Super Mario Galaxy Movie Levels Up: Captain Marvel and The Odyssey Stars Join as Princess Rosalina and Bowser Jr.
Mario’s on-screen universe just leveled up, locking in Princess Rosalina and Bowser Jr. and expanding the Mushroom Kingdom’s roster for its next adventure.
Mario just leveled up its cast. Nintendo used a dedicated Super Mario Galaxy Movie Direct on YouTube to reveal two very on-brand additions for the sequel: Brie Larson is playing Princess Rosalina, and Benny Safdie is Bowser Jr. Both characters show up in the new trailer, and yes, we get a peek at Rosalina's Comet Observatory.
Rosalina and Bowser Jr. enter the chat
Larson, a.k.a. Captain Marvel herself, is stepping in as Rosalina, described here as a cosmic protector. That fits: Rosalina was introduced in the Super Mario Galaxy game, where she watches over the stars and looks after the Lumas. The trailer teases her home base, the Comet Observatory, which is a nice touch for fans who lived on that hub between galaxy runs.
On the flip side, Safdie is voicing a mischievous Bowser Jr., which sounds about right. With Dad still tiny after chomping a mini mushroom at the end of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Junior seems ready to cause problems and maybe take point on the villainy this time. The trailer even gives him an introduction line:
"I'm Bowser Junior, and I'm going to be taking my father now."
Game-wise, Junior is no pushover, but he usually tops out below Bowser in raw power. Expect chaos, gadgets, and a lot of smug energy.
About those two off-screen
Larson is best known for the MCU, but she has recent voice credits too, including Netflix's Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. Safdie is one-half of the Safdie brothers directing duo behind Uncut Gems and Good Time, and he has been acting more lately (he pops up in Happy Gilmore 2) with a big swing ahead: starring in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. That last one is a very industry-nerd detail that should make film Twitter perk up.
The returning crew and what to expect
Most of the first movie's team is back. Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic return to direct from a script by Matthew Fogel, and Brian Tyler is composing the score again. In front of the mic, Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Jack Black, and Anya Taylor-Joy are all back as Mario, Luigi, Bowser, and Peach, respectively. Add Larson and Safdie to that, and Illumination clearly wants this sequel to feel bigger without breaking what worked.
- New cast: Brie Larson as Princess Rosalina; Benny Safdie as Bowser Jr.
- Returning cast: Chris Pratt (Mario), Charlie Day (Luigi), Jack Black (Bowser), Anya Taylor-Joy (Princess Peach)
- Directors: Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic (returning)
- Writer: Matthew Fogel (returning)
- Composer: Brian Tyler (returning)
- Trailer teases: Rosalina's Comet Observatory; Bowser Jr.'s first face-off with Mario
- Release date: April 3, 2026 (in theaters)
If you played Galaxy, this lineup makes a ton of sense. If you did not, expect starry vistas, tiny chaos gremlins called Lumas, and a junior Koopa looking to prove himself while Dad is fun-sized. Sounds like a good time to me.