Yoshi mania, Happy Meals and not-so-great reviews: A small talk guide to 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie'

This story contains spoilers.

It’s Mario’s world — and we’re just living in it.

That’s not just a vibe. It’s the reality for many parents right now, as The Super Mario Galaxy Movie lands in theaters at a perfect-storm moment: spring break colliding with a holiday weekend. Kids are home, routines are out the window and the pressure to fill long days is real.

That’s why and how a lot of us will find ourselves at the movies this week, watching Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi — who your kid will love — and the rest of the gang in the animated action-comedy sequel to the 2023 smash hit. And for many of us who grew up on Nintendo — with this as a soundtrack to our childhood — it’s not exactly a hard sell.

Here’s what to know before you go so you’re up on the hype, the plot and the merch.

What this one is about

It won’t be easy to top 2023’s Super Mario Bros. Movie, which followed Brooklyn plumber siblings Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) as they stumble into a rainbow-colored mushroom world. The movie went on to gross more than $1.3 billion worldwide. But they’re hoping to level up.

Returning directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, along with scriptwriter Matthew Fogel, expand the magical realm. Inspired by the 2007 Wii game, the sequel sends Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) on a quest across the galaxy involving the princess’s long-lost sister, Rosalina (Brie Larson).

Along the way, they team up with Yoshi (Donald Glover), while Jack Black returns as Bowser — still causing problems, even in a scaled-down form — now joined by Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie).

The cosmic spin isn’t entirely out of left field: The first film hinted that we’d see Peach’s backstory when she gazed at the stars and questioned her origins. That was a launching point for expanding the gaming universe created by Shigeru Miyamoto.

Allow Bowser’s recap of the first film to bring you up to speed.

Who’s voicing who

Pratt, Day, Black, Taylor-Joy and Keegan-Michael Key (Toad) are all returning players.

New additions include Glover, Safdie, Larson and Issa Rae (Honey Queen), Kevin Michael Richardson (Kamek) and Luis Guzmán (Wart).

Yoshi, in particular, is a standout — the kind of character that kids latch onto long after the credits roll. According to Black, Glover “campaigned for the role.”

Also notable: Glen Powell appears as Fox McCloud, marking the first official crossover between the Mario film universe and the Star Fox franchise. It potentially sets up what’s next — and the announcement was extra.

Surprises to watch for

There’s plenty for fans to pick apart: many Easter eggs and two post-credit scenes that are worth staying for. One bummer: There’s no major “Peaches”-style musical moment this time around — a choice some fans may find surprising.

What might overwhelm younger viewers

There’s effectively double the Bowser this time around — with Bowser and Bowser Jr. both in the mix — plus Wart joins as a heavy. That said, it’s still in PG territory.

What the reviews say

Well, they would make Mario cry. According to reviews, it “doesn't 1-Up its predecessor,” has “less heart,” “offers nothing new” and is “a joke-free sequel that doubles down on blandness.” It debuted with a 44% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.

As my Yahoo colleague, Trust Me, I Watch Everything film critic Bret Arnold, puts it, “When the movie finds clever ways to visualize stuff from the games, like when we see a map that resembles the one from the original NES iterations and each location ‘dot’ is a problem Mario and Luigi have to solve and plant a flag in, I’m smiling! But that only happens a few times, and the rest somehow feels both incredibly plot- and mythology-heavy but unsatisfying on a story level due to the constant references and Easter eggs.”

Still, that won’t likely hurt too much at the box office. The movie is projected to make even more money than the first.

The merch your kid will want

If the movie is the event, the merch is the afterparty. There’s a full wave already in circulation, starting with the affordable McDonald’s Happy Meals featuring 12 different collectible character toys that clip to backpacks — making Monday’s return to school feel like a showcase.

Theater exclusives are Luma and Yoshi popcorn buckets as well as a Mini Bowser cauldron, which broke a Guinness World Record for the "world's smallest popcorn container."

Also making news are Yoshi bath bombs — though not for a great reason.

This kid hated it:

There’s also some high-end wares, including a $349 Mushroom bean bag chair. (Am I the only one who has the influencer @Economikat in my head saying, “You do not need that”?)

The movie leans into it all: Characters are shown with merch and Mario-branded items. So the storyline is also a sales pitch — and we imagine kids will notice and request.

From first pitches to cast cosplay

The press rollout has been as energetic as the movie itself. The actors walked in to do press with swagger. There was a playful game night. There’s method dressing to the max, including Black in a Bowser costume and Key in a Mario Bros. suit and a mushroom hat. Taylor-Joy channeled Princess Peach in a more subtle way.