6 Reasons Why A Long-Missing Mario Bros. Character May Be The Next Movie Villain

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Warning: Spoilers for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

The recent Super Mario Galaxy movie introduced a new villain, hinting at future challenges for Mario and his friends. While Nintendo and Illumination haven’t officially announced a third movie, the huge success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel makes another installment seem very likely.

It’s still uncertain what the next Super Mario Galaxy Movie will be about, though the ending hints at a sequel. While it sets things up for a continuation, it doesn’t reveal the specific plot or who Mario and Luigi will fight next. Right now, anyone could be the next villain – Bowser is one possibility, but it’s all speculation.

Mario has now defeated Bowser in the climactic battle of two movies. Because of this, the series might choose a different villain for future installments. One potential candidate is Tatanga, a purple alien who served as a boss in a couple of classic Super Mario games.

While Tatanga isn’t as famous as villains like Bowser and Bowser Jr., and hasn’t appeared in a Mario game for over three decades, he’s actually a surprisingly good fit to be the next movie’s bad guy.

5. Tatanga Is The Main Villain Of Princess Daisy’s Biggest Story

As a huge Mario fan, I was so excited by the post-credits scene in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie! It looks like they’re setting up some cool characters for the next film, and I totally geeked out when I saw Princess Daisy. For those who don’t know, she first appeared way back in Super Mario Land on the Game Boy in 1989. She’s the ruler of a place called Sarasaland, and the game is all about Mario rescuing her from a villain named Tatanga who’s taken over her kingdom. It was a fun little game, and I’m really hoping to see Sarasaland and Daisy explored more in future movies!

Princess Daisy has been in numerous games since her debut, but her role in the original Super Mario Land is still considered her most significant in the main series. With Daisy expected to be a key character in the upcoming Super Mario movie, the story might focus on how she appears. If so, Tatanga could be central to the plot, as he’s the only villain specifically tied to her in official Super Mario lore.

If the next movie is based on Super Mario Land, it could explain why Princess Daisy appears in the Gateway Galaxy. Following the story of the game, if Tatanga has taken over Sarasaland, Daisy might be traveling to the Mushroom Kingdom to request Princess Peach’s assistance.

4. Tatanga Being The Villain Would Help Clear The Way For Wario

While fans are hoping to see Princess Daisy in the next Super Mario movie, Wario is the character everyone is really talking about. He’s the biggest name from the games who hasn’t appeared yet, and with the movie introducing so many characters, he seems like a strong possibility for a major role in the sequel to The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. He’d definitely bring a lot of excitement to the film!

If the movie centers around Super Mario Land, it will naturally create a significant role for the character Wario. He first appeared as the main villain in Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. This happened because while Mario was rescuing Princess Daisy from Tatanga, Wario was secretly taking control of Mario’s own kingdom.

When Mario faced off against Wario again, Tatanga teamed up with him, becoming one of the bosses Mario had to defeat before reaching Wario. A potential sequel to The Super Mario Galaxy Movie could combine these storylines, with some characters assisting Daisy in Sarasaland while others battle Wario in the Mushroom Kingdom. This could be part of a larger partnership between Wario and Tatanga.

3. Tatanga Works With The Cosmic Theme Of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

Okay, so as a movie fan, I’ve been thinking… switching the villain from Bowser and Bowser Jr. to Tatanga after the space battle could really shake things up in a good way. It wouldn’t feel random, either – Tatanga being an alien fits perfectly with the story already heading into space and keeps that cosmic vibe going. It’d be a cool, natural progression, honestly.

While a sequel to The Super Mario Galaxy Movie isn’t guaranteed, it’s unlikely the franchise will ignore that potential. With characters like Princess Rosalina and the Lumas now established, and hints that Princess Peach has a cosmic background, the series will probably continue to explore those themes.

The next movie could follow a similar path to Super Mario Land by reusing its villain, but setting the story in a completely new world.

2. The Super Mario Movies Have Largely Avoided Tatanga’s Games

It’s strange how little the movies have used the original Super Mario Land games for inspiration. While there have been a few small nods and musical references, it’s very different from how they’ve treated other Mario titles. For example, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island got a clear shout-out with Yoshi protecting Baby Mario and Luigi from a T-Rex. And the casino scene was a fantastic tribute to Super Mario Bros. 2, even bringing back its main villain, Wart, after many years.

As a huge Mario fan, I’ve noticed the films have cleverly pulled in elements from Super Mario Sunshine and New Super Mario Bros. Now that they’ve covered so much ground from those popular games, I doubt we’ll see a straight-up adaptation of either anytime soon. It makes me think they’ll move onto something a little less explored, maybe even Super Mario Land. That game feels like a fresh option, since the movies haven’t really touched it yet, and could be what they do next.

1. Tatanga Fits The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’s “Evil Forces” Tease

The idea that Tatanga could be the villain in a third movie is strengthened by a mention of “evil forces” appearing after young Peach and Rosalina in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. So far, the films have largely drawn inspiration from the main Super Mario games, making it unlikely that the hint refers to characters like the Shadow Queen or Fawful from the Mario & Luigi RPG series. It’s more probable that the next film will focus on villains from the core games rather than a spinoff storyline.

This really limits who the villain could be. Besides Tatanga, the main suspects from past games are the Koopalings, Wario, and Waluigi. However, the villain needs to be old enough to have been pursuing Rosalina and Peach during their childhoods. This likely rules out the Koopalings, and both Wario and Waluigi appear to be around the same age as Mario and Luigi. Tatanga’s age isn’t as clear, making him a more plausible candidate.

I noticed something interesting while watching The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Whenever the villains were talked about, there was this purple light in the background. It definitely made me wonder if they were dropping hints that Tatanga was actually the big bad pursuing Mario and company – a clever little detail, if intentional!

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2026-04-22 21:40