The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 (2023 film)

The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 is a 2023 American computer-animated action-adventure comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, Nintendo, The K Entertainment Company and released by Walt Disney Pictures.

Plot
Roughly eight months after defeating Bowser, after seeing a significant water main leak on the news, Mario and Toad go underground to fix it with little success. Luigi advises Mario and Princess Peach to remain about for the valentine day before he and Toad depart for Nigel's wedding in Hawaii.

Mario and Peach plans to have fun while dating but is attacked by Bowser, who has escaped the mushroom planet with the help of a Germain-American named Wario. To honor his ancestors, Wario demands the location of the legendary Superstar Emerald, an ancient relic that grants its user immense power and the ability to change reality to their will.

Mario and Peach is rescued by Yoshi, an anthropomorphic dinosaur who idolizes him and comes to warn him about Wario. In the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario, Peach convinces Yoshi to help him find the Superstar Emerald while Bowser reunites with his advisor Kamek and, scheming to steal the emerald, offers to help Wario. Meanwhile, Mario, Peach and Yoshi follow clues to a Siberian cave on a map who is Peach's mom, gave her before sending him to Mushroom Kingdom, where they find a compass within a temple. Bowser and Wario track them and chase Mario, Peach and Yoshi down a mountain. Wario reveals that he lost his father and his whole tribe the same day Princess Peach lost her mother. Despite this brief moment of sympathy, Wario and Bowser steal the compass, though Wario begins to question Bowser's sense of loyalty and honor when he mocks Peach for choosing to save a wounded Mario and Yoshi instead of the compass.

Luigi saves Mario, Peach and Yoshi by using a ring to teleport them to the wedding, and Princess Daisy, the ruler of Sarasaland and Luigi love interest found Princess Peach, her long-lost sister. Finds out himself for Yoshi' injuries and Peach lost family, Mario decides to face Bowser and Wario with them and help of the kongs, where he fights with Wario to keep him from taking the Superstar Emerald, and Mario allows Luigi, Daisy and Toad to travel with them. In the Jungle Kingdom, King Cranky Kong agrees to help if Mario defeats his son, Donkey Kong, in a fight. Despite Donkey Kong's immense strength, Mario defeats him using a Cat Suit.

Meanwhile, Bowser and Wario find an underwater temple containing the Superstar Emerald. Mario, Peach, Luigi, Daisy, Yoshi, Toad, and the Kongs use karts to drive back to the Mushroom Kingdom, but Bowser's army ambushes them on Rainbow Road. When a blue-shelled Koopa General destroys part of the road in a kamikaze attack, Mario and Donkey Kong plummet to the ocean while the other Kongs are captured.

Donkey Kong, having been eaten by an eel-like Maw-Ray, except Mario. Seeing this as an opportunity, Bowser uses the distraction to seize and fuse himself with the emerald, which explodes and sinks the temple into the water. With no use left for Wario, Bowser betrays him and leaves him, along with Mario, behind for dead. Working together, Mario and Wario are able to escape just as Yoshi rescues them in a biplane, and Donkey Kong escape the Maw-Ray by riding a rocket from his kart, Yoshi learn Mario and Donkey Kong both want the respect of their fathers.

In Mushroom Kingdom, Peach, Luigi, Daisy and Toad return and urge the citizens to evacuate. Bowser uses his new abilities to create a giant robot as Mecha-Bowser ressemble ping himself. Peach realize that Mario was right he can’t give up his family. Mario, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Daisy, and Wario work together to fight the robot and its accompanying Koopas and to reclaim the Superstar Emerald; however, it breaks, splitting into the seven Destiny Stars. Donkey Kong arrive and free the prisoners. Peach and Luigi save Mario, who uses the Destiny Stars to transform into Super Invisible Mario. He destroys the robot before dispersing the stars and reverting to normal. In the aftermath, Peach then shrinks Bowser with a Blue Mushroom and imprisons him, and Wario fixes the Superstar Emerald from the remaining shards before making a pact to protect it from evil with Mario, Peach, and Yoshi, and they start an idyllic life with the Super Mario Families. Even thought, Mario and Princess Peach will married soon even Luigi and Princess Daisy.

Development
In March 2017, Furukawa said that Nintendo was interested in producing more animated films based on its intellectual properties if the Mario Bros. film is successful. In a Variety cover story before the film's release, producer Kerner expressed interest in developing a sequel that focused on Mario and Peach' friendship and further developed Bowser. In April 2017, Pratt also expressed interest in a sequel featuring several characters from the video games, including Yoshi, who appeared in a mid-credits scene in the first film.

In November 2018, Disney CEO Bob Iger and Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa confirmed that a sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie was in development, with Don Hall set to return as director after first film alongside writers J. David Stem, David N. Weiss, Jay Scherick and David Ronn. Jordan Kerner, Shigeru Miyamoto, Roy Conli will produce the sequel, having previously co-produced the first film alongside Shigeru Miyamoto, while Ben Haber, Ezra Swerdlow, Yusuku Beppu will return from the first film as executive producers. In December, it was confirmed by storyboard artist Charlotte Kristoff, would be returning.

In August 2021, the film title was announced as The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2. In May, a synopsis of the story was released as Walt Disney Pictures submitted a copyright registration to the U.S. Copyright Office catalog. Karey Kirkpatrick and John Whittington was announced as a co-screenwriter.

Casting
On January 27, 2017, Jack Black expressed interest in starring in a sequel, feeling that his character, the villain Bowser, could be expanded in the sequel: "I wouldn't mind going to do another one because it was so much fun, first of all, and a real challenge to try to convince people that I have a triple-digit IQ... There is so much room, you know, Robotnik has not reached his apotheosis." On March 3, 2017, The Super Mario Bros. Movie star Chris Pratt confirmed that he had signed on for multiple sequels.

On January 26, 2021, Anya Taylor-Joy announced that she would reprise her role as Princess Peach. In February 2021, it was reported that Jim Carrey was in talks for the role of Wario. That same month, Mario voice Charles Martinet confirmed that he will reprise his role as Mario's Dad and Giuseppe. In March 2021, it was announced that Charlie Day and Jack Black would reprise their roles as Luigi and Bowser respectively. That same month, it was confirmed that Michael Peña would reprise his role as Wayne Whipple. In April 2021, Chris Pratt was confirmed to return as Mario. On June 16, 2021, it was announced that Ellie Kemper had joined the cast in an undisclosed role, it was later confirmed that he would play Marla, Nigel's fiancé. That same month, it was confirmed that Jemaine Clement would reprise her role as Nigel. On July 29, 2021, it was announced that Kevin Michael Richardson would reprise his role as Kamek.

During a September 2021 Nintendo Direct presentation, Shigeru Miyamoto announced the newcomers with Tom Holland, Zendaya, Seth Rogen, Steve Carell, and Will Ferrell.

Animation and Visual Effects
The film was animated by Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank and Vancouver. Production was underway by September 2019, with animation ending in October 2022. Additionally, DNEG also provided the visual effects for the mushroom planet and the cockpit of the robot, giving it a total of 185 shots used in the film from the studio. Additional visual effects services was provided by Unlisted Studio, Method Studios, and Digital Domain. Post-production work wrapped by March 2023. For the go-karts featured in the film, the directors worked with a vehicle design artist and artists at Nintendo to create go-karts that fit their portrayal in the film while drawing inspiration from their portrayal in the Mario Kart games.

Donkey Kong's design was changed for the first time since the video game Donkey Kong Country (1994). For his new design, artists incorporated elements of both his modern design and his original design from his debut appearance in Donkey Kong (1981). For Mario's family, Hall and Johnston were given early designs of Mario by Nintendo as references; they ended up using slightly altered versions of those designs in the film.

Music
In October 2022, Henry Jackman was announced to compose the film's musical score, replacing Michael Giacchino from the first film. Jackman worked closely with longtime Mario composer Koji Kondo to incorporate themes from the games. He described the composition as "big", featuring an orchestra, choir and bands, as well as "Italian instruments, accordions, live drums, mandolins […] whistling human voices", and "eight-bit [sounds]". Recording sessions began on October 17, 2022 at the Eastwood Scoring Stage at Warner Bros. Mixing took place at Skywalker Sound, where Kondo and Miyamoto responded positively to a 15-minute suite of new themes Jackman had written. The film's music references leitmotifs from Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 3D Land, among other Mario games.

Songs from Jack Black and Keegan-Michael Key were improvised for the film. Black Hydra composed the music for its official trailer, "Super Mushroom", based on the Super Mario Bros. theme. The instrumental was released on November 30, 2022 on YouTube.

In a March 2023 video, Seth Rogen shared that Donkey Kong was introduced in the film accompanied by the title theme music from Donkey Kong 64, "DK Rap", composed by Grant Kirkhope. In contrast to the licensed songs used in the film, Kirkhope did not receive credit for "DK Rap" in the film's end credits, an oversight the composer found disappointing.

Marketing
On December 7, the teaser poster was revealed. The next day, the first trailer was released at The Game Awards 2022 and live in Nintendo Direct presentation.

On January 12, 2023, the first clip of the film, showing Mario, Peach guiding Yoshi through the Mushroom Kingdom and to the entrance to Peach's Castle, was revealed. The Verge's Ash Parrish commented, "Despite the skepticism surrounding Chris Pratt's performance as Mario, the movie's visuals — and I cannot stress enough, only the visuals — look incredible".

On January 29, 2023, a preview clip of the film was released during the NFC Championship Game.[78] Some entertainment news sites pointed out the addition of Rogen's "iconic laugh" heard as Donkey Kong in the clip. Emma Roth from The Verge commented, "I'm pleasantly surprised at how well his voice (and laugh) suits the character", while Luke Plunkett from Kotaku commented, "Seth Rogen has been hired to... just be Seth Rogen".

During the week before Super Bowl LVI, Disney released four TV spots showcasing new footage and the reveal of the Mecha-Bowser. A special TV spot aired during Super Bowl LVI on February 12, 2023.

On March 9, before Mario Day, the first and final official trailer was shown in a Nintendo Direct. Public reactions were still largely favorable, though online discourse continued to center on Pratt's performance as Mario. Another poster was also revealed, resembling the North American boxart for the original Sonic the Hedgehog 2 video game.