Nintendo and Illumination have announced that Donald Glover will voice Yoshi in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, confirming casting details revealed during a Nintendo Direct livestream presentation on Monday.
Illumination CEO and producer Chris Meledandri made the announcement in the Nintendo Direct livestream, which also revealed a new trailer for the animated sequel. The casting represents a significant creative choice for a character known primarily for wordless charm in the video game series. Glover will voice Yoshi in all languages and territories worldwide.
The newly announced cast members also include Luis Guzman as Wart and Issa Rae as Honey Queen. Chris Pratt returns to voice Mario, with returning cast members including Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad and Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek. The sequel will also introduce Benny Safdie as Bowser Jr. and Brie Larson as Princess Rosalina.
The film marks a substantial creative undertaking for both studios. The film was animated by Illumination Studios Paris in Paris, France, with production underway by March 2024 and animation ending in November 2025. Brian Tyler, who composed the score for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, returns to compose the score, performed by a 70-piece orchestra and featuring re-recorded themes from the Super Mario Galaxy series.
After defeating Bowser in the original movie, Mario, Luigi and Peach are back for another adventure and must face off against the evil Koopa King and his son, with the characters transported to outer space to explore various planets, including a fiery volcano world, an underwater planet and a techno-land with neon, gravity-defying obstacles.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic and releases in theatres on April 1 from Universal, Illumination and Nintendo. The film will be released on April 24, 2026 in Japan, with select territories releasing throughout April.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie follows The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which was released in 2023 and earned more than $1.3 billion worldwide. The success of the first film has placed considerable expectations on this sequel to deliver both commercially and creatively.