Super Mario Bros. Movies in Order
Forget Sonic, Space Invaders, and Pac-Man. If you want to understand how early gaming shaped modern culture, there’s only one pair of Italian-American plumbers that matter – the Super Mario Bros. They started as arcade characters but have evolved into a global phenomenon. The Super Mario Bros. remain just as relevant and popular today as when they first jumped onto our screens decades ago.
Stars of not just video games but also TV and film, Mario, Luigi, and the weirdly colourful, somewhat random world they inhabit have captured the imaginations of children and adults alike. It’s no surprise, then, that with their evergreen popularity and the advent of even more advanced CGI graphics to bring their world to life, the Super Mario Bros. are back on our screens this year. Let’s have a look at the Super Mario Bros. filmography and why their 2026 outing is set to be one of the films of the year.
Super Mario Bros. Movies in Release Order
While Mario and Luigi have been around since the mid-1980s, their first venture onto a big-budget and high-profile release wasn’t until 1993, with the release of the first Super Mario Bros. film, the first time the plumbers had been on the big screen since the original 1986 anime film Super Mario Bros.: Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach! In between the two were several TV specials that kept the Mario Bros. current and watched by millions of fans around the world.
A Look Back at the first live action Super Mario Bros. movie (1993)
The 1993 version was a live action film with Bob Hoskins as Mario and John Leguizamo as Luigi, and had a darker, more adult approach. While the film didn’t follow the cheerful characterisation of the Mario Brothers as cheeky and whimsical or the sheer feel-good factor that the video game was famous for, it certainly held its own as a standalone film – even if it didn’t quite fit the mould established by anime, video games, and animated TV shows.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023): A Modern Reboot
In 2023, all that changed with a new adaptation of the game franchise. The Super Mario Bros. Movie upped the ante with bright, colourful visual effects that appealed to young audiences as well as dedicated adult fans who had grown up with Mario and Luigi video games. The magical Mushroom Kingdom was familiar territory for Mario aficionados, and the introduction of beloved characters such as Donkey Kong, Toad, and Princess Peach made it a big hit. Both critics and audiences loved it, indicating that the passion for the Mario Bros. was still very much alive.
Super Mario Bros. – Venturing into space in 2026
That brings us up to 2026, and the latest release in the series, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. The magical Mushroom Kingdom is replaced by outer space, expanding the possibilities of more Mario Bros. films to follow along at some point. The new movie embraces a generational feel, with Bowser Jr. - Bowser's son - determined to free his father from captivity and restore the family's honour.
Once again, Princess Peach is in danger. With help from old and new friends, it seems unlikely the Bowser family’s plot will succeed. Or will it? The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is fully animated and packed with the sassy humour fans know and love. It promises to be a big animated hit in 2026 and a family favourite.
Key Differences Between the 1993 and 2023 Films
The biggest difference between the 1993 and 2023 films is that the 1993 version used live action, whereas the 2023 film is a colourful animated film. This perhaps widens its appeal among younger audiences compared to the live-action version, while older fans may prefer the 1993 variant.
However, the story is the same, making them an interesting comparison as to how the same material can be approached in very different ways. In reality, the two are linked only by the title and storyline, as they differ wildly in how they present that story to the viewer.
Do You Need to Watch Super Mario Movies in Order?
It isn’t imperative to watch the Super Mario Movies in order, though it does help, as the story builds from the 2023 film to the latest outing, especially the introduction of Bowser Jr. in the last film. The correlation between the 2023 and the 2026 films is more direct than the previous incarnations of our favourite plumbers. That makes it a perfect excuse to watch the two back-to-back to get the full story and maximum enjoyment!
How Many Super Mario Bros. Movies Are There?
If you list all of the Super Mario Bros. Movies, there are four, including the very first anime version from 1986. The brothers have also appeared in several TV shows, and if you really want to deep-dive into the world of the Super Mario Bros. it’s well worth seeking these out. They’re kid-friendly too, making the Super Mario world a family experience.
Cast, Animation, and Production Highlights
The two most recent Super Mario Bros. Movies have featured some big names as the voices behind some of the best-loved characters, with A-lister Chris Pratt playing Mario, Charlie Day voicing Luigi, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, and the unstoppable Jack Black as Bowser in the 2023 version. All four reprised their roles in the latest 2026 film, reinforcing the connection between the two films and setting the path for more to come.
The animation in both the 2023 and the 2026 films deserves recognition, and the 2023 film has already gathered a cluster of both People’s Choice awards nominations and technical achievement gongs, including nominations for three Golden Globe awards in 2024.
Is the Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) Worth Watching?
In a word, yes. If you love the original concept of the Super Mario Bros., grew up playing the video games, or just love animation, the 2023 version of The Super Mario Bros. Movie is well worth watching. It also sets you up nicely for the latest film. The characters are warm, friendly, and fun to be around, the animation is outstanding, and the story is solid, which, for a game-to-film concept, is quite rare.
Upcoming Super Mario Movies and What to Expect
Where next for the plumbers from Brooklyn? Currently, there are no rumours or indications as to what might be in the works. But if the 2026 movie is as well-received as the 2023 film, there should be plenty more Mario Bros. adventures to come.
Where to Watch Super Mario Bros Movies
You can stream the Super Mario Bros. Movies, buy the DVD (and yes, people do still buy DVDs!), or check out the showings at your nearest VOX Cinema for the latest Mario adventures into outer space. However you choose to watch Mario and Luigi, you can guarantee it’ll be a non-stop, riotous adventure from start to finish.
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