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The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is now available to rent and buy digitally, ahead of next month's physical release, and we have an exclusive clip from the movie's bonus offerings that dives into Illumination's undeniably impressive animation.
In the clip, which you can watch above, there's a particularly interesting glimpse into how a major climactic Peach and Rosalina moment changed for the better during production that also demonstrates how animation is a more nimble medium than you might think.
Discussing the sequence where Peach finally frees Rosalina from the cell she's spent much of the movie in on Planet Bowser, Illumination character animator Charlotte Mansard explains how this "touching and powerful" moment was "supposed to be very short." Instead, Hansard "wanted to do something very epic," and was given "free rein" to direct and expand on the shot. Initially projected to last just 30 frames (a little over 1 second), Hansard instead proposed, "What if we add 400 frames?"
It's illustrative of how crucial a role unsung animators play in the creation of blockbuster features like The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and a fascinating insight into how modern animated movies are put together (if you pictured The Super Mario Galaxy Movie's animators working at desks full of Yoshi merch, you were bang on the money!)
Featuring over an hour of bonus behind-the-scenes extras when purchased or rented from select retailers, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is currently the highest-grossing film of the year, as it inches its way towards a $1bn haul. Alongside a making-of featurette the clip above has been pulled from, other extras include a "guided deep dive into the Easter eggs hidden throughout the film" and a "closer look at the many power-ups featured in the film."
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, of course, features a major Peach and Rosalina twist that Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto wants to keep canon in future games. The digital release is also the perfect excuse to freeze-frame your way through the movie and finally take in the dozens and dozens of Super Mario Galaxy Movie Easter eggs sprinkled throughout. Fans only noticed this amazing retro reference hiding in plain sight two months later, and there's sure to be plenty more hidden.
The Super Mario Galaxy is in theaters and available digitally now. For more, dive into our Super Mario Galaxy Movie ending explained, or check out our list of the best video game movies.
