The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 (2023 film)

The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 is a 2023 American computer-animated action-adventure comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, Nintendo, The Kerner Entertainment Company, Lord Miller Productions, One Race Films and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 62nd Disney animated feature film, based on Nintendo's Mario video game franchise, the sequel of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, it was directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, co-directed by Jared Bush, Phil Johnston, produced by Clark Spencer, Jordan Kerner, Shigeru Miyamoto, Lord, Miller, and Vin Diesel. Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Keegan-Michael Key, Tyrese Gibson, Charles Martinet, Kevin Michael Richardson, Jane Lynch and Jack Black reprise their character roles from the first film, and are joined by Zendaya, Tom Holland, Will Ferrell, Seth Rogen, Jemaine Clement, Ellie Kemper, and Steve Carell. In the film, after settling in Brooklyn and Mushroom Kingdom, Mario and Princess Peach are doing honeymoon for the Valentine's Day eve, but his big test comes when the evil Bowser returns, alongside his Wario, in search of the Superstar Emerald. Mario and Peach team up with his own sidekick Yoshi to embark on a journey to find the star before Bowser does.
Following the critical and commercial success of the previous animated film, Nintendo became hesitant to license its intellectual properties for film adaptations and television series. Walt Disney Pictures and Nintendo announced the sequel in November 2018, with the writers, and the rest of the cast reprised their roles. Production was underway by 2019, the animation work began in November 2019, with a different visual style, some delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the new cast was announced in September 2021, while the film design it was inspired on Sony Pictures Animation's The Mitchells vs. The Machines and Hotel Transylvania: Escape 2 Internet. Additional production were borrowed from Mikros Image in Montreal, DNEG, Industrial Lights & Magic, Sony Pictures Imageworks and Jellyfish Pictures. The film draws inspiration from the video games Super Mario Land (1989), Super Mario World (1991), Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (1992), Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (1992), Super Mario Sunshine (2002), Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017) and Super Mario Odyssey (2017).
The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 was released in the United States on April 5, 2023, like its predecessor, the film received positive reviews from critics. The film was a commercial success, grossing $1.521 billion worldwide and setting multiple box-office records, including the biggest worldwide opening weekend for an animated film and the highest-grossing film based on a video game. It also became the highest-grossing film of 2023, the third-highest-grossing animated film ever, and the 15th highest-grossing film of all-time produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. The American Film Institute named The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 one of the top-ten films of 2023. The film was nominated for three awards at the 96th Academy Awards, winning Best Animated Feature, and received numerous other accolades, including the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature & the BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film, and the first film based on a video game to won at Academy Awards. A two spin-off films titled - The Donkey Kong Country Movie, Luigi's Mansion: The Movie was in development, a sequel is set to be released on April 3, 2026, while Super Princess Peach, a spin-off series starring Taylor-Joy, and Wario, starring Ferrell, is scheduled to premiere on Disney+ in late 2024.
== Plot ==
Roughly six years after defeating Bowser, Mario and Princess Peach have stayed best friends, hanging out. Luigi advises Mario to remain about for the valentine day before he and Toad depart for Nigel's wedding in Hawaii. Mario is content with their life, but Peach longs for excitement and expresses how bored she has become of predictability.
Meanwhile, technology entrepreneur Mark Bowman declares his highly intelligent AI virtual assistant PAL obsolete as he unveils a new line of home robots to replace her. But is attacked by Bowser, who has escaped the prison with the help of a Germain-American named Wario, to capture Mario. To honor his ancestors, Wario demands the location of the legendary Superstar Emerald, an ancient relic that grants its user immense power and the ability to change reality to their will.
Mario is rescued by Yoshi, an anthropomorphic dinosaur who idolizes him and comes to warn him about Wario, and Peach saves Mario and Yoshi using the sport car. In the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario, Peach convinces Yoshi to help him find the Superstar Emerald while Bowser reunites with his advisor Kamek and, scheming to steal the emerald, offers to help Wario. Meanwhile, Mario, Peach and Yoshi follow clues to a Siberian cave on a map who is Peach's mom, gave her before sending him to Mushroom Kingdom, where they find a compass within a temple, but Bowser, Wario, robots and PAL chip-enabled track them and chase Mario, Peach and Yoshi down a mountain. Wario reveals that he lost his father and his whole tribe the same day Princess Peach lost her mother. Despite this brief moment of sympathy, Wario and Bowser steal the compass, though Wario begins to question Bowser's sense of loyalty and honor when he mocks Peach for choosing to save a wounded Mario and Yoshi instead of the compass.
Luigi saves Mario, Peach and Yoshi by using a ring to teleport them to the wedding, and Princess Daisy, the ruler of Sarasaland and Luigi love interest found Princess Peach, her long-lost sister. However, the wedding guests reveal themselves as the henchman and arrest Mario, Peach, and Yoshi, during the same time, PAL's robots capture the henchmen. Avoid capture Mario, Peach and Yoshi, who are then saved by Luigi, Daisy, Toad and a vengeful Nigel. Mario sympathizes but fears Peach's lack of focus will get him killed. Finds out himself for Yoshi' injuries and Peach lost family, Mario decides to face Bowser and Wario with them and help of the kongs, where he fights with Wario to keep him from taking the Superstar Emerald. Peach realize that Mario was right he can’t give up his family, Peach reconciles with Mario, and allows Toad to travel with them. In the Jungle Kingdom, King Cranky Kong agrees to help if Mario defeats his son, Donkey Kong, in a fight. Despite Donkey Kong's immense strength, Mario defeats him using a Cat Suit.
Meanwhile, Bowser and Wario find an underwater temple containing the Superstar Emerald. Mario, Peach, Toad, and the Kongs use karts to drive back to the Mushroom Kingdom, but Bowser's army ambushes them on Rainbow Road. When a blue-shelled Koopa General destroys part of the road in a kamikaze attack, Mario and Donkey Kong plummet to the ocean while the other Kongs are captured.
Donkey Kong, having been eaten by an eel-like Maw-Ray, except Mario. Seeing this as an opportunity, Bowser uses the distraction to seize and fuse himself with the emerald, which explodes and sinks the temple into the water. With no use left for Wario, Bowser betrays him and leaves him, along with Mario, behind for dead. Working together, Mario and Wario are able to escape just as Yoshi rescues them in a biplane, and Donkey Kong escape the Maw-Ray by riding a rocket from his kart, Yoshi learn Mario and Donkey Kong both want the respect of their fathers.
Meanwhile, Peach and Toad going to Silicon Valley, also Luigi and Daisy comes. Bowser uses his new abilities to create a giant robot as Mecha-Bowser ressemble ping himself. Mario, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Daisy, and Wario work together to fight the rest of robots, Koopas and its accompanying Koopas and to reclaim the Superstar Emerald; however, it breaks, splitting into the seven Destiny Stars. Donkey Kong arrive and free the prisoners. Peach and Luigi save Mario, who uses the Destiny Stars to transform into Super Invisible Mario. He destroys the robot before dispersing the stars, disabling the remaining robots and reverting to normal. In the aftermath, Peach then shrinks Bowser with a Blue Mushroom and imprisons him, and Wario fixes the Superstar Emerald from the remaining shards before making a pact to protect it from evil with Mario, Peach, and Yoshi, and they start an idyllic life with the Super Mario Families. Mario and Peach reconcile with Wario, and Peach allows him to escape custody. Even thought, Mario and Princess Peach will getting married soon, feeling content with his newfound ability to be independent even Luigi and Princess Daisy. 
==Voice Cast==
*Chris Pratt as Mario, a struggling Italian-American plumber from Brooklyn, New York.
*Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, and Mario's love interest.
*Charlie Day as Luigi, Mario's timid younger brother and fellow plumber.
*Zendaya as Princess Daisy, the ruler of the Sarasaland, Peach's sister, and Luigi's love interest.
*Will Ferrell as Wario, an Germain-American, who is Peach's dump brother.
*Jack Black as Bowser, the King of the Koopas, who rules the Dark Lands, control PAL Max, and Mario and Peach's arch-nemesis.
*Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, a Mushroom Kingdom resident whose species is also named Toad, who aspires to go on his first real adventure.
* Tyrese Gibson as Wayne Whipple
* Jane Lynch as Sergeant Calhoun, the lead character of Hero's Duty and Wayne's wife.
* Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, an anthropomorphic gorilla and heir to the throne of the Jungle Kingdom.
*Steve Carell as Cranky Kong, the ruler of the Jungle Kingdom, and Donkey Kong's father.
*Tom Holland as Yoshi, Mario and Peach's sidekick, who lives in Yoshi's Island.
* Jemaine Clement as Nigel, Luigi's best friend.
*Eric André as Dr. Mark Bowman, a scientist who is the founder of PAL Labs and creator of PAL
*Olivia Colman as PAL, a sentient, and AI virtual assistant created by Mark.
*Ellie Kemper as Marla, Nigel's fiancee
* Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek, a Koopa sorcerer and Bowser's advisor and informant.
*Chrissy Teigen as Hailey Posey, Mario' neighbor and Jim's wife whose respect Linda has often sough
*John Legend as Jim Posey, Mario' neighbor and Hailey's husband
*Charlyne Yi as Abbey Posey, the dinosaur-loving daughter of Mario' neighbors, Jim and Hailey Posey.
Additionally, Charles Martinet (who voices Mario and Luigi in the Mario games from 1994 to 2023) voices the brothers' father; and Giuseppe, a Brooklyn citizen who resembles Mario's original appearance in Donkey Kong and speaks in his in-game voice. Jessica DiCicco voices Mayor Pauline, a yellow Toad, Luigi's bully. McKenna Grace voices baby Peach. Rino Romano and John DiMaggio voice the brothers' uncles, Tony and Arthur, respectively. Paul Briggs voices the Penguin King, the ruler of the Ice Kingdom, while Eric Bauza voices Diddy Kong and the Toad General. Scott Menville voices the Koopa General, the winged, blue-shelled leader of Bowser's army, a red Toad, as well as a Koopa Troopa who is turned into a Dry Bones. 
Cameos during the film include Chris Pine is featured as a 26-year-old, blond-haired blue-eyed version of Peter Parker's Spider-Man, even reprises his role from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018). Marvel creator Stan Lee appears in a posthumous cameo, as a character named Stan who sells a costume to Mario and Peach, including Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto appears in cameo. 
==Production==
===Development ===
After the critical and commercial success of the 2017 The Super Mario Bros. Movie film adaptation, the Japanese video game company Nintendo became trustful of licensing its properties for film adaptations. In March 2017, Furukawa said that Nintendo was interested in producing more animated films based on its intellectual properties if the Mario Bros. film is successful. In a Variety cover story before the film's release, producer Kerner expressed interest in developing a sequel that focused on Mario and Peach' friendship and further developed Bowser. In April 2017, Pratt also expressed interest in a sequel featuring several characters from the video games, including Yoshi, who appeared in a mid-credits scene in the first film.
In November 2018, Disney CEO Bob Iger and Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa confirmed that a sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie was in development, with the writers J. David Stem, David N. Weiss, Jay Scherick and David Ronn. Clark Spencer, Jordan Kerner, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller will produce the sequel, having previously co-produced the first film alongside Shigeru Miyamoto, while Chris Meledandri, Pratt (who voices Mario), Yusuku Beppu will return from the first film as executive producers. In July 2019, Lord and Miller confirmed they would return to direct the film. Walt Disney Animation Studios also released the film under their banner, despite having dropped out of co-producing the project beforehand and had not co-produced the first film either. Walt Disney Animation president Spencer revealed that the film would be using an animation style similar to Big Hero 6, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, The Mitchells vs. The Machines and The Bad Guys. One Cool Films co-financed the film.
In August 2021, the film title was announced as The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2. In May, a synopsis of the story was released as Walt Disney Pictures submitted a copyright registration to the U.S. Copyright Office catalog. Karey Kirkpatrick and John Whittington was announced as a co-screenwriter. Additionally, Jared Bush and Phil Johnston attached as a co-directors. In September 2021, after the new cast announced, Fast & Furious star Vin Diesel confirmed and announced that will serve as producer. Lord and Miller said that they had told Disney and Nintendo the sequel would be the same size as The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2, but it ended up having the largest crew of any animated film ever, with around 8,000 people working on it.
The film is inspired by the video games Super Mario Land (1989), Super Mario World (1991), Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (1992), Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (1992), Super Mario Sunshine (2002), Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017) and Super Mario Odyssey (2017), but is not a direct adaptation of either. Miller described the film as "a melting pot" of ideas from several Mario games. Lord revealed that the film's plot was cited on Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018), Hotel Transylvania: Escape 2 Internet (2018), and The Mitchells vs. The Machines (2021). Former Gravity Falls alumni Dana Terrace (creator of The Owl House) and Matt Braly (creator of Amphibia) worked as storyboard artists on the film.
===Casting===
On January 27, 2017, Jack Black expressed interest in starring in a sequel, feeling that his character, the villain Bowser, could be expanded in the sequel: "I wouldn't mind going to do another one because it was so much fun, first of all, and a real challenge to try to convince people that I have a triple-digit IQ... There is so much room, you know, Bowser has not reached his apotheosis." On March 3, 2017, The Super Mario Bros. Movie star Chris Pratt confirmed that he had signed on for multiple sequels.
On January 26, 2021, Anya Taylor-Joy announced that she would reprise her role as Princess Peach. In February 2021, it was reported that Danny DeVito and Pedro Pascal were in talks for the role of Wario. That same month, Mario voice Charles Martinet confirmed that he will reprise his role as Mario's Dad and Giuseppe. In March 2021, it was announced that Charlie Day and Black would reprise their roles as Luigi and Bowser respectively. That same month, it was confirmed that Tyrese Gibson would reprise his role as Wayne Whipple. In April 2021, Chris Pratt was confirmed to return as Mario. On June 16, 2021, it was announced that Ellie Kemper had joined the cast in an undisclosed role, it was later confirmed that he would play Marla, Nigel's fiancé. That same month, it was confirmed that Jemaine Clement was in the cast. On July 29, 2021, it was announced that Kevin Michael Richardson would reprise his role as Kamek.
During a September 2021 Nintendo Direct presentation, Miyamoto announced the newcomers with Tom Holland, Zendaya, Seth Rogen, Steve Carell, and Will Ferrell. In response to backlash for voicing Donkey Kong in his normal speaking voice, Rogen explained: "I was very clear that I don't do voices" and "If you want me to be in this movie, then it's going to sound like me and that's it. That was the beginning and end of that conversation." He added further, "I think in the film and in the game, all you seem to know about Donkey Kong is that he throws barrels and does not like Mario very much. And that's what I ran with."
===Animation and design===
Unlike the predecessor film, the sequel was co-produced with Nintendo and Walt Disney Animation Studios. The film was animated by Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank and Vancouver and Mikros Image in Montreal, and Jellyfish Pictures handled the additional animation and asset production services. Production was underway by September 2019, with animation ending in October 2022. Additionally, DNEG, Sony Pictures Imageworks (who previously doing the first film) and Industrial Lights & Magic also provided the visual effects for the mushroom planet, rainbow road, jungle kingdom and the cockpit of the robot, giving it a total of 185 shots used in the film from the studio. When it came to designing the robot elements, the animators went for a sleeker, polished design to contrast with the watercolor style for the humans. For the PAL MAX Prime robots, animation supervisor Dave Komorowski invented a method that allows the robots to break apart mid-movement via negative space, inspired by the morphing effects used for the T-1000 as seen in the film Terminator 2: Judgment Day. According to Komorowski, he invented tools that would allow animators to "slice through the character [like a knife]", and allowed each one to have their different approach as well. 
Scott Kersavage served as visual effects supervisor along with Kyle Odermatt, after having previously worked on Into the Spider-Verse and The Mitchells vs. The Machines, Lindsey Olivares served as the film's lead overall production designer replaced Michael Kurinsky from the first film. Post-production work wrapped by March 2023 by Skywalker Sound. Lord revealed that design work for new characters in the film had begun by November 2019. Having learned new animation tools after working on Hotel Transylvania: Escape 2 Internet (2018), The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021) following the first Spider-Verse film to look different from what was expected from an animated film. For the go-karts featured in the film, the directors worked with a vehicle design artist and artists at Nintendo to create go-karts that fit their portrayal in the film while drawing inspiration from their portrayal in the Mario Kart games. Stunt performers from Marvel films joined production to give the animators moves to study and use in the choreography.
Donkey Kong's design was changed for the first time since the video game Donkey Kong Country (1994). For his new design, artists incorporated elements of both his modern design and his original design from his debut appearance in Donkey Kong (1981). One of the biggest challenges for the animation team was creating the massive Mecha-Bowser and simulating the destruction caused by the massive robot. 
== Music==
In October 2022, Brian Tyler was announced to compose the film's musical score, replacing Lord and Miller's frequent collaborator, Mark Mothersbaugh from the first film. Tyler worked closely with longtime Mario composer Koji Kondo to incorporate themes from the games. He described the composition as "big", featuring an orchestra, choir and bands, as well as "Italian instruments, accordions, live drums, mandolins […] whistling human voices", and "eight-bit [sounds]". Recording sessions began on October 17, 2022 at the Eastwood Scoring Stage at Warner Bros. Mixing took place at Skywalker Sound and Disney Digital Studios Services, where Kondo and Miyamoto responded positively to a 15-minute suite of new themes Tyler had written. The film's music references leitmotifs from Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 3D Land, among other Mario games. Dutch DJ Tiësto also provided music for the film's climax - "Seavolution" and "Wave Rider" for Bowser's world domination music; these were all released separately from the soundtrack.
Songs from Jack Black and Keegan-Michael Key were improvised for the film. Black Hydra composed the music for its official trailer, "Super Mushroom", based on the Super Mario Bros. theme. The instrumental was released on December 8, 2022 on YouTube. Mario also rickrolls the tune "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley in a post-credits scene.
In a March 2023 video, Seth Rogen shared that Donkey Kong was introduced in the film accompanied by the title theme music from Donkey Kong 64, "DK Rap", composed by Grant Kirkhope. In contrast to the licensed songs used in the film, Kirkhope did not receive credit for "DK Rap" in the film's end credits, an oversight the composer found disappointing.
==Marketing==
On December 7, the teaser poster was revealed. The next day, the first trailer was released at The Game Awards 2022 and live in Nintendo Direct presentation. 
On January 12, 2023, the first clip of the film, showing Mario, Peach guiding Yoshi through the Mushroom Kingdom and to the entrance to Peach's Castle, was revealed. The Verge's Ash Parrish commented, "Despite the skepticism surrounding Chris Pratt's performance as Mario, the movie's visuals — and I cannot stress enough, only the visuals — look incredible".
On January 29, 2023, a preview clip of the film was released during the NFC Championship Game. Some entertainment news sites pointed out the addition of Rogen's "iconic laugh" heard as Donkey Kong in the clip. Emma Roth from The Verge commented, "I'm pleasantly surprised at how well his voice (and laugh) suits the character", while Luke Plunkett from Kotaku commented, "Seth Rogen has been hired to... just be Seth Rogen".
During the week before Super Bowl LVI, Disney released four TV spots showcasing new footage and the reveal of the Mecha-Bowser. A special TV spot aired during Super Bowl LVI on February 12, 2023.
On March 9, before Mario Day, the first and final official trailer was shown in a Nintendo Direct. Public reactions were still largely favorable, though online discourse continued to center on Pratt's performance as Mario. Another poster was also revealed, resembling the North American boxart for the original Sonic the Hedgehog 2 video game.
==Release==
===Theatrical===
The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 held its world premiere at Regal LA Live in Los Angeles, California on April 1, 2023, with the cast and crew in attendance. It was theatrically released in the United States on April 5, 2023, in Dolby Cinema, RealD 3D, IMAX and 4DX formats. On February 16, 2023, following the commercial failures of the company's Rise of the Guardians and Pixar's Lightyear (both 2022), Disney reportedly considered extending the theatrical windows for both The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2, Wish and Pixar's Elemental in hopes of bringing families back to theaters. It competed for opening weekend attendance with Rovio and Illumination's The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2023). 
=== Home Media===
The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 was released on digital download on May 16, 2023, and was officially released on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD on June 13 in the US, with some early sales starting on June 6. The film was released on these formats in the UK on July 24.
Disney signed for "pay 2 window" rights for the films, which would be streamed on Netflix and Hulu as well as broadcast on Disney's linear television networks. The film was made available to stream on Disney+ streaming service on August 3, 2023. The film is streaming on Disney+ for the first four months of the pay-TV window, then will move to Netflix on December 3.
==Legacy==
===Live-action adaptation===
In January 2022, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Walt Disney Pictures and Nintendo was developing a live-action remake of two-movies: The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2017) and The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 (2023) to be produced by Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse writers and producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller along with the producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and Avengers: Endgame screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, with Matthew Fogel attached as story. That same month, Transformers director Michael Bay will direct and produce the film.
===Spin-Offs===
In February 2022, Day expressed interest in reprising his role as Luigi in a Luigi's Mansion film and reiterated his interest in March 2023. In April 2023, Rogen expressed interest in Donkey Kong Country forming the basis of future works, stating it created "a lot of opportunity" for a spin-off film. That same month, Anya Taylor-Joy was in talks about the possibility of a spin-off series revolving around Princess Peach. Disney and Nintendo confirmed the two spin-off: The Donkey Kong Movie, The Luigi's Mansion Movie that it will release on Disney+.
===Sequels===
On December 21, 2022, Nintendo stated that there would be more films based on their properties, though they did not directly confirm a sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie 3. In February 2023, Nintendo and Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed The Super Mario Bros. Movie 3 was in development. In June 2023, Pratt stated that while news on the sequel will come "soon", development on the project has been put on hold due to the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, saying that it will only resume once "the writers feel comfortable moving forward". In December, Black expressed interest in the sequel being a musical titled Bowser's Revenge. On March 10, 2024, as part of Mario Day celebrations, Miyamoto and Iger officially announced "a new Super Mario Bros. movie", along with a release date of April 3, 2026 in the United States and more dates between April for other territories.