A Toy Leak Just Spoiled the Super Mario Galaxy Movie's Surprise Villain
Bowser may not be charging in solo this time—the sequel could arm the King of the Koopas with serious backup.
Toy leaks strike again. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie hasn’t hit theaters yet, but fans think the sequel just tipped its hand about a key villain — thanks to a pulled action figure and a very loud copyright takedown.
The leak, the takedown, and why people think it’s real
A photo of a Bowser Jr. movie toy — from the usually-on-the-money merch maker Jakks Pacific — briefly popped up online before getting scrubbed from YouTube and Twitter. NBC Universal reportedly issued takedowns that cited: "Content used: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" (via TheGamer). That’s some inside baseball worth noting: when takedowns name the movie outright, the speculation tends to firm up fast.
No, the image isn’t floating around anymore, and the figure isn’t up for sale yet. But the damage is done. If this is accurate, Bowser Jr. joining the sequel makes a lot of story sense.
Why Bowser Jr. would fit perfectly here
The new film is drawing heavily from the Super Mario Galaxy games, where Bowser Jr. is a big deal. He’s essentially Koopa royalty — the prince — and routinely backs up his dad’s worst ideas, from kidnapping Princess Peach to throwing hands with Mario and Luigi.
Plus, remember the mid-credits scene in The Super Mario Bros. Movie? Bowser was stuck in a tiny form, locked in a cage, and still belting out revenge plans against Mario, Peach, and Luigi. If the sequel needs a fixer to spring him or escalate the fight, his kid is the obvious pick.
Who’s back in the booth
- Chris Pratt as Mario
- Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach
- Charlie Day as Luigi
- Jack Black as Bowser
- Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek
"While the Super Mario Galaxy games are the core inspiration for our story, this next film holds surprises for fans of every Mario game," Illumination founder Chris Meledandri said after unveiling a teaser trailer that revealed the sequel’s title earlier this month.
Release date, context, and the money
After The Super Mario Bros. Movie hauled in a massive $1.361 billion worldwide in 2023, a follow-up was never in doubt. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is set to hit theaters on April 3, 2026.
If the Bowser Jr. toy is legit — and the takedown language sure doesn’t hurt that theory — expect the Koopas to keep it in the family this time.