Chris Pratt Teases Super Mario Bros. 2 & Nintendo Cinematic Universe Plans

Last year’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie redeemed Nintendo’s flagship IP after the horrendous 1993 adaptation, and, according to its star, Chris Pratt, there’s a lot more to come. Despite mixed reviews from critics (59% on Rotten Tomatoes), The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a massive hit with fans, grossing $1.36 billion and earning a 95% audience score on RT. Following the film’s breakaway success, a sequel was inevitable, but Pratt feels there’s room to explore more of Nintendo’s beloved franchises.

The actor recently spoke to Screen Rant to promote The Garfield Movie. During the interview, Pratt was also asked about the hotly anticipated Super Mario Bros. Movie 2, and where he thinks the franchise can go in the future. Pratt’s answer was incredibly enthusiastic and gave fans hope for a potential Nintendo Cinematic Universe. Chris Pratt said:

“Oh, man! There’s so much to explore. There’s decades worth of movies to explore, not only with Mario and Peach and Donkey Kong and Luigi and Bowser and Yoshi; that was teased at the end. But it just gets me so excited. I was such a Nintento head growing up, so just thinking about how everything from Legend of Zelda to the entire Nintendo cinematic universe could be created and what that could look like for all of these characters that I love? I mean, there’s really no limit. We could talk about it for hours.”

While Pratt was very excited about Illumination exploring other franchises from Nintendo, he also says there’s so much to explore within Mario’s world. First debuting in Donkey Kong in 1981, Mario has explored dozens of worlds across the IP’s 40+ year history. Pratt said he’s really looking forward to exploring these worlds.

“Think about the worlds. Think of like Super Mario, and then Super Mario Brothers, and then Super Mario Brothers 2, Super Mario Botthers 3: The Mario World.”

What Else Is on the Cinematic Slate for Nintendo?

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is by far the most successful movie based on one of Nintendo’s properties. The film’s success has inevitably spawned announcements of sequels and new adaptations of Nintendo’s games. Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 has been confirmed by Illumination, and is slated for release on April 3, 2026. During an announcement video on Mario Day (March 10), Nintendo announced that animation would be “beginning soon.” The statement also declared:

“This time too, the staff at Illumination and Nintendo are working together. We’re thinking about broadening Mario’s world further, and it’ll have a bright and fun story.”

The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2

Studio(s)

Universal Pictures , Illumination , Nintendo

Distributor(s)

Universal Pictures

The Legend of Zelda, which Pratt mentioned during his answer, is also receiving a feature film adaptation. Wes Ball (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes) is on board to direct, and the project is expected to begin production soon. Unlike The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Ball’s Zelda film will bring the iconic world of Hyrule to life in live-action. However, Pratt’s answer has also spawned rumors of a potential animated Zelda film, which could connect to The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

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Additionally, Detective Pikachu 2 has also been greenlit. Based on the Pokémon spin-off game, the Ryan Reynolds-helmed 2019 movie was a box office success and received good reviews from fans. However, Detective Pikachu 2‘s progress isn’t as hopeful as Mario or Zelda’s. Speaking to ScreenRant, the film’s co-lead, Justice Smith, said he is unsure of the project’s timeline, saying:

“I have not heard of any movement. I mean, I know what was released online, but no one has called me. So I’m just waiting for that call.”