Super Mario Galaxy Movie Announcement Omits Donkey Kong (And I Think I Know Why)

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It’s been confirmed that there will be a sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie in 2026, but notably absent from the initial cast announcement is Donkey Kong. The first Super Mario Bros. film was a blockbuster success at the box office, raking in $1.36 billion globally and setting the record as the highest-grossing video game adaptation. Beyond shattering several box office records, The Super Mario Bros. Movie also received positive reviews from both fans and critics, leading to the announcement of a sequel.

One notable strength of the initial “Super Mario Bros.” film lies in its stellar cast, led by Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, and Anya Taylor-Joy. The whole team is anticipated to reprise their roles in the upcoming sequel, yet a crucial character from the original production has been absent from the announcement so far.

In September 2025, during the latest Nintendo Direct event, it was confirmed that the follow-up to the Super Mario Bros. movie will be called The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.

In the announcement, it’s confirmed that some familiar faces from the original cast will be returning. These include Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Jack Black as Bowser, and Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek.

In contrast, Seth Rogen’s Donkey Kong doesn’t make an appearance in the formal announcement. This character played a significant role in “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” acting as a friendly adversary to Mario initially before joining forces with him and other heroes to defeat Bowser during the final confrontation.

Although Donkey Kong hasn’t been officially included in the roster (as of now), I believe there could be a reason for this omission that might be linked to the whispers about his upcoming spin-off film.

Back in July 2025, I was thrilled to learn that Nintendo had been secretly working on a movie adaptation of “Donkey Kong” in partnership with Universal Pictures. The official filing referred to this project as the “Untitled Donkey Kong Project,” hinting at an exciting motion picture adventure to come. Interestingly, both Nintendo Studios LLC and Universal Pictures were named as the copyright holders for this venture.

The documents might hint at an upcoming Donkey Kong movie, which could potentially be unveiled before long. However, there’s a chance that the reveal may get postponed to avoid overshadowing the upcoming Super Mario Galaxy film.

Beyond the sequel being given the go-ahead, this progression aligns well with the first movie’s triumph. In April 2023, renowned video game creator Shigeru Miyamoto announced that additional Nintendo movies are forthcoming. The upcoming films based on Super Mario Galaxy and Donkey Kong may pave the way for even more projects in the future.

Under the guidance of directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, the much-anticipated film titled “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” is set to debut in American theaters on April 3, 2026.

Will Donkey Kong Still Appear in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie?

In the world of movies, it seems quite unusual for me, as a longtime fan, to notice Donkey Kong’s absence from the main cast in “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.” Given his significant role in the original movie, one might expect him to join the crew again on their space adventure in the sequel. However, there could be an intriguing in-universe explanation for why he didn’t tag along this time around.

As a die-hard cinema enthusiast, I’m pretty excited about the prospect that old buddy Donkey Kong might make a cameo in the opening scenes of “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.” Here, we might find Mario reaching out to him for an intergalactic mission they haven’t named yet. However, let’s not forget that Donkey Kong could decline this invitation, setting the stage for his solo journey in the spin-off film.

Donkey Kong might not appear in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie because the spin-off storyline could be happening concurrently with the eagerly awaited sequel. This connection could potentially be hinted at or revealed through a post-credits scene in Super Mario Galaxy itself.

A standalone Donkey Kong series could develop Seth Rogen’s persona by delving into the mysteries of Kong County and introducing a significant character like Rosaline, who was central in the hit video game “Donkey Kong Bonanza” on the Nintendo Switch 2.

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2025-09-12 20:05