Nintendo just pulled a classic weekend surprise, there’s a Direct happening this Sunday, January 25, at 6 AM PT, and it’s all about The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Yeah, you read that right: a Sunday morning showcase dropping just two days after the announcement.
If you’re a Mario fan still half-asleep from the week, set those alarms because Nintendo and Illumination are about to deliver fresh footage from the most anticipated animated sequel of 2026.
The Direct will stream on Nintendo’s YouTube channel and through the Nintendo Today app, giving fans worldwide an exclusive new look at the film before it hits theaters on April 3.
Nintendo made it clear this is a movie-only event, no game announcements, no hardware news, just pure cinematic Mario magic.
The last time we got a dedicated movie Direct was back in November 2025, when Nintendo revealed Brie Larson as Rosalina and Benny Safdie as Bowser Jr., along with the first full trailer showing Bowser trapped in his miniaturized castle while his son plots a jailbreak with that iconic paintbrush from Super Mario Sunshine.
What to expect from the Direct
This Direct will likely deliver a new trailer packed with extended scenes, character interactions, and possibly a deeper dive into the film’s cosmic adventure.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie takes Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad beyond the Mushroom Kingdom and into outer space, where they’ll face off against Bowser Jr. in what producer Chris Meledandri described as a story inspired by the Super Mario Galaxy games but featuring “surprises for fans of every Mario era.”
The voice cast returns in full force: Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, and Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek.
With Larson and Safdie joining as the new heavy hitters, the sequel is shaping up to be broader in scope than the 2023 original, which dominated with $1.36 billion at the global box office and became a cultural phenomenon.
Directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic are back, alongside screenwriter Matthew Fogel and composer Brian Tyler, ensuring continuity with the first film’s creative DNA.
The hype IS real
Since the first Super Mario Bros. Movie dominated theaters in 2023, fans have been hungry for more, and Nintendo’s been feeding that anticipation carefully.
The sequel was officially announced in March 2024 during a Mario Day presentation, with animation wrapping up in November 2025.
Now, with the April release just over two months away, Nintendo’s ramping up the marketing machine, and doing it in classic Nintendo fashion by dropping news when you least expect it.
This Sunday’s Direct is your chance to see what Nintendo and Illumination have cooked up before the marketing blitz hits full throttle. Whether you’re a Galaxy superfan hoping to see Lumas and Launch Stars or just want more Jack Black as Bowser, this one’s worth waking up early for.
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