The Super Mario Galaxy Movie 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.5

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Justin Dekker June 18, 2026

The highest grossing film of 2026 (to date), earning just over $1 billion in global box office receipts, and the sequel to 2023's 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie', 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' arrives on 4K UHD disc courtesy of Universal. The second installment of the franchise sees a return of all critical cast members including Chris Pratt (Mario), Charlie Day (Luigi), Jack Black (Bowser), Anya Taylor-Joy (Princess Peach), and Keegan-Michael Key (Toad). The release features a stunning 2160p presentation with Dolby Vision, along with a stellar Dolby Atmos audio track. While a commentary track is not included here, there are approximately an hour's worth of on-disc supplemental materials that shed some light on numerous aspects of the film's creation. A foil-enhanced and embossed slipcover, a Blu-ray disc, and a Digital Code redeemable via Movies Anywhere are also included.

Once again, Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt) and Luigi (voiced by Charlie Day) are off an adventure, this time one that spans locations across the galaxy. When Rosalina is abducted (along with the adorable Yellow Luma), Princess Peach and Toad hastily set off on a rescue mission. Along with a new friend, the brothers put helping to reform a miniaturized Bowser on hold and set off after her, facing dangers of their own. Once they join forces, will the assistance of their new allies tip the scales in their favor? Is Bowser as rehabilitated as he seems? And how much mayhem can one little monkey cause?

Back in 2023, when I first heard that Mario and Luigi would once again be making their way to the big screen for the first time since the live-action film from 1993, I was cautiously optimistic. Given what had come before, I was probably not alone. While that film has its fans, I do not necessarily count myself among their number, nor was I particularly enthralled by the various animated series that found a home on television. But given that Nintendo would be working with Illumination, the studio behind the well-crafted Despicable Me films, I considered that a good sign. Less of a good sign was the casting of Chris Pratt to bring life to everyone's favorite plumber. For so long I had grown accustomed to the work of Charles Martinet who had crafted the character's iconic and instantly recognizable voice. I wasn't sure how well anyone, let alone Chris Pratt, would be able to recreate, emulate, or put their own spin on a voice that is burned into the brains of so many fans the world over. Imagine my surprise when he didn't even try. Pratt simply stood behind the microphone and spoke...normally. After a few moments of disappointment mixed with indignation (How dare he do this to Mario?!), I saw the wisdom of the choice. Anything he did that was even an attempt to get close to Martinet's work would invite unwelcome comparisons and criticism. There was no way for him to "win" except to stay as far away from that performance as he could and simply be himself. And for me, at least, it worked. In the games Mario may sound one way, but in the frenetic and candy-colored films, this was his voice. Again, I suspect I'm not alone in that opinion.

With no similar hurdle in relation to voice talent to overcome with regard to The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Chris Pratt and the other veterans of the first film return here, the challenge the film faces is whether or not it could move beyond what the first film had accomplished and provide viewers with something more. The film, to that end, sets its sights on more everything. More characters, in more locations, on more worlds, with more chaos, and more at risk. And, I would contend, something unexpected. More joy.

As I screened the film for the first time in aid of this review, that was the overwhelming emotion that I felt from the film. There was a certain joy in the relationships developing between characters, in the locations selected, in the callbacks to various games, and in the characters they chose to include. All of these choices and inclusions didn't seem to derive from a strategy of simply throwing everything at the wall to see what stuck. Rather, it felt born out of a love of a character or a game and a wish to find a sensible way to include it in this galaxy-spanning tale. It was even a treat to see the meddlesome Ukiki appear, to say nothing of R.O.B., and several other characters I won't name lest there be a few here who have yet to see the film. With each new scene, the film increasingly felt like the video games (along with their spirits and sensibilities) had truly come to life, and for a fan of that franchise, there isn't much more than that which needed to be accomplished.

Initially, I had the notion to try and chart the number of Easter eggs present in the film. With my son, who has logged significantly more hours in the games of the Nintendo universe than I have, seated next to me, I felt sure we could compile a reasonably comprehensive list. Things started off well enough. But sooner than I had hoped, we admitted defeat. It's not simply that they were coming faster and in some instances with such subtlety that one had to continuously scour the on-screen image to attempt to spot them all, it's that this idea all too quickly became the focus of the screening, and quite necessarily so. But, as a result, we weren't really experiencing and enjoying the film. After agreeing that this exercise could wait until the next time we put the disc in the player, we began the film again. It was the right decision.

Thematically, the work being done in the film is rather light and is delivered in broad strokes. Family and identity come into focus on Peach's journey, as does friendship as Mario and Luigi quickly grow to be thick as thieves with Yoshi. The precarious nature of personal change provides some of the most entertaining moments of the film as Luigi works to show Bowser a better way to live, with a surprising moment of self-sacrifice prompting some degree of acceptance from Mario and a change of heart toward Bowser as a result. And in the case of Bowser Jr., the concept of nature versus nurture is difficult to ignore. While these themes are explored and resolved to some degree, viewers should be cautioned against believing the secrets of existence and the universe will be revealed in such a film as The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. To put that incredible weight on a diminutive plumber's shoulders is unfair. In truth, there's just enough of each of these themes present to help provide a bit of motivation and substance to these brightly colored characters. That, and a great deal of joy.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

As one has come to expect from Illumination, the image on display here is simply stunning. Breath-taking, even. While I was more than satisfied with the 1080p presentation with it's bold colors, high levels of detail, and incredible depth and dimensionality, the 2160p presentation with Dolby Vision quite simply provides the viewer with more of everything. Take, for instance space. Films from the Star Trek and Star Wars universes, not to mention all manner of other space operas with budgets large and small, relish in confronting the viewer with the cold, black, inky void of space. Often featureless, it provides the crushing psychological impact of isolation. But it's also a little boring. This is not the case in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Here, space is just as consistently riotously candy-colored as every other terrestrial location or those on the vessels that travel between them. Brilliant blues, pinks, and purples abound, filling the space between stars with something much more interesting. Plant life is afforded lush and vivid greens. The numerous Lumas over which Rosalina keeps watch provide numerous opportunities for reds, yellows, and blues to pop, as do many of the elements of the locations that Peach and Toad visit on their quest to rescue her. Fabrics worn by Mario and Luigi present with excellent tactile realism, as do the scaley bodies of Bowser and Bowser Jr, and the occasionally present bit of fur. The brickwork of several buildings presents with an appropriate level of roughness, and massive wooden doors exhibit realistic grain, while the painted closet doors in Mario and Luigi's home displays suitable age and wear-related chipping. Blacks are deep and inky and whites are brilliant. It's an amazing image, and fans should be most pleased.

All screenshots are sourced from the included 1080p disc.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Dolby Atmos track does not shy away from what it needs to do. Early on as Rosalina defends her home and the Lumas, impressive bass drives home the seriousness of the threat she faces, and there several other instances which I won't spoil here where it is again appropriately leveraged to to convey the room-rattling gravity of the given situation. Characters and objects frequently and often move, get thrown, drive, or fly through the field, smoothly whizzing from front to back and side to side, with the viewer being able to track them without error. Opportunities for immersion are also frequent. Dialogue is consistently clean and free from defect, and is properly prioritized in even the most chaotic of situations. Sound effects are likewise well rendered, with the aforementioned impressive bass lending heft and believability when so required. Music is reproduced with excellent clarity and precision. It's a terrific track.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie 4K comes with a solid selection of on-disc supplemental materials.

• Next Level: Making 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' (15.03) - Go behind the scenes with Shigeru Miyamoto (Producer, Nintendo, Creator of Mario), Stars Chris Pratt Brie Larson, Anya Taylor-Joy, and a cavalcade of others as they discuss the challenges and successes of making the second Super Mario movie. The film's source material garners as much airtime as the film itself

• Cast of Characters (22.28) - Available individually or via a "Play All" option, viewers will lean about the work required to bring Mario &Luigi, Parch & Rosaline, Bowser & Bowser Jr., and Toad & Yoshi to the screen. The voice actors, character designers, directors and others appear to share their thoughts and opinions.

• Exploring the Galaxy (10.28) - The various cities, worlds, and outer space locations come into focus here and those on screen not only discuss their designs in broad strokes, but certain minutiae as well.

• Galactic Thematics (5.17) - The primary themes of the film are discussed by cast and crew.

• Cosmic Tunes (3.32) - Composer Brian Tyler and others discuss the incorporation of the source material's classic music into the film, as well as the score itself.

• Power-Ups (2.21) - Just as in the games, the power-ups used by the characters in the film are discussed.

• Secrets of the Galaxy (2.45) - For a film with soooo many Easter eggs, this feature which gives them its focus is incredibly short, and few are actually discussed. It also underscores how greatly a commentary track is missed in this instance, as filmmakers could have provided viewers with a comprehensive discussion of the entire lot of them. I doubt I'm the only person who would have appreciated such a thing.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I found the second visit to the Mario cinematic universe to be much more enjoyable than the first, due in large part to the grander scale of the film in terms of locations, the number of characters, and the larger threat our heroes face. While knowledge of the Mario games and the broader output of Nintendo as a whole are not necessary, they do provide the viewer with an entirely different level of enjoyment and appreciation of the film as they are able to pick up on a great many references and allusions which would otherwise go unnoticed or would possess a slightly diminished impact. The returning voice cast has certainly settled into their roles, with the newcomers being welcome additions. Viewers will also want to watch the end credits for not just one, but two post-credits sequences, one of which most certainly hints at what's to come next. With its stellar audio and video presentations, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie 4K comes very highly recommended.