Third Super Mario movie is expected in 2029 as Nintendo keeps building its film lineup

The third Super Mario movie is not expected to reach theaters until 2029, according to Toad voice actor Keegan Michael Key. The wait may be longer than some fans hoped, but Key said the team wants to get the details right and believes the next movie will be worth the delay.

Nintendo and Illumination have already turned Mario into one of the most successful video game movie franchises. The Super Mario Bros. Movie launched in 2023 and became the biggest gaming adaptation at the time, earning $1.36 billion worldwide. It was also one of the highest grossing movies of that year, finishing behind Barbie.

Nintendo’s movie schedule now looks planned around one major release at a time

The sequel, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, arrived on April 1 and also performed strongly, reaching $970 million globally. That made it the highest grossing movie of 2026 at the time of the report, although later releases from major franchises such as Spider Man and Avengers could still pass it. Even so, the result shows that Nintendo and Illumination’s approach is still working.

Key’s 2029 comment also matches what Bowser voice actor Jack Black had said earlier. Black had already suggested that fans should expect the next Mario movie around 2029. A 2029 release would also follow the same rough three year gap between the first Mario film and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.

The longer gap also gives Nintendo room to build a wider movie slate without rushing Mario. In 2027, Nintendo is preparing its first live action The Legend of Zelda movie, with Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link and Bo Bragason as Princess Zelda. A Donkey Kong movie is also rumored for 2028, possibly targeting an April release window similar to Nintendo’s earlier movie launches.

That schedule would give Nintendo a major theatrical release in three straight years: Zelda in 2027, Donkey Kong in 2028 if the rumor is accurate, and the third Mario film in 2029. It also lets the company avoid crowding its own releases while keeping its biggest characters active in theaters.

The third Mario movie has not been fully detailed yet, so there is no confirmed title, plot, or character lineup. Still, the success of the first two films gives Nintendo and Illumination a strong reason to continue carefully rather than chase a faster release. Mario is now a proven box office brand, but that also raises expectations for every new entry.

Key’s comments suggest the creative team is aware of that pressure. The message is not that production is in trouble, but that the team wants more time to make the next movie feel right. For a franchise built on familiar characters, colorful worlds, and small details from decades of games, that patience may help.

For now, fans should not expect the third Super Mario movie soon. The current window points to 2029, while Nintendo uses the next two years to expand its film plans through Zelda and possibly Donkey Kong. If those movies also perform well, Nintendo could enter 2029 with one of the strongest video game film universes in Hollywood.