watch after The Super Mario Galaxy Movie?**

After *The Super Mario Galaxy Movie*, try [*The LEGO Movie*](https://film.one/film/the-lego-movie) (2014, Fi1m 83): A film built from a toy catalogue that found a heart and jokes in it. Then [*Wreck-It Ralph*](https://film.one/film/wreck-it-ralph) (2012, Fi1m 70): Game references with characters underneath them, and a villain with a reason; and [*Wolfwalkers*](https://film.one/film/wolfwalkers) (2020, Fi1m 84): Irish animation that trusts children to sit still and look properly.

### Reviews we read (14)

- **Los Angeles Times**, Katie Walsh (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a fun, family-oriented animated sequel that explores sibling dynamics among the Mario brothers and their friends. It singles out the remarkably beautiful animation by Illumination, which stays true to the 8-bit source material while feeling deeply cinematic. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2026-04-02/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie-review-its-animated-family-affair)
- **The Telegraph** (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an improvement over the first but still absolute rubbish, feeling like one long advert full of shameless product placement. They single out the thin plot and corporate nature for complaint. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2026/03/31/new-super-mario-bros-film-is-yammering-sugared-up-rubbish/)
- **Vulture** (30/100, inferred): The sequel overwhelms with frantic pace, bright colors, and endless subplots in a kaleidoscopic but nerve-wracking experience that fails to land as fun. Attempts at family themes are superficial and corporate, though it will likely succeed commercially with young audiences. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie-review-what-is-happening.html)
- **Empire**, Helen O’Hara (20/100, inferred): The film is a humourless, hysterical trudge with very little plot or consequence, offering adults only a few pings of nostalgia amid frenetic but pointless action. The critic singles out the lack of humour and memorable moments for complaint, noting it fails to deliver laughs or engaging storytelling even for fans. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie/)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (20/100, inferred): The critic calls the film an inert, visually dull sequel and an Easter cash grab that feels even more artificial than AI-generated content. They single out the lack of humor and the generic quest plot for criticism. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/mar/31/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie-review-sequel-video-game-chris-pratt-charlie-day)
- **The Times** (0/5): The critic describes the film as supremely vacuous and physically painful to watch, a lifeless digital marketing exercise. They single out the joyless voice performances and meaningless plot for complaint. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/super-mario-galaxy-movie-review-5w6crmhgr)
- **IndieWire**, Wilson Chapman: Illumination turns the creative 2007 game into a mind-numbing barrage of references, cameos, and franchise expansions with little imagination. The result feels like empty franchise slop rather than a genuine adaptation. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie-review-1235186608/)
- **The AV Club**, Jacob Oller: The film treats its audience like babies by flooding the screen with sensory overload, baby characters, and shallow Nintendo iconography while ignoring story, logic, or substance. It prioritizes fan-service cameos and visual thrills over any meaningful engagement. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie-for-babies)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Frank Scheck: The sequel is a relentlessly fast-paced, hyperkinetic visual spectacle packed with more action, characters, and Easter eggs than the first film. It delights young fans and nostalgic viewers with its starry voice cast and sugary animation but offers little for adult non-fans. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie-review-chris-pratt-charlie-day-1236551590/)
- **Deadline**, Glenn Garner (75/100, inferred): The critic finds it a fun sequel full of nostalgic references, all-star voices and epic animation. They single out Donald Glover’s Yoshi and the father-son redemption story for Bowser as highlights. [Read](https://deadline.com/2026/04/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie-review-out-of-this-world-sequel-1236770764/)
- **Collider**, Ross Bonaime (7/10): The review calls the film a charming, often hilarious, and playful testament to the Mario franchise and Nintendo history, with fun references and strong casting that work for both fans and newcomers. It notes that the story is thin and some new characters are underserved in the overstuffed sequel. [Read](https://collider.com/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie-review-nintendo/)
- **Polygon**, Michael McWhertor (55/100, inferred): The critic finds the sequel less focused than the first film, relying on nostalgia, dazzling visuals, and references to carry a paper-thin plot while expanding the universe with new characters who get too little to do. It singles out the charming cameos and action sequences featuring obscure Mario villains as highlights amid the candy-coated chaos. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/super-mario-galaxy-movie-review/)
- **/Film**, Nina Starner (3/10): The critic finds the film cute and entertaining on the surface for kids but ultimately shallow and lifeless compared to the predecessor, with a simple plot, phoned-in performances, and references that don't add depth. They single out the visual style and some clever moments for minor praise but criticize the lack of soul and substance. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/2136661/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie-2026-review/)
- **The Wrap**, William Bibbiani (20/100, inferred): The critic calls the film lazy junk with no imagination that barely tells a story and wastes time. They single out its terrified avoidance of any creative deviation or cinematic risk as the main complaint. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie-review/)

## Details

- **Director:** Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic
- **Director:** Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic
- **Screenplay:** Matthew Fogel
- **Editor:** Eric E. Osmond
- **Music:** Brian Tyler
- **Production design:** Guillaume Aretos
- **Producer:** Shigeru Miyamoto, Chris Meledandri
- **Cast:** Chris Pratt as Mario (voice); Charlie Day as Luigi (voice); Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach (voice); Jack Black as Bowser (voice); Keegan-Michael Key as Toad (voice); Benny Safdie as Bowser Junior (voice); Glen Powell as Fox McCloud (voice); Brie Larson as Rosalina (voice)
- **Runtime:** 1h 38m
- **Certificate (CH):** 6
- **Release (Switzerland):** 1 April 2026
- **Genres:** Family, Comedy, Adventure, Fantasy, Animation
- **Budget:** $110 million
- **Box office:** $1.01 billion
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=En5QZmL5R1s

## Where to watch in Switzerland

- Amazon Prime Video: rent CHF 7.50, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy CHF 15.00, uhd

*Checked 2026-09-10.*

Also available in: AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HU, IE, IN, IS, IT, JP, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, TR, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *The LEGO Movie* (2014), Fi1m 83: A film built from a toy catalogue that found a heart and jokes in it — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-lego-movie.md)
- *Treasure Planet* (2002): Space adventure with hand-drawn faces and shots that are allowed to last
- *Wreck-It Ralph* (2012), Fi1m 70: Game references with characters underneath them, and a villain with a reason — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/wreck-it-ralph.md)
- *Wolfwalkers* (2020), Fi1m 84: Irish animation that trusts children to sit still and look properly — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/wolfwalkers.md)
- *Scott Pilgrim vs. the World* (2010), Fi1m 81: Video-game grammar on film, edited fast but always for a laugh — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/scott-pilgrim-vs-the-world.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie