Live-action Zuko actor Dallas Liu has responded to the recent wave of animated Avatar: The Last Airbender leaks that have plagued the upcoming Avatar Aang movie.

"It was a huge bummer, because I was really excited to watch it," Liu tells GamesRadar+ of the leaks.

Back in April, Twitter user StillDissin claimed they were accidentally emailed the entirety of Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender, a years-later sequel to the events of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Soon, a non-watermarked version of the entire movie was uploaded to social media before being removed via DMCA strikes. In late April, a 26-year-old Singaporean male was arrested in connection with the leak after 'unauthorized remote access to the server' (via The Straits Times).

Despite the disappointment, Liu – the latest in a lineage of Zuko actors as part of Netflix's live-action adaptation – remains upbeat about the project.

"Steven Yeun playing Zuko, are you joking? Adult Zuko? Yeah, I think that's cool," Liu says. "Because I'm always just a fan of Zuko in any sort of artistic way. So Dante Basco, Dev Patel, even. Steven Yeun. I think those are all great people who are playing this character. So, I was really excited to see his version of what that would have been like, for sure."

Upon wrapping production, director Lauren Montgomery suggested that Avatar Aang should be seen in theaters despite it being shifted to a release on Paramount Plus.

Montgomery remarked on Instagram, "The recent decision to move us from theatrical to streaming might give the impression that the quality wasn’t sufficient, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. This movie deserves to be seen on a big screen!!!"

Aang, The Last Airbender features a new voice cast as the Gaang come into contact with an ancient airbender. The cast includes Eric Nam as Aang, Dionne Quan as Toph, Steven Yeun as Zuko, and Dave Bautista as Airbender Tagah.

Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender, meanwhile, returns for its second season on Netflix on June 25. It follows Aang, Katara, Zuko, and newcomer Toph as they make their way to Ba Sing Se for guidance on the imminent Fire Nation threat.

For more, check out all our picks for the best anime on Netflix.

In a bizarre turn of events, Star Wars creator George Lucas has a cameo in Illumination's upcoming animated movie Minions and Monsters. But according to Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri, the Lucasfilm founder had such a great time that he wants to star in more Minions movies in the future.

"I saw him recently, and he's already talking to me about the role he wants to do next in the next Minions movie," said Meledandri to Collider. In Minions and Monsters, which follows the little yellow Minions as they band together to save the world after unleashing monsters, Lucas voices an animated version of himself.

However, Lucas' involvement didn't just come out of the blue. "I had this privilege of meeting George about two years ago, and what led to my meeting him is how much he loves Illumination movies, and specifically Despicable Me, and even more specifically, the Minions," said Meledandri. "It was such a thrill to learn that and then to share it with the team, because obviously he's among a very small group of people who the entire studio shares a level of respect for that is just off the charts."

Meledandri then decided that Lucas should voice a character based on himself in the new movie, and says director Pierre Coffin, co-writer Brian Lynch, and producer Bill Ryan were all surprised, but jumped at the idea. It sounds as though Lucas' cameo may be centered around Hollywood legends, as the movie also contains an animated version of Citizen Kane star and director Orson Welles, as well as nods to the classic.

Over the years, Lucas has made appearances in many live-action movies, including his own, such as the first Star Wars film, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Hook, Men in Black, and Star Wars: Episode 3 – Revenge of the Sith. However, it sounds like animation may be Lucas' true calling. Alongside Lucas' cameo, Minions and Monsters also stars Jesse Eisenberg, Allison Janney, Christoph Waltz, Jeff Bridges, and Zoey Deutch.

Minions and Monsters hits cinemas on July 1. For more, check out our list of the best animated movies that aren't Disney, and keep up with new movies heading your way.

If you're wondering whether Toy Story 5 has a post-credits scene or not, then you've come to the right place.

The new film pits the toys against technology in the form of ominous touchpad Lilypad, who quickly takes over Bonnie's life. Cowgirl Jessie then takes center stage as leader of Bonnie's room to try and get her kid some true pals, as well as stop Lilypad from ending playtime forever.

Below, we've broken down how many Toy Story 5 post-credits scenes there are, as well as what happens in them. We have a spoiler-free breakdown of how many scenes to expect first, then a spoilery breakdown of what happens. So, don't scroll too far if you haven't seen the film yet. Now, saddle up and get ready to get the lowdown on the Toy Story 5 stingers. Yeehaw!

Does Toy Story 5 have a post-credits scene?

Yes, Toy Story 5 does have a post-credits scene. It comes at the mid-credits, after the stylized credits featuring the cast. For a bonus extra, stay to the very end. What comes next isn't quite a full post-credits scene, but it is a fun little addition.

Toy Story 5 post-credits scene explained *Spoilers*

In the Toy Story 5 post-credits scene, we're treated to the ending of the storyline involving the army of Buzzes. They drift down from the sky into a playground full of kids, who happily grab the toys. But, there's a problem – one kid has an Emperor Zurg action figure in his backpack. Uh oh…

Then, at the very end of the credits, the toys come together and sing Lilypad's song together over the rolling credits.

So, neither of the post-credits scene set-up a sequel or hint at anything further, beyond a quick gag about Buzz and Zurg's legendary rivalry.

Toy Story 5 is in theaters now. For more, check out our guide to the most exciting upcoming movies of 2026 and beyond, or all the new Disney movies to keep an eye out for over the next few years.

Toy Story is the franchise that just keeps coming back. After two apparently definitive endings in the third and fourth films, Toy Story 5 reunites us with the toys we know and love.

Woody left the gang behind in Toy Story 4, emotionally parting ways from Buzz and Jessie to stay with the lost toys in the fun fair.

"When Woody left [Toy Story] 4, he went off with Bo Peep," Tom Hanks, the voice of Woody, tells us. "And they keep finding these abandoned toys. He will do this for the rest of existence."

Hanks hopes to share that in common with his character, too. "Dare I say it, I hope the same is true for my job playing Woody," he adds with a laugh. "How much longer can we keep doing this, to be welcomed back into the fold?"

Each Toy Story movie explores a new dilemma for the toys, and the fifth film sees them take on tech, which threatens playtime. Director Andrew Stanton is clear that, for another movie to happen, this central idea has to be right. "Every new movie, we don't know there's going to be something else to say," he explains. "This took time to come into the world, for us to embrace it."

"What we looked at is the world," adds producer Lindsey Collins. "And we're like, okay, right, technology is here, obviously, and it's here with kids pretty young, and so that would be deeply affecting the toys, and so it felt like it would be naïve to have a film that didn't have that as the center. And so again, as we watch the world and time go by, that's what we wait to see. We're like, 'What's happening out there, what's happening with kids, what's happening with playtime?'"

The first film was released way back in 1995, but, as Hanks explains it, returning for more doesn't lose its familiarity. "I can't say it feels different, because we felt the gravitas of what [we were doing]. It began a thing, like, 'Can we do it at all?'" he says. "The new animation technology that went along with it, as well as the challenges of finding what the relationship here was going to be. And you think that, 'Oh, come on, don't you just go in there and say it?' Alas, no, you go in there and you, like, get to a place. And I have to say, I feel a burden of responsibility every time we begin a new one. And specifically, it's almost too bad that they have a number on it, because all I say is, 'I'm doing another Toy Story movie.' You don't say what the number is. But the very first day of walking in, it was like, 'Okay, am I up to the emotional challenge of making this happen again?' I'm glad they have some faith in me."

Tim Allen, who voices Buzz, agrees that the films all feel part of one long-running story. "It's almost like episode five," he tells us. "It's not a new movie, it's just an episode. In the same way, I don't know if we [need] the number, because it gets formidable when you see the word five there. And it is just another episode, it's just later. It's later. Andrew Stanton, the director, said it compresses time. And it just hit me what that meant. That's what this is. This is compressed time. The weird thing about it is these toys don't actually age, other than [Woody]."

Toy Story 5 arrives in theaters this June 19. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the most exciting upcoming movies or new Disney movies to fill out your watchlist.

Back in 2019's Toy Story 4, everyone had their hearts broken when Woody decided to stay behind at the carnival with Bo Peep and the other lost toys, and his best pal Buzz returned to Bonnie's room without him.

Seven years later, Buzz and Woody reunite once again in Toy Story 5. But, while it might seem like the duo has been apart all this time, director Andrew Stanton says that's actually not the case.

"It's been a little under a decade. People come back and visit, and it's like a nice visit. I hope you don't spend that long waiting till you see your old friend again," he jokes to GamesRadar+ when we meet in London to talk about the film. "It wasn't yesterday."

Indeed, by the sounds of things, Buzz and Woody have stayed in contact since they parted ways. "I always knew at the end of [Toy Story] 4, they'd keep in touch, they'd send a postcard, they have the walkie-talkie system," Stanton explains. "Woody says, 'It's a good thing we were in town.' It's relatives that you like keeping in touch with, you know? I wanted to believe that through all those years between that last movie and this one, they've visited."

Producer Lindsey Collins also sees Buzz and Woody as being alternative but necessary kinds of support for Jessie, who is at the heart of the new film. "Each of them play a very different role for Jessie in her life. Buzz has obviously always had this unrequited love, and he's never gonna leave Jessie. It's fun to watch that in this film, how much he's like, 'Oh my god, I love her so much,'" she says. "And then you have Woody, he's like her mentor, right? He's her confidant, and so when she's having this massive bout of insecurity, it just made so much sense that he's who she would call just to be like, 'Woody, is it me? I'm failing,' and have her seek out his counsel. Not to come back – and that's a total misunderstanding – but just to actually be the one to be like, 'Is it bad out there? Is it all going downhill?' And have him be the one to try to calm her down."

While Jessie goes off on a quest of her own in an attempt to make Bonnie some friends, she entrusts Buzz with being her deputy – something the space ranger takes very seriously, especially since he has quite the crush on the cowgirl. "She trusted him to be [deputy], that was a big deal," says Tim Allen, voice of Buzz. "Had to remind [Woody] several times, love that scene. And yes, he is smitten with her."

Allen also appreciates that Buzz and Woody get a heartfelt reunion after their farewell in the fourth film. "They added that scene, which I love, that we hugged each other," he says. "I said, 'I missed you' real quick and got it over with. But, I really wanted that, because it was real difficult to say goodbye when we were in [Toy Story] 4."

You'll be able to see Buzz and Woody together again when Toy Story 5 arrives in theaters this June 19.

In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming movies and new Disney movies on the way to fill out your watchlist.

There's a new sheriff in town. Back in 2019, Woody the cowboy handed over his gold star badge to Jessie the cowgirl, a literal and symbolic passing of the torch.

Seven years later, Jessie is taking center stage in the fifth installment of the beloved Pixar film series. As leader of Bonnie's room, Jessie goes head to head with the sinister Lilypad, a new technology that hypnotizes the kid from day one.

During her struggles against this new threat, Jessie also comes face to face with her past – and the lingering trauma of being given away by her first kid, Emily, as seen in Toy Story 2's most upsetting scene.

"I just felt she had so much unaddressed, that she had a deep well to draw from," Toy Story 5 director Andrew Stanton tells us of Jessie taking her place at the heart of the new movie. "Woody used to have a deep well but we drew so much from him, I just thought he needed a break.

"And we made a conscious point of passing the badge on from Woody to Jessie at the end of [Toy Story] 4," Stanton adds. "I loved, even if we didn't go to another film, we'd have that, knowing she was a leader now in running Bonnie's room. So, it just made sense when I was asked to work on this one to start there, because it would be a very different room run by her. Even though it's a similar problem of a new thing coming into the room and disrupting things, it's a different era, it's a different kind of character. And she had so much, like I said, under the hood, I knew her insecurities of abandonment would come out right away."

Toys outside Bonnie's room warn Jessie that "the age of toys is over," and indeed that grim prognosis appears to be coming true for the cowgirl and the gang. Bonnie gets hooked on Lilypad's wonders, though maxed out screen time isn't the only problem. Lilypad gives Bonnie the ability to chat to her friends virtually, except these mean girls are no true friends – a sad situation her parents are totally oblivious to, despite taking a more sizeable role in the narrative than the parent figures in previous installments.

"It's just trying to give you an opportunity to understand what can happen," says Stanton. "And they're new to it. We're talking within 48 hours, or maybe 72 hours, that happened. I mean, it's all very new. There's not a lifestyle or a way of running the room with tech that the parents have figured out. It's just suddenly they got a kid a bike, and now this is what comes with having a bike. So, we were just, in a short amount of time, trying to give you all the highs and lows that can come with it."

You'll be able to see how the struggle between toys vs. tech plays out when Toy Story 5 arrives to theaters this June 19.

In the meantime, check out our guide to the most exciting upcoming movies or all the new Disney movies in the works.

KPop Demon Hunters is turning a year old in just a few weeks. Where has the time gone?

To celebrate the anniversary of the animation sensation's streaming release, Netflix is organizing global screenings and more ways for fans to celebrate.

Netflix promises "events, activations, and merch drops" in the lead-up to June 20. There are also theatrical releases in the U.S., U.K. and Ireland, South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Israel.

Among those, there will be free outdoor screenings in New York, San Francisco, Atlanta, and a handful of other locations listed on Netflix's Tudum site.

To say KPop Demon Hunters was a worldwide phenomenon upon its release would be doing it a disservice.

The story of girl band HUNTR/X's fight against demons became Netflix's most-watched movie by the end of 2025, clocking up over 500 million views in the process.

After capturing the world's attention, it captured that of the Academy, picking up the Oscars for Best Original Song with 'Golden' and Best Animated Feature.

KPop Demon Hunters 2 has also been announced, but it's not expected to arrive until 2029.

A new McDonald's short managed to whet our appetite for more HUNTR/X bangers, but we'll have years to wait for a sequel, per Bloomberg.

That's not very Golden now, is it? Still, at least we have a KPop birthday party to attend very soon.

For more, check out our picks for the best anime on Netflix.

Toy Story 5 brings the beloved Pixar franchise back to the big screen, reuniting viewers with Woody, Buzz and Jessie. This time around the story sees the toys dealing with a new threat: the rise of technology.

Voiced by Greta Lee, a new tablet called Lilypad has joined playtime and the now eight-year-old Bonnie is obsessed. Jessie and Buzz must bring Woody back as they try to overcome Lilypad and bring back traditional toys. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack all return in the voice cast alongside newcomers like Conan O'Brien and Craig Robinson.

Early reactions have started pouring in for the new movie, and they seem to be extremely glowing. GamesRadar+'s own Molly Edwards was a big fan, writing on Twitter: "I loved #ToyStory5! It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it was so wonderful seeing Jessie take the spotlight. The army of Buzzes is also a DELIGHT."

Meanwhile, Variety's Jazz Tangcay called it "magical and pure perfection" in her first reaction. "It is a fantastic entry into the franchise. Jessie finally gets the story she deserves! It's emotional, funny, genuinely warm, and perfect in every way. Loved the new addition of characters. I laughed and cried at how marvelous Toy Story 5 is."

Podcaster Daniel Baptista was even more effusive in his take on the new movie, writing that it's a "generation-defining experience" and "exactly the story we need right now". Critic Scott Menzel agreed, comparing it with the franchise to date. "Toy Story 5 ranks right alongside the first three films, delivering a perfect blend of humor, heart, and that signature Pixar magic," he wrote on Twitter.

Check out some more early reactions below.

Toy Story 5 arrives in theaters on June 19. For more, check out our guides to the best Pixar movies and all the upcoming movies you need to know about.

The funny thing about living in the 'Golden Age' of remakes in conjunction with an ever-changing and neverending nostalgia boom is that we either get a) grade A slop that lacks in a compelling story in favor of fan service or simply ignores the source material altogether, or b) something so good it heals your inner child and makes you genuinely happy that a brand new generation gets to discover it for the first time. Enter: Travis Knight's Masters of the Universe, which takes everyone's favorite loincloth-wearing warrior prince (and all of the memes that have surrounded him in the years following his debut) and turns it into a campy action-comedy about the pesky need to prove yourself.

Though you could easily compare it to Transformers or Voltron, He-Man is one of those toy-turned-cartoon phenomena that stands out especially for its overall weirdness. The titular character is a rather aloof prince and his nemesis is a dude with a skull for a face who's really into maniacal laughter. Rather than lean into the overall absurdity, the 1987 live-action movie starring action man Dolph Lundgren plays it pretty straight, and wants the viewer to think they're watching a true fantasy-adventure film a la The Dark Crystal (which I don't really think is speculation, seeing as both films share the same screenwriter).

Travis Knight's 2026 take on Masters of the Universe, however, is more of a Marvel-esque blockbuster that embraces the absolute goofiness of He-Man's lore and puts him on Earth as a confused 20-something who's desperate to find his way home – and doesn't mind telling everyone he comes into contact with about it. A first date goes badly because he tells her about his childhood on Eternia, he gets fired for his incessant sword searches on company time, and he gets arrested for finally finding said sword. Let me just say: it's not what I expected.

Looking camp right in the eye

It's the way Adam is so unapologetically himself and doesn't see the need to make up a backstory (at the suggestion of his roommate) and settle for a life on Earth that just... got me completely. There's one part where his roomie says, "Can't you just live for the weekend and wait until your next vacation?" Well, no, actually. Adam knows he's meant for something more. And I think Knight wanted us to take that and apply it to ourselves. In fact, I think the entire movie is meant to give us a kick in the pants by way of feeling happy and hopeful and never settling for less than what we truly deserve.

And if you're wondering what that has to do with He-Man, well, that's kind of what the whole thing's about (to me, anyway). When he yells, "I have the power," it's not because his super cool sword is giving it to him. It's actually because the power inside his heart (if you want to get cheesy about it), and there's a beautiful scene in the film where the Sorceress reminds Adam that she chose him for a reason… and that it doesn't matter who gets their hands on the sword, because only he has the true power to wield it.

So yes, the movie is a big ol' metaphor. And it really does beat us over the head with it. However, I didn't really mind it all that much. I love the idea of a kiddo sitting down to watch the movie and walking away feeling enlightened and inspired… and while all the meme references and other 'adult' themes are meant for the adult He-Man fans watching the film, I truly think the rest is meant to instill hope in a younger generation.

Yes, the movie spends far too much time on Earth. Yes, the joke-per-minute format was a rather, uh, interesting choice. But Nicholas Galitzine and Idris Elba made me cry. And even the post-credits scene made me cry! And Skeletor is so brilliantly acted that I'm almost ready to forgive Tron: Ares for all of whatever that was. I don't know if Masters of the Universe is the movie that the world needs right now, but it's definitely the one that I need right now.

Masters of the Universe is in theaters now. For more, check out our list of upcoming movies, or plan out the rest of your movie-going year with our 2026 movie release dates guide.

As Ice Age prepares to return once again with Boiling Point, the sixth film in the long-running saga, one fan has noticed that the first movie predicted its sequels near-perfectly.

In a moment from the original film, which you can see below, Sid the sloth wanders away from his friends and sees some disturbing frozen creatures in the ice. First, he sees a fish with sharp teeth, then a dinosaur, then a tableau of a lifeform evolving that ends with Sid himself, and finally a UFO.

The first Ice Age sequel, The Meltdown, is all about vicious underwater critters. The third film, Dawn of the Dinosaurs, features… well, dinosaurs. The fourth, Continental Drift, isn't about evolution but does feature Sid's grandma and the rest of his family.

As for the UFO, that actually does come into play in a sequence involving Scrat the squirrel in Ice Age 5, titled Collision Course. Scrat actually ends up going to space, though we'll have to wait and see if the rest of the gang get any interstellar adventures.

The Boiling Point trailer doesn't give much away, but does show the gang flying through the air in slow-motion, and it seems to be hinting at a volcanic eruption. Lava would certainly explain the title.

Ice Age: Boiling Point arrives on February 5, 2027. In the meantime, fill out your watchlist with our guide to all the most exciting upcoming movies and upcoming TV shows.

Scream and Scooby-Doo actor Matthew Lillard has taken aim at Hollywood's tendency to populate animated movies with certain big-name actors who are "not able to carry a part" instead of voice actors.

"I think Hollywood has made a huge mistake by hiring actors that are not able to carry a part with [their] voice. As an actor, you have full function, your face, your body, you have all these things that you can play on when you're on the screen, but a voice actor has only their voice to work," Lillard said at Fan Expo Denver (via Screen Rant).

"The ability to carry a film, as the lead of a film with only a voice, is a power very few people have. And the idea that they keep hiring crappy celebrities to carry huge films is killing us."

The casting of celebrities and household names in animation is nothing new, right back to the likes of Tom Hanks in Toy Story and Billy Joel in Oliver & Company.

That, perhaps, isn't what is drawing Lillard's ire. Without naming names, the Five Nights at Freddy's actor alludes to the recent trend of star-filled stunt casts that don't quite capture the right tone needed for the performance – something that a day-to-day voice actor would accomplish with ease.

Away from his gripes over animation casting, Lillard has a busy few years in the pipeline. He's set to appear in Mike Flanagan's Carrie, Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow, and Five Nights at Freddy's 2. We wouldn't be surprised if his Mr. Charles character rocks up in Daredevil: Born Again season 3, too.

For more, check out the new TV shows and upcoming movie release dates on the horizon.

Masters of the Universe may have been a huge undertaking but, somehow, it isn't the only film director Travis Knight is releasing this year. As well as a live-action filmmaker, Knight is also the CEO of Laika, where he has directed two of the stop-motion studio's animated movies, including this year's Wildwood.

So how exactly is Knight releasing two years-in-the-making projects within 5 months of each other? "I don't recommend it!" chuckles Knight when GamesRadar+ catches up with him in London. "I'm still working on Wildwood actually." Of course, stop-motion animation is a famously slow process – at best, an animator can hope to produce seconds of footage per day – so operating on different production tracks helped. As did the fact that Wildwood has been in the works for over a decade.

"I've been developing Wildwood for 16 years," Knight says. "The majority of my career, the majority of my adult life, I've been working on this project. And I'm nearly done with it. But, you know, there was definitely overlap there."

While pointing out that Masters of the Universe – an irreverent reboot of the '80s Filmation cartoon – and Wildwood – a magical fantasy about a young girl whose infant brother is kidnapped by crows – are "very different kinds of movies," Knight notes that the two "share kind of a philosophical DNA. If I analyze it, there is some influence that one has over the other. But I don't think [that can be helped] when you're working on something that you deeply care about so intensely for so long, and when those things happen to coincide."

"I'm just happy for how it all came together," Knight continues. "Because I think Masters is a special movie. Working on Masters, actually, it changed the way I was thinking about Wildwood as we're doing all the final visual effects and everything. And in fact, some people I met along the way working on Masters, I loved collaborating with them so much that I then brought them on to Wildwood after we finished on Masters. So they definitely are connected in some way."

Masters of the Universe is out now in some parts of the world, and is a reimagining of the famed '80s animated series. You can read our full Masters of the Universe review now. Wildwood, meanwhile, is Laika's next, long-in-the-making movie – an adaptation of Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis' 2011 novel. The wildly popular Wildwood teaser trailer (see above) has already racked up an astonishing 89 million views on YouTube alone. Before his banner 2026, Knight directed 2016's Kubo and the Two Strings at Laika, and helmed 2018's warmly received live-action Transformers spin-off, Bumblebee.

In conversation with GamesRadar+, Knight also explained how the new Masters of the Universe movie reckons with He-Man's "internally inconsistent" mythology, and told us all about Jared Leto's scene-stealing Skeletor.

Masters of the Universe is in UK cinemas now, and hits US theaters on June 5. Wildwood releases in theaters on October 23. For more, check out our list of upcoming movies, or plan out the rest of your movie-going year with our 2026 movie release dates guide.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is officially one step closer to its release as star Ben Schwartz confirms that voice recording has now begun. The upcoming fourth movie in the video game adaptation franchise wrapped live-action filming recently.

The actor shared the news on Instagram with a picture of himself with director Jeff Fowler and editor Al LeVine. Alongside the photo in the studio, he wrote: "Voice records for Sonic 4 have begun! I. Am. So. Excited. For. You. To. See. This. Movie."

Live-action production wrapped on the movie in mid-May as Fowler shared a look at Sonic's robotic clone Metal Sonic. Alongside that, he teased that it will be the "best Sonic movie yet". Set for a release date of March 19, 2027, the new movie doesn't have a synopsis yet. But we do have a pretty good idea about what it will feature after the mid-credits scene of Sonic 3 gave us some hints.

That ended with the introduction of Amy Rose, who will be voiced by Kristen Bell in the upcoming fourquel. There were also a whole host of metal sonics introduced in the ending scene, which we know will play a big part in the fourth film.

Not much else has been confirmed, but we are expecting to see the return of most of the major actors in the upcoming fourth film. As well as Schwartz and Bell, Jim Carrey, Colleen O'Shaughnessey, Idris Elba, Keanu Reeves, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, and Lee Majdoub are all coming back.

They'll be joined by some other newcomers, as Ben Kingsley, Matt Berry, Nick Offerman, and Richard Ayoade have all been added to the cast.

For more upcoming movies, check out our breakdown of all the new video game adaptations to add to your calendar.

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.

It might've been around two months since The Super Mario Galaxy Movie was released, but fans are still spotting new Easter eggs – and the latest one is seriously impressive.

In one of the Super Mario Galaxy Movie post-credits scene, we get a look at the prison holding Bowser and Bowser Jr. Look a little closer, though, and you'll notice it's a perfect retro reference.

Yep, the prison is actually made from a stack of NES cartridges, which is the most fitting throwback imaginable.

There are tons of Super Mario Galaxy Movie Easter eggs, so it's not a huge surprise that this one flew under the radar. Still, I'm very glad it's finally been spotted.

While the film stormed the box office, drawing in almost a billion dollars to date, its critical reception was more lukewarm, with a score of just 42% on Rotten Tomatoes.

"Actually, I thought the critics' reviews of the first film were understandable," Mario creator and executive producer Shigeru Miyamoto has reflected. "But I thought this time it would be different... and it was even harsher than last time, which I found strange."

Our own Super Mario Galaxy Movie review awarded the film 3 stars and reads: "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie surpasses the original thanks to relentless energy and creativity, but its starry-eyed ambitions fizzle out thanks to the bizarre treatment of Brie Larson's Rosalina and an undercooked story."

For more, check out our guide to all the most exciting upcoming video game movies to fill out your watchlist.

KPop Demon Hunters took over the world last year with its vibrant animation and seriously catchy tunes.

But, as it turns out, it was almost a completely different film entirely. The film is based on an original idea of co-director Maggie Kang's, and, as she revealed in a in a recent Deadline interview, the concept for the movie was initially "dark, adult, and very violent."

But, after around six months in development, Kristine Belson, president of Sony Pictures Animation, suggested switching things up. Feeling that the concept was "bigger" and had "franchise potential," Belson suggested making the film something with mass appeal, explained Kang.

That was undoubtedly a good idea, considering the film's massive global success and the cultural phenomenon it has become. 'Golden' is a chart-topper (though we prefer 'What It Sounds Like'...) and merchandise is everywhere. While an edgier, darker take on the idea of demon-slaying KPop stars is a very interesting proposition, it's hard to argue against the more family friendly fare the film ended up being.

KPop Demon Hunters 2 is in the works, though it's unlikely to arrive for a long time. "I feel immense pride as a Korean filmmaker that the audience wants more from this Korean story and our Korean characters," Kang said in a statement when the sequel was officially greenlit. "There's so much more to this world we have built, and I'm excited to show you. This is only the beginning."

While you wait for KPop Demon Hunters 2, check out our guide to all the upcoming movies worth getting excited about.

Mario creator and Super Mario Galaxy Movie executive producer Shigeru Miyamoto says he won't rule out an appearance from Wario in a future Mario film.

"I think of children as 'adults, they just don't have as much knowledge yet,'" Miyamoto explained (Via NintendoLife). "That's why I don't want to make them laugh with dirty jokes, and I've even given Chris a ban on dirty jokes (laughs). Oh, that doesn't mean Wario won't be in it, though."

Wario made his first appearance in the 1992 game Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins as the final boss. He is, as his name suggests, the evil version of Mario, donning much more sinister facial features and inverse costume colors (see also: Waluigi). He's also the protagonist of his own series, Wario Land, in which the main villains are Captain Syrup and Rudy the Clown.

Some games see Wario as purely a buff, evil Mario who's there to cause some chaos, with others seeing him as a weird little dude who makes tons and tons of fart jokes. I respect Miyamoto for wanting to keep them out of the feature-length Mario movies.

Continued Miyamoto: "Action is something that both adults and children can understand equally, so I think if we make it with action as the main focus, we can create a film that won't be boring."

You can still catch The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in theaters, as we're still waiting on a streaming release date. For more, read our breakdown of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie ending and our collection of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Easter eggs.

A new Universal Pictures release schedule has been found... and Nintendo fans are hoping that one date in particular leads to the animated spin-off movie of their dreams.

According to a release schedule from Universal Pictures Spain, there is an "Untitled Illumination/Nintendo Event Film" set to come out on April 12, 2028. Now, this could very well be the Donkey Kong spin-off movie that's been rumored for quite some time.

While confirmation of the film comes from an array of different sources (and some that can't really be traced back to anything other than "trust me, bro"), records don't lie. In 2025, Nintendo and Universal registered the copyright, "Untitled Donkey Kong Project; Motion Picture." This comes, of course, after The Super Mario Bros. Movie made around $1 billion at the box office. Seth Rogen would return to voice the everyone's favorite ape.

We already know that Nintendo's 2027 movie is The Legend of Zelda, and it may be too soon for the third Super Mario Bros. movie... so it's definitely possible. There is another Nintendo/Illumination Event Film scheduled for 2029, as well as 2030. I think it's safe to say that the Donkey Kong movie is coming, but it could be any of these three dates. Though Jack Black did suggest a third Mario movie would be coming in 2029...

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is still in theaters. For more, check out our Super Mario Galaxy Movie review or dive into our Super Mario Galaxy Movie Easter eggs guide.

Even though Markiplier found huge success with adapting Iron Lung into a film, Jacksepticeye isn't planning on enlisting his help for his own upcoming Bloodborne adaptation.

Jacksepticeye, real name Seán McLoughlin, is a producer on the film – and he's also a superfan of the game, so it would seem Bloodborne is in excellent hands.

When asked by Radio Times at the BAFTAs if he'd be speaking to Markiplier to get any tips, Jacksepticeye responded: "No. This is my thing. I have to figure it out on my own, and do it on my own. But the team we have around me already are already incredible, and that's kind of my job is to figure out who those people are. I can handle it. I'll do it."

Markiplier wrote, directed, and starred in his adaptation of Iron Lung, which turned out to be a surprise hit at the box office. The Bloodborne adaptation, meanwhile, is an R-rated animated movie announced at CinemaCon during Sony's panel, and it was teased to be "very true" to the beloved FromSoftware action-RPG.

"I know a lot of you are gonna be surprised to hear that my name is attached to this thing. Again, I'm a producer. I'm not the writer or director of this. That stuff will come out later, about who's involved. But as the producer of it, whatever is within my power to be able to do, I will do it," Jacksepticeye said in a video after the announcement.

"I will fight tooth and nail to make this thing the best it possibly can be from my standpoint. I assure you. I promise you. I'm not going into this and taking it lightly. I know what an absolute gigantic honor it is. No one knows that better than I do."

The Bloodborne movie doesn't yet have a release date, but, while you wait, check out our guide to the most exciting upcoming video game adaptations for everything else worth getting excited about.

It's been rough going these last few years for Bloodborne fans, with hopes for a remake or remaster repeatedly dashed and, with the recent closure of Demon's Souls remake studio Bluepoint Games, buried six feet underground. That said, the recently revealed Bloodborne animated movie is a moment to "celebrate a win," in the words of YouTuber Seán "Jacksepticeye" McLoughlin, who's producing the flick.

The sting of Bluepoint's closure was made all the more bitter when a report surfaced in February claiming the studio had pitched FromSoftware a Bloodborne remake, but was turned down. The game studio is known for its excellent remakes and remasters, and Bloodborne seems such a natural fit after the success of Demon's Souls on PS5, but alas, for now we'll have to settle for the animated adaptation. We still don't know much about it beyond McLoughlin's involvement, but the YouTube creator is nonetheless grateful that there's movement in the IP at all.

"I'm just super excited that anything Bloodborne is being talked about or being mentioned again in 2026," McLoughlin told Radio Times Gaming at the BAFTA Games Awards. "Especially after people heard news of Bluepoint getting shut down, which is awful, and Sony saying they wanted to do a remake, but FromSoft didn't really want to do it because they want to do it themselves, and different things like that. So I think people were very sad about anything Bloodborne related, so now I'm like, 'here, let's celebrate a win.'"

McLoughlin's involvement in the Bloodborne movie was something of a controversy, and the creator has gone to some lengths to assure fans he's there in good faith. After publishing a whole video expressing his adoration for the game and clarifying that he's only producing the movie, not directing or writing it, he explained in a recent interview that his role is to help ensure that the "tone, vibe, and atmosphere" of the FromSoft classic remains intact. He's also said he's feeling "all the pressure in the world" to satisfy the sometimes "intense" fans of the game, so maybe let's give the guy the benefit of the doubt until we see the movie ourselves.

Here's hoping Bloodborne joins the ranks of the best video game movies ever made.

YouTuber-turned-movie-producer Jacksepticeye has revealed more about his role behind the scenes on the Bloodborne R-rated animated movie.

"I'm not under any illusions that we should change too many things or mess stuff up. It's my job to keep it in that tone, vibe and atmosphere. That's what it's all about: the atmosphere of those games is second to none," Jacksepticeye, real name Seán William McLoughlin, told IGN, of the adaptation of FromSoftware's Gothic Soulslike classic, which sees a Hunter fight his way through the crumbling, beast-ridden city of Yharnam.

McLoughlin continued, "I'm approaching it as a fan of [Bloodborne], not as like, 'I want to make a thing to make money.' That's not my M.O. I know the fans out there are very passionate about Bloodborne."

But there hasn't been a wholly positive response to the creator's producing gig in the upcoming Bloodborne project, with a handful of memes and social media messages voicing their displeasure at A Big Name attaching themselves to something they care deeply about.

"I've seen memes of people posting pictures of me [saying] I'm ruining the franchise," McLoughlin admitted. "I think they're really funny – but it shows how into Bloodborne they are and how passionate they are about it."

Bloodborne was unveiled at this year's CinemaCon, with McLoughlin quickly taking to Reddit to reassure wary fans that he aims to make the movie the "best" adaptation possible.

To prove his Yharnham street credit further, he took to YouTube to stress his fandom stretched beyond a superficial admiration for the game.

"I live and breathe FromSoftware games," he said. "But Bloodborne specifically is my top-tier, highest echelon of game. I have a tattoo of the Hunter's Mark on my body. I have giant statues of the Hunter and Eileen behind me. I have a tiny lamp of the Messengers behind me because I absolutely adore this franchise. Bloodborne is like the thing I wake up and play video games for. It is the top of the top. It is the most exciting thing ever to be able to announce this."

No wonder, then, Jacksepticeye has admitted to feeling "all the pressure in the world" to get this right.

Bloodborne is currently undated, though we do have a guide to other upcoming video game movies should that pique your interest.

It seems like the scale of The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender leak might be bigger than we realized after the film debuted in Letterboxd's "popular this week list". Full-length copies of the animated sequel have been making the rounds online, and it seems that users have started to log their watch on the community filmlovers' platform.

While Letterboxd states that reviews and ratings are not yet available for the film, 52,000 users have said they've watched the upcoming movie. This means it's been trending on the platform alongside new releases like Lee Cronin's The Mummy, The Drama, and Netflix shark thriller Thrash.

The leak began slowly with a Twitter user releasing two-minute clips from the film before a full-length, HD version was released by another user. Paramount has been removing clips online, but it seems viewers have still been able to get hold of the upcoming movie.

The film, which is a follow-up to the beloved animated series, was due to get a theatrical release. However, earlier this year, Paramount confirmed it would be pivoting to a Paramount Plus release for the movie instead.

One of the film's animators has commented on the leaks, sharing their disappointment over the situation. Julia Schoel wrote on X: "We worked on the Aang movie for years with the expectation that we’d get to celebrate all of our hard work in theaters just to see people unceremoniously leak the film and pass our shots around on Twitter like candy."

The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender is still due for release on Paramount Plus on October 9. Check out all the other upcoming movies you should add to your watchlist this year.

Mario creator and Super Mario Galaxy Movie executive producer Shigeru Miyamoto has responded to the initial negative critical response to the starry animated sequel.

Broaching the topic of lower overseas critical sentiment for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in an interview with Nintendo Dream, Miyamoto said (via machine translation), "Actually, I thought the critics' reviews of the first film were understandable. But I thought this time it would be different... and it was even harsher than last time, which I found strange."

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which will be released in Japan on April 24, was tepidly received on western shores. It's currently sitting at a 43% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, though fans are seemingly enjoying it far more – even if it's heading towards $1 billion at the box office at a slower rate than the 2023 original.

Perhaps taking a shot at those who slammed Galaxy, Miyamoto added, "People from other genres are coming in and working hard to liven up the film industry, so it's really strange that the people who are trying to liven up the film industry are so passive."

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie sees Mario (Chris Pratt), Charlie Day (Luigi), and Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) embark on a trip across the cosmos after Rosalina (Brie Larson) is kidnapped by the revenge-seeking Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie). Fox McCloud (Glen Powell) also barrel rolls in, an addition Miyamoto – incorrectly – felt would be met with "significant" internal resistance back at Nintendo.

For more, read our breakdowns of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie ending and our collection of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Easter eggs.

The upcoming Rogue Trooper adaptation's unique animation style may employ video game engine Unreal Engine 5, but the creative team behind the movie didn't want it to look like one.

"We started working with the Unreal Engine to do the animatic, but one of the things that was really important to us was to make sure that we found that animation style that wouldn’t invite parallels being drawn to it being a video game movie. We really wanted to try and find that 2000 AD DNA," producer Stuart Fenegan told Deadline.

The movie is based on the Rogue Trooper comic strip, which has appeared in the 2000 AD comic since 1981. It stars Aneurin Barnard as the titular trooper, a super-soldier who finds himself as the sole survivor of an invasion force – and desperate to track down whoever was responsible. He's not quite alone, though, as he's joined by three of his squad mates. They may be dead, but their personalities have been stored in his gun, helmet, and rucksack.

"There was an amazing character designer called Doriana Re there who literally would plow through the comic books and keep doing different drawings and send them through to Duncan [Jones, director] and try and find that slightly stylized but not-too-caricatured look,@ he continued. "We never wanted to get into that uncanny-valley video game aesthetic. We really wanted to find that theatrical animation style for this 2000 AD universe."

"If we were going to make a comic-book movie, it should feel like a comic-book movie by the end of it," Jones added. "That’s what we were working towards. There was this amazing one-off 2000 AD book called War Machine. It had this beautiful artwork in it that was almost like this watercolor look to it. And that, as far as the look of the movie, was something I was always pushing us towards – a way to make it feel almost like it was colored with watercolors."

The movie's cast also includes Hayley Atwell, Sean Bean, Matt Berry, Jack Lowden, Jemaine Clement, Diane Morgan, and Reece Shearsmith.

Rogue Trooper was originally meant to be released in 2025, but doesn't currently have a release date. For more on what to watch, check out our guide to the other biggest upcoming movies on the way in 2026 and beyond.

JackSepticEye says he's putting "all the pressure in the world" on himself to deliver the best Bloodborne movie possible.

Speaking with RadioTimes Gaming at the BAFTA Games Awards, the Irish YouTuber described the FromSoftware title as his "favorite game ever made", as he also revealed that the team behind the adaptation will soon start searching for possible writers and directors.

"I'm just super excited that anything Bloodborne is being talked about or being mentioned again in 2026," JackSepticEye, whose real name is Seán William McLoughlin, told the publication. "Especially after people heard news of [PlayStation-owned developer] Bluepoint [Games] getting shut down, which is awful. And Sony saying they wanted to do a remake but FromSoft didn't really wanna do it 'cause they wanna do it themselves and different things like that. So now I'm like, 'Here, let's celebrate a win!'"

Set to be animated and boast an R-rated certificate, McLoughlin's Bloodborne movie will likely follow a Hunter protagonist, who's tasked with finding the source of a plague that's been turning the residents of Yharnam into vicious monsters. All while battling the beasties... As you might expect, it's super gory and a fascinating mix of Gothic locations and cosmic Lovecraftian horror, which goes so way to explaining why the cartoon won't be kid-friendly.

"It's terrifying," McLouglin, when asked if he's feel apprehensive about the task of reinventing the source material, added. "Part of me is like, 'I wanna do this 'cause it's my favorite game ever made and anything Bloodborne is a win and gamers wanted and need it. But at the same time, I'm like, 'Oh god, why did I do this to myself?' The fans are very passionate and very intense, [though] I think that's good. It keeps us focused. I'll try my absolute best and I think pull off something cool."

While we wait for more news on the Bloodborne movie, check out our picks of the most exciting upcoming movies heading our way.

Original Avatar actor Michaela Jill Murphy has asked fans to stop engaging with the Avatar: The Last Airbender movie leak.

Murphy voiced Toph Beifong in the animated series. Taking to TikTok, Murphy told fans to respect the creatives involved by ignoring the leak.

"Stop talking about it, and stop sharing things about it," Murphy said. "I'm Michaela Jill Murphy, AKA Jessie Flower, the original voice of Toph Beifong in the original Avatar: The Last Airbender series on Nickelodeon. And, if you want to be respectful, and if you want to know how I feel, stop sharing it. Stop consuming it. Stop talking about it, and watch it when it comes out. That's what I'm doing. And if you want to respect the creators, and respect the cast, and respect me, and respect the art, then stop sharing it, and editing it, and looking at it, and commenting about it."

Then, switching into Toph's voice, Murphy continued: "The key to Earthbending is your stance. You've got to be steady and strong. Rock is a stubborn element, so if you're going to move it, you've got to be like a rock yourself."

Going back to her regular voice, she finished: "So, maybe just practice some discipline and patience. Flag videos where you see clips from it. Respect the art and respect the creators. I know everybody might not listen, but that's not a reason for you not to listen. Just be respectful and wait. That's how I feel about it."

Avatar: Aang footage leaked online earlier this month. "I saw it's just a Paramount Plus thing, so I decided I'd troll a little bit," the leaker said. But, a separate person then leaked the entire movie.

"I don't like seeing people use Paramount's awful decision to remove the movie from theaters to justify leaking it," said one animator after the leak. "I totally understand folks not wanting to pay for/support Paramount Plus, but pirating the movie after its release would have at least been better than this. This is incredibly disrespectful to all of the hard work the artists put in."

Avatar: Aang, The Last Airbender will release on Paramount Plus this October 9. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the new anime coming soon, or the best anime to fill out your watchlist.

The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender leaker, who "decided to troll" Paramount, but had no intention of releasing the full movie, has spoken out – and says they were never going to release the full movie online.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the person behind Twitter account ImStillDissin – whose identity remains undisclosed – reveals they were sent the full copy of the Avatar sequel movie by a hacker acquaintance, but initially didn't know what they were in possession of.

“I saw it’s just a Paramount Plus thing, so I decided I’d troll a little bit," they said of the decision to scatter a handful of out-of-context clips from the project online.

From there, a separate source leaked the entirety of Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender, a decision ImStillDissin said they would not have made because it was a “jackass thing to do to the animators.”

They added that the hacker who sent them the file wasn't the only one with a copy, adding that "multiple people had access."

Since the incident, several DMCA strikes have led to most copies of The Last Airbender, a sequel to the Avatar Nickelodeon series, being scrubbed from the internet. According to The Hollywood Reporter, an investigation at Paramount is underway, though it reportedly isn't due to a security vulnerability.

Julia Schoel, who worked on the movie, expressed her disappointment on Twitter, "We worked on the Aang movie for years with the expectation that we’d get to celebrate all of our hard work in theaters just to see people unceremoniously leak the film and pass our shots around on Twitter like candy."

Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender will release on Paramount Plus on October 9.

Discover more of what's to come this year with our guide to 2026's movie release dates.

Taika Waititi is voicing Willy Wonka in a contemporary, animated twist on the classic Roald Dahl tale Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, with animation from KPop Demon Hunters and Spider-Verse studio Sony Pictures Imageworks, Netflix has announced.

Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory, which is set to release in 2027, is described as "brand new adventure set in modern-day London", and will star Heartstopper's Kit O'Connor as Charlie Paley. Despite the familiar name, however, this Charlie is all-new as well.

Co-directed by Jared Stern (The Lego Batman Movie) and Elaine Bogan (Spirit Untamed), rather excitingly the new film boasts animation from KPop Demon Hunters and Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse studio Sony Pictures Imageworks, so at the very least expect innovative visuals alongside a fresh take on beloved source material.

"Our directors, Jared and Elaine, have a bold vision befitting this new adventure whilst remaining sympathetic to the legacy, and I'm thrilled to play my part in bringing Willy Wonka to life in animated form," Waititi says, via Netflix. "He is so special to me, and the opportunity to voice such an iconic, eccentric candy genius – if a little mischievous at times – is hugely exciting.”

To go with the first look above, Netflix has also dropped a synopsis for the new movie as well: "Willy Wonka (Waititi) has spent the years since the Golden Ticket contest behind bars (not the chocolate kind) for the crime of turning a child into a blueberry. Having served his time, Wonka returns to his factory determined to add a little sweetness to a bitter world. But one thing stands in his way: teenager Charlie Paley (Connor) and his friends. Facing eviction, this next generation of 'rotten' kids plot to break into the factory, nab a priceless Wonka Bar, and save their homes. But like many before them who enter the fantastical world of the factory, these kids are in for a bit more than they can chew…"

Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory is only the latest Dahl adaptation for Netflix, following the streamer's acquisition of the Roald Dahl Story Company in 2021. Back in the dark ages (aka 2020), there were reports that Waititi would be making not one, but two, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory animated shows for Netflix. As there's been no sign of those in the last six years, it's probably safe to assume that this movie is the result of that development process.

Sony Pictures Imageworks, meanwhile, is on a hell of a run. Last year, KPop Demon Hunters became a global phenomenon – a 2029 sequel, KPop Demon Hunters 2, is currently in the works. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, meanwhile, has been a long time coming, but recently got a fresh look at CinemaCon in Las Vegas.

Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory relases on Netlfix in 2027. For more check out our list of the Best Netflix movies, or look ahead with our guide to what's new on Netflix in May.

An animator on Avatar: Aang, The Last Airbender has spoken out about those protesting the leaked movie.

Julia Schoel, who worked on the Avatar feature-length sequel, wrote on Twitter, "We worked on the Aang movie for years with the expectation that’d we’d get to celebrate all of our hard work in theaters.. just to see people unceremoniously leak the film and pass our shots around on Twitter like candy."

Schoel also addressed those leaking and pirating the movie in protest of Paramount shifting The Last Airbender from a theatrical window to a streaming release on Paramount Plus.

They added, "I don’t like seeing people use Paramount's awful decision to remove the movie from theaters to justify leaking it. I totally understand folks not wanting to pay for/support Paramount Plus, but pirating the movie after its release would have at least been better than this. This is incredibly disrespectful to all of the hard work the artists put in."

Fellow animator on the project Tom Barkel also chimed in, stating, "This jeopardizes future work for artists in an increasingly hostile industry. Don't oversimplify please. That being said, the movie itself is a beautiful feat of art. So proud to be involved. If you engage with it and enjoy it then support it so there can be more art!"

Rumors of an Avatar: Aang, The Last Airbender leak first did the rounds over the weekend, with one Twitter user declaring they had been "accidentally" sent the entire movie.

The source of the breach/leak hasn't been confirmed, but the full movie quickly ended up online – despite the best efforts of DMCA strikes to take the footage down.

As of writing, Avatar: Aang, The Last Airbender – set after the events of the original series – is still set to release on Paramount Plus on October 9.

For more, check out the new anime in the works, plus a look at the best anime movies to watch right now.

YouTuber Seán "JackSepticEye" McLoughlin has published a video in which he addresses the newly announced Bloodborne animated movie, and in it he talks about his love for the game, his role on the movie adaptation, and his thoughts on taking on such an integral responsibility.

First, a quick ICYMI: Late last night at Sony's CinemaCon panel, the company revealed that an R-rated animated movie adaptation of FromSoftware's beloved action-RPG is in the works, and that it'll be "very true" to the game. All of this came as a surprise to attendees as well as off-the-clock entertainment reporters, but perhaps the biggest surprise was the reveal that JackSepticEye is involved as producer. Considering the YouTuber is a known FromSoftware and Bloodborne superfan who's been involved in the film industry for years, it's not as surprising as, say, if Justin Bieber was involved, but it definitely raised some eyebrows.

In a new video, JackSepticEye works to "express how much I care about this," seemingly in attempt to quell the concerns of his fellow Bloodborne sickos who might be uncomfortable with the idea of a YouTuber producing the movie.

"I live and breathe FromSoftware games," he stresses. "But Bloodborne specifically is my top-tier, highest echelon of game. I have a tattoo of the Hunter's Mark on my body. I have giant statues of the Hunter and Eileen behind me. I have a tiny lamp of the Messengers behind me because I absolutely adore this franchise. Bloodborne is like the thing I wake up and play video games for. It is the top of the top. It is the most exciting thing ever to be able to announce this."

If that's not enough for you, later on in the video he emphasizes that key creative roles like director and writer on the Bloodborne movie have yet to be revealed. The YouTuber definitely seems aware of the fact that there might be some reservations about him taking on such an iconic IP, but he seems equally dedicated to assuaging those doubts.

"I know a lot of you are gonna be surprised to hear that my name is attached to this thing. Again, I'm a producer. I'm not the writer or director of this. That stuff will come out later, about who's involved. But as the producer of it, whatever is within my power to be able to do, I will do it.

"I will fight tooth and nail to make this thing the best it possibly can be from my standpoint. I assure you. I promise you. I'm not going into this and taking it lightly. I know what an absolute gigantic honor it is. No one knows that better than I do."

It seems it's still early days for the Bloodborne movie, and there aren't any details about its cast, plot, or writing/directing teams. Likewise, there's no release date or window yet.

Bloodborne "is a special game for me" says Hidetaka Miyazaki, and it's "the strongest reflection of my type of flavoring of a game that one can experience"

Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse may not be due to hit screens until 2027, but some new images and updates from the team behind it have us excited. During Sony's CinemaCon panel, writer-producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller took to the stage to introduce some new footage from the upcoming Marvel movie.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, who was at the event, the new footage picks up straight after Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ends with Miles Morales stuck in an alternate universe and encountering another version of himself that became The Prowler. The pair are confused by each other's existence and fight over their differences before original Miles is able to make an escape when electricity surges through his hands.

There was also a supercut of moments shown from the rest of the movie, which included shots of Kingpin and Spider-Man Noir, according to The Wrap. The footage was also formatted especially for 1.43:1, of which Lord said: "The Sony Animation team is all about pushing boundaries – that is their super power."

The duo also teased what audiences can expect at the CinemaCon panel. Miller called it "the most emotional Spider-Verse film we have ever made," while Lord promised it would be the "most spectacular." You can have a sneak peek at what to expect in the newly released images from Marvel, which show a touching moment between Miles and his dad and some epic-looking fights. Check them out below.

Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse is due to hit theaters on June 18, 2027. For what else to add to your calendar, check out our selection of all the upcoming superhero movies you need to know about as well as our breakdown of every upcoming Marvel movie and show out in 2026 and beyond.

If you thought Avatar: Aang leaks couldn't get any worse, think again. The full, non-watermarked version of the animated sequel movie has appeared online.

While we (obviously) won't disclose it here, there have been several full-length versions of Avatar: Aang, The Last Airbender doing the rounds on Twitter across April 13 and April 14, indicating that we're in the midst of one of the most high-profile leaks in recent Hollywood history.

A wave of DMCA strikes has invariably ensued, perhaps pointing to the legitimacy of the clips and footage.

Prior to the disastrous leak, one Twitter user claimed he was "accidentally" sent the movie via email, though it's not yet clear if Nickelodeon or Paramount have been the victims of a hack of data breach. Neither party has commented at the time of writing.

It has suddenly soured what should have been a momentous period for the team behind Avatar: Aang, The Last Airbender, which wrapped production last month.

"The recent decision to move us from theatrical to streaming might give the impression that the quality wasn’t sufficient, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth," director Lauren Montgomery wrote on Instagram in March. "This movie deserves to be seen on a big screen!!!"

Aang, The Last Airbender takes place several years after the conclusion of the original animated series, complete with a new voice cast as the Gaang come into contact with an ancient airbender. The cast features Eric Nam as Aang, Dionne Quan as Toph, Steven Yeun as Zuko, and Dave Bautista as Airbender Tagah.

Avatar: Aang, The Last Airbender hits Paramount Plus on October 9.

For more, here are 2026's biggest movie release dates.

Bloodborne is getting an animated adaptation from Sony, which will be "very true" to the game. The news was announced as part of the studio's CinemaCon panel along with some brief details about what to expect as well by Sony Pictures Entertainment president Sanford Panitch.

Per Variety, the studio head teased that it will be R-rated to allow it to bring to life the gory world of the game. This is set in the Victorian-style city of Yharnam and follows a Hunter who pursues demons with a blood-borne disease that turns them into horrifying monsters. It's pretty gnarly so it's good to hear Sony will be leaning into the horror.

One of the most surprising parts of the news too is the involvement of superfan and YouTuber JackSepticEye, who will be producing the film. The streamer is behind one of the best playthroughs of the game we've seen, which has landed nearly five million streams in itself.

"I am going to do everything in my power to make this the BEST Bloodborne adaptation possible," he said, on the Bloodborne Reddit. "Not only is it my favourite game ever made but I know how truly passionate the fans of this game are and how much hunger they have for more of it."

More details are yet to be announced on the Bloodborne movie but it joins a whole host of game adaptations from Sony. On the horizon is The Legend of Zelda movie and the Helldivers movie, both of which the studio confirmed are moving forward quickly. For what else is on the way, check out our guide to all of the upcoming video game movies you need to add to your watchlist.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has pulled in an impressive $628.7 million globally since its US release on April 1, marking it the third highest-grossing video game movie of all time. No mean feat, really, considering its mixed reviews and disappointing 43% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

According to Box Office Mojo, the colorful sequel, which introduces franchise favorites Yoshi and Rosalina, made $372.5m of the above sum during its opening weekend alone, which falls just short of the $377m earnt by its predecessor The Super Mario Bros Movie.

With The Super Mario Bros Movie having gone on to make a whopping $1.36 billion during its theatrical run, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has some way to go match its success. There's every chance the animated flick could end up surpassing A Minecraft Movie's total ($961m) in the long run, though, given that that made "just" $300m upon its first few days on the big screen.

Starring the voice talents of Donald Glover, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jack Black, Brie Larson, Charlie Day, and Chris Pratt, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie follows Mario and Luigi as they travel to outer space and team up with the powerful Rosalina to defeat Bowser's vengeful son, Bowser Jr. Glen Powell also brings Fox McCloud to life in the new movie, which has led to many fans assuming that Illumination is planning a Nintendo Cinematic Universe. Or a Star Fox spin-off, at the very least. We'll be sure to keep you posted on that front.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is in cinemas now. For more, check out our picks of the best video game movies of all time or our guide to all the upcoming video game movies heading our way.

The wait goes on for fans to see Avatar: The Last Airbender sequel movie on Paramount Plus this fall. But if you believe one viral post, there's a leaked scene out in the wild – and potentially more waiting in the wings.

Over the weekend, Twitter user Imstilldissin claimed to have been "accidentally emailed" the entirety of Avatar: Aang, The Last Airbender (H/T IGN).

To prove its legitimacy, they even posted a short clip from the project, which sees older versions of Aang, Sokka, and Katara come face to face with a new Avatar.

The scene in question has since received a DMCA strike and has been scrubbed from the internet, but questions remain about the validity of the source and how, exactly, it was emailed to a Twitter user – with early suggestions of a Nickelodeon hack also doing the rounds. Those have been unsubstantiated as of writing, however.

As of March, the Avatar movie – a continuation of the legendary Nickelodeon animated series – had wrapped.

In an Instagram post marking the milestone, director Lauren Montgomery wrote, "I’ve never worked on an Avatar project that was easy and this was no different. But it was worth it. I’m so proud of everyone who was a part of this and the amazing thing we built together."

On the decision to push Aang, The Last Airbender away from a big-screen release towards streaming, Montgomery commented, "The recent decision to move us from theatrical to streaming might give the impression that the quality wasn’t sufficient, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. This movie deserves to be seen on a big screen!!!"

Over on the live-action side of things, Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender returns for season 2, and a trip to Ba Sing Se, on June 25.

Avatar: Aang, The Last Airbender, directed by Lauren Montgomery, hits Paramount Plus on October 9. A new voice cast has also been announced, including Eric Nam as Aang, Dionne Quan as Toph, Steven Yeun as Zuko, and Dave Bautista as Airbender Tagah.

For more, check out the new anime coming your way this spring and all the latest movie release dates to look forward to.

A former Nintendo of America marketing lead has a "cynical theory" about why Fox McCloud appears in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.

Kit Ellis, Nintendo of America's former director of social media marketing and original content, appeared on a Mario movie sequel spoilercast with Krysta Yang, Nintendo of America's former senior manager of creator relations and original content.

In an excerpt, which you can see below, Ellis reckons that Illumination may have pitched the idea of the Star Fox hero showing up in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie as a way to call dibs on the (previously dormant) franchise in case of any outside interest – especially with the emergence of The Legend of Zelda movie over at Sony Pictures.

"I have an extremely cynical theory that I'd like to throw out there," Ellis began on the Kit and Krysta YouTube channel.

"We know that this was Illumination's original idea and then Miyamoto took it back to the team and was like, 'I don't think they're gonna go for this' and then they did. I feel like Illumination is doing IP landgrabs because [the studio is] like, 'Oh, a studio got Zelda? We need to claim as much IP that might appear in a movie as possible… Maybe we'll do a movie with him later or not, but he's ours now."

In the lead-up to the film (and its surprise early unveiling of Glen Powell as Fox McCloud), it was revealed that Illumination pitched the idea of including Fox to Miyamoto.

The Mario creator then went back to Nintendo to share the concept, expecting internal pushback. To his surprise, they gave the green light – which led to one of my favorite sequences in the film: the Star Fox flashback, brought to life by Illumination's Benjamin Faure (who also worked on Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man).

Prominent leaker NateTheHate has also recently led with the rumor that a new Star Fox game will be announced later this month.

Everything, it seems, is coming up Star Fox – but it might not be the end of Illumination's grand plans in the Mario and Nintendo universes.

For more, check out our spoiler-filled breakdown of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie ending, plus our ranking of the best Mario games.

Netflix has released the first look at new animated sci-fi Ray Gunn, as well as confirming its A-list voice cast. Sam Rockwell and Scarlett Johansson will be voicing the lead characters in the upcoming film from Academy Award-winner Brad Bird.

Described by The Incredibles and Ratatouille director Bird as being 30 years in the making, Ray Gunn tells the story of private eye Raymond Gunn (Rockwell) in a sci-fi city called Metropia. Playing into its retro-futuristic setting, it follows Gunn as he's drawn into a case involving aliens, murder and a multimedia star named Venus Nova (Johansson).

From the first images, which you can see below, it looks like Blade Runner meets classic '40s thrillers, all with Bird's signature animated style. As well as the new images, it's also been confirmed that Tom Waits is joining the cast as Gunn's compatriot (and a one-eyed alien) Eyara. Very intriguing…

"Ray Gunn has been in my mind for over 30 years," Bird explained to Netflix. "The film is a blend of sci-fi and classic detective movies from the '40s… it's Maltese Falcon meets Buck Rogers. I've been a fan of both of those sort of genres, and blending them together seemed fun, and a chance to play with a lot of very cinematic elements, and extreme characters."

Ray Gunn is due to debut on Netflix later this year but no release date has been confirmed yet. For more on the streaming platform, check out our round-up of the best Netflix movies to watch right now.

Ever fancied yourself as a bit of a Mario master? Challenges don't come much tougher than this, as one intrepid Mario Maker creator has made Bowser Jr.'s security gauntlet from The Super Mario Galaxy Movie for players to try.

KoopsReturns on Twitter has put together a recreation of Bowser Jr.'s fiendish attempts to keep Mario and Peach away from his grand plans – complete with rotating Fire Bars, saws, and maddening platforming segments that will keep your thumbs busy.

For those who want to hop on Super Mario Maker 2 now to give it a shot (good luck!), the Course ID code is 1CM-P5R-8LG, for the level titled 'Meet Your Maker'.

The creator added that any cuts away from Bowser's screen for Mario's POV have been "made as approximations of the obstacles seen in the 3D part of the sequence."

Mercifully, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie itself hasn't proved as much of a headache as its Mario Maker counterpart with audiences – grossing over $400 million at the box office as of writing, even if its critical Rotten Tomatoes score of 42% is sitting below the 2023 original.

While the Mario movie sequel's most obvious game-playing nod made its way into Mario Maker, there are plenty of other Super Mario Galaxy Movie Easter eggs you may have missed out on – including an unlikely nod to Super Metroid.

That's without taking into account Glen Powell's Fox, who took over the film for several sustained sequences, despite Mario creator and Super Mario Galaxy Movie executive producer Shigeru Miyamoto originally anticipating significant internal resistance to the idea of dropping the Star Fox character into Mario's universe. Just don't expect any Smash Bros. team-ups anytime soon.

For more, check out our verdict with The Super Mario Galaxy Movie review. Then, jump over to the ranking of best Mario games.

The animator behind that incredible 2D Fox intro in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has talked about working on the film – and it turns out he previously worked on Jujutsu Kaisen.

"I had an incredible time working as a 3D supervising animator on the movie and was truly honored to be in charge of the 2D Fox intro sequence," the animator, Benjamin Faure, wrote on Twitter. "Getting the chance to bring both 2D and 3D animation to life on this project made the whole experience even more special. So grateful to have been part of it!

"Congratulations to the whole team who worked hard on this project, and thank you for supporting it!"

In a follow-up tweet, he added: "Thanks everyone for your messages and support (I’ll keep replying to all of you), but I also wanted to highlight the great Takaya Imamura, who designed Fox McCloud for the original Star Fox – without him, this character wouldn’t exist! Please consider supporting him. Thanks again to all of you – you're definitely amazing"

The Fox McCloud animated sequence is a neat retro throwback, in which Fox explains how he's stuck in Mario's universe and separated from Slippy, Peppy, and Falco.

Benjamin Faure is also credited as a key animator on nine episodes of Jujutsu Kaisen, spread across season 1 and 2. So, considering he worked on one of the best anime around, it's perhaps no surprise that the Fox sequence had so much style.

While the Mario and Star Fox crossover was unexpected, it certainly fit well – and it was something Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto thought might spark pushback. "I wanted to see what it would be like, but I also felt that there may be significant resistance internally about that idea, so after I got this proposal, I contacted the necessary parties involved and started my lobbying activity here at Nintendo," he explained. "However, I was surprised to find that a lot of people saw a lot of potential with it and were really excited to see what would come out of this."

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is in theaters now. For more, check out our Super Mario Galaxy Movie review, or see our guide to all the Super Mario Galaxy Movie Easter eggs.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has already been upfront about its inclusion of Glen Powell's Fox McCloud.

Now, it's going one step further by releasing a sizzle reel of Fox's best scenes from the Mario movie sequel online, less than a week after it was released in theatres.

In the teaser, which you can see below, fans can now see the moment Fox flies onto the scene with his trademark style that won Toad over in record time. And, yes, there's even a look at Fox's backstory, depicted in beautiful anime-style visuals.

In it, Fox recounts how he is trapped in Mario's universe away from his familiar Arwing crew of Slippy, Peppy and Falco.

I already mentioned in my Super Mario Galaxy Movie review that dangling such a juicy premise in front of our faces was cruel, so this additional tease feels like torture. Let's hope any potential Star Fox spin-off movie adopts this eye-catching art style

Not long after release, it was revealed that Powell contacted Nintendo and Illumination directly, adding that it was his "dream" to appear in a Star Fox movie.

In a separate interview with Forbes, Mario creator and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie executive producer Shigeru Miyamoto anticipated "significant" internal resistance to dropping the Arwing pilot into the Mario movie. While that wasn't the case, Miyamoto dampened expectations of a Smash Bros.-style crossover in future Mario sequels.

Whether it's the Fox Effect or not, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has already taken a considerable amount at the box office. Domestically, the cosmic-set sequel garnered $190 million over its five-day opening, with it taking a combined $370 million worldwide.

For more, discover the part Fox McCloud has to play in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie post-credits scene. Then, barrel roll your way over to our spoiler-filled breakdown of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie ending.

Charlie Day thinks Danny DeVito would be a great Wario... and we are so here for it.

"Danny [DeVito] would fit so well in this universe, and he would be a good Wario, I think," Day told ScreenRant.

Day voices Luigi in The Super Mario Bros. Movie and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (and we're still waiting on the live-action Luigi's Mansion movie, but I digress...) The comedian has been starring alongside DeVito in the sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia for some 21 years (and if you remember when the show first started, it's time to increase the font size on your phone), with DeVito playing Frank Reynolds, the father of Dennis (Glenn Howerton) and Dee (Kaitlin Olson). DeVito also very famously starred as The Penguin in Tim Burton's Batman Returns, as much less of a pseudo-sexy mafia man i.e Colin Farrell, and more of a tiny scary dude who waddles like a penguin and throws up black bile.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie introduced a new batch of beloved Nintendo characters, including Fox McCloud (Glen Powell), Princess Rosalina (voiced by Nintendo super-fan Brie Larson), and those impossibly cute Pikmin. It would make total sense for Wario to pop up in the third installment... and there is definitely going to be a third installment, given that the second one is on track for the biggest box office opening of the year so far.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is in theaters now. For more, check out our Super Mario Galaxy Movie review or dive into our Super Mario Galaxy Movie Easter eggs guide.

Nintendo fans are sharing their reactions to a big twist in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and opinions are pretty divided.

Now, be warned that the following will contain spoilers for the movie, so turn back now if you're not up to date!

In the film, it's revealed that Peach and Rosalina are actually sisters, which is a mix-up of the usual lore, where a familial connection has never been confirmed. While some fans are opposed to the change, others are embracing it.

"It's a blatant retcon. Rosalina and Peach barely interact in the film. You could remove them being sisters, and it doesn't change anything," argues one fan.

"It's not a retcon, we have theories about them being related for years and Rosalina's mother looks exactly like Peach, so it makes sense for her to be her sister," says someone else.

"I'm glad Nintendo is finally addressing this because it never made sense for them not to be related. She has Peach's face," says another person. "Only problem is, them being immediate relatives doesn't make sense for the games. The only way it works is if Peach is a descendant of Rosalina's brother."

"Nah the whole thing's kinda stupid ngl. Like it's much better that these two weren't really related whatsoever ngl, it's like if they made Mario and Wario direct relatives or smth," is another person's take.

"Nah, that 'reveal' in the movie was the biggest eye roll ever. It just leaves you with so many more questions about Peach specifically," says another fan.

"I don't get the hate with this decision. It was a shock. And in a way makes sense. I mean, the only thing I don't like is the reason they separated about the dark forces and who was trying to get them. But maybe next movie we find out," is another person's opinion.

While The Super Mario Galaxy Movie got off to a very strong start at the box office, it hasn't fared so well with critics. Our own 3-star Super Mario Galaxy Movie review reads: "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie surpasses the original thanks to relentless energy and creativity, but its starry-eyed ambitions fizzle out thanks to the bizarre treatment of Brie Larson's Rosalina and an undercooked story."

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is in theaters now. For more, check out our guide to all the Super Mario Galaxy Movie Easter eggs.

While The Super Mario Galaxy Movie holds a low Rotten Tomatoes score of 42%, that isn't stopping audiences from flocking to the movie.

According to Deadline, the film scored a $34 million haul in the US for the best opening day of 2026, besting Project Hail Mary, which brought in $33.1 million across previews and its opening day. But, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie's opening is also the best opening Wednesday of the month of April, gliding past its predecessor, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which scored $31.7 million back in 2023. And, even more impressively, Galaxy did it all without previews.

The low Rotten Tomatoes score is also offset by a much higher audience score of 91%. Our own The Super Mario Galaxy Movie review awards the film 3-stars, with our reviewer writing: "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie surpasses the original thanks to relentless energy and creativity, but its starry-eyed ambitions fizzle out thanks to the bizarre treatment of Brie Larson's Rosalina and an undercooked story."

One of the most exciting of the Super Mario Galaxy Movie Easter eggs is the inclusion of Star Fox, which Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto expected would spark pushback.

"I wanted to see what it would be like, but I also felt that there may be significant resistance internally about that idea, so after I got this proposal, I contacted the necessary parties involved and started my lobbying activity here at Nintendo," he revealed. "However, I was surprised to find that a lot of people saw a lot of potential with it and were really excited to see what would come out of this."

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is in theaters now. You can fill out your watchlist with our roundup of the best video game movies.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is jam-packed with Easter eggs, from Nintendo 64 nods to deep-cut pulls from the plumber's video game past.

On top of that, Glen Powell's Fox McCloud flies onto the scene from the Star Fox series and factors into the Mario movie sequel's plot in a significant way.

But prior to meeting the Arwing pilot in the Gateway Galaxy, Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) are busy looking for anyone who can help them save Rosalina.

In the landing bay, however, you can see several ships – including Samus Aran's gunship that players would be most familiar with from their time on Zebes during the events of Super Metroid.

In truth, even we didn't catch this the first time around but, yes, the Metroid ship is just over Toad's left shoulder in one moment. It's literally on-screen for a split-second, so repeated viewings might be required.

Other eagle-eyed fans on Reddit believe they have spotted Captain Falcon's Blue Falcon ship from the F-Zero series, which would be a rare spotlight for a racing series Nintendo has largely left in neutral since its '90s and early '00s heyday.

Despite the crowded scene of Nintendo fan favorites in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, don't expect a Super Smash Bros.-style crossover anytime soon.

Speaking to Polygon, Mario creator and Mario Galaxy Movie executive producer Shigeru Miyamoto poured cold water on suggestions that Nintendo characters would converge on the next Mario movie.

"Right off the bat, I’ll say that unlike something like Super Smash Bros., I don't think you'll have a situation [where] all Nintendo characters would be joining," Miyamoto explained.

Still hunting for secrets? Shoot off into our guide on The Super Mario Galaxy Easter eggs.

For a more spoiler-filled breakdown, we've covered everything in our looks at The Super Mario Galaxy Movie ending and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie post-credits scenes.

Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri says the massive success of the Super Mario movies is all thanks to Nintendo and series creator Shigeru Miyamoto.

"The secret is being able to bring Miyamoto and the team into the center of the process," Meledandri said in a red carpet interview, when asked what is the "secret" to the films being enormously successful. "It's not something that we had ever done at Illumination. You know, we had made 10 movies at Illumination. We had made all of them completely inside the studio. So, this was the first time that we were going to work in a new way."

Illumination is responsible for animated blockbusters like The Secret Life of Pets, Despicable Me, and, yes, all of those Minions movies. The Super Mario Bros. Movie marked the studio's first-ever collaboration with Nintendo... and it grossed over $1 billion at the global box office.

"And I'm not just I'm not just complimenting Miyamoto because he's standing here," Meledandri continued, referring to Miyamoto as a "secret weapon." "Part of me doesn't want to give away this secret because it's like having the secret to Coca-Cola and then giving it away. The secret actually is the inclusion of Miyamoto and the Nintendo artists in the center of the filmmaking process."

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is on track to have the biggest opening weekend so far in 2026, with a projected $350 million. This beats out Project Hail Mary's $180 million, and also puts it on track to potentially surpass or, at the very least match, the previous film's $1 billion gross. The new movie has even more Nintendo character cameos, including Fox McCloud (voiced by apparent super-fan Glen Powell), Princess Rosalina (voiced by well-known Nintendo super-fan Brie Larson), and those impossibly cute Pikmin.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is in theaters now. For more, check out our Super Mario Galaxy Movie review or dive into our Super Mario Galaxy Movie Easter eggs guide.

Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto expected pushback from Nintendo when Illumination asked to include Star Fox's Fox McCloud in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie – but he was pleasantly surprised that the idea was positively received.

“When I got the proposal from Chris [Meledandri, producer and Illumination CEO] about including Star Fox, in general, from Nintendo's perspective, we tend to avoid mixing IPs, except for the Pikmin cameo," Miyamoto told Forbes, referring to the plant-like critter which made a surprise appearance in the movie.

"With that said, though, as the creator of Star Fox and this movie taking place in space, I felt that I wanted to see that," he continued. "I wanted to see what it would be like, but I also felt that there may be significant resistance internally about that idea, so after I got this proposal, I contacted the necessary parties involved and started my lobbying activity here at Nintendo. However, I was surprised to find that a lot of people saw a lot of potential with it and were really excited to see what would come out of this."

Glen Powell voices Fox McCloud in the animated sequel, and Powell directly contacted Illumination and Nintendo to ask to be cast. "He explained that we had to understand how deeply he loved the character of Fox McCloud. His dream was one day to be part of a Star Fox movie," Meledandri told the publication.

However, some fans aren't happy that Fox has more screen time than a pivotal Super Mario Galaxy character: Princess Rosalina. "Larson's Rosalina is the main victim, being inexplicably sidelined for large chunks of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie instead of being an obvious focal point," reads our The Super Mario Galaxy Movie review.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is out now in theaters. For more, fill out your watchlist with our guide to the other upcoming video game movies.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has arrived on our screens, and it features some pretty huge cameos. From the introduction of Fox McCloud to some more niche arrivals, the brains behind the new video game movie have revealed that Mario creator – and the film's producer – Shigeru Miyamoto was their barometer for every one of their choices.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, producer Chris Meledandri discussed the arrival of Star Fox in this context, explaining his inclusion came from wanting there to be surprises in the movie. He explained: "It’s less about a crossover and it’s more about an element coming into the movie that the audience will be delighted by because of their own previous association with the characters."

However, the producer acknowledged, "It’s always hard to know if you try something like that. We, fortunately, have Miyamoto-San to be able to embrace or reject ideas like that, because if a notion like that is not going to work for him, we’re not going to do it – first of all. But second of all, we know it’s not going to work for an audience."

The movie is a follow up to 2023's The Super Mario Bros. Movie, featuring much of the original film's voice cast back as the iconic characters. However, it's so far failed to live up critically to its predecessor with a pretty lackluster Rotten Tomatoes score. Our own The Super Mario Galaxy Movie review gave the film three stars, as writer Bradley Russell writes that it "surpasses the original in both the action and animation departments".

For more on the new movie, check out our guide to all of the Super Mario Galaxy Movie Easter eggs, as well as our round-up of the best video game movies.

Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri says Glen Powell was cast as Fox McCloud in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie after the actor called up the studio directly.

"After the first movie was done, there were two phone calls that came from actors expressing incredible conviction and passion about being involved with Nintendo, and one of them was from Glen Powell," Meledandri told Forbes. "He explained that we had to understand how deeply he loved the character of Fox McCloud. His dream was one day to be part of a Star Fox movie. I’m listening to this going, ‘he has no idea that Miyamoto-san and I are talking about Star Fox being in this new movie,’ and Glen is expressing this passion for this."

Meledandri added that he and Shigeru Miyamoto both felt that there was a natural "Glen Powell kind of attitude to the character, and he feels perfectly suited to that role."

Fox McCloud made his debut in the 1993 SNES game Star Fox, and would go on to star in a number of subsequent games before going on to become one of the many playable Nintendo characters in every single edition of Super Smash Bros. His surprise appearance in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie was identified by eagle-eyed fans who were able to spot his leg in the corner of a screen grab from the first trailer.

We knew Powell was an avid video game player, especially after he expressed a huge interest in joining the cast of the upcoming Expedition 33 movie... we just didn't know how deep his love for Nintendo went.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is in theaters now. For more, check out our Super Mario Galaxy Movie review or dive into our Super Mario Galaxy Movie Easter eggs guide.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie features a lot less Princess Rosalina than the title might suggest – and fans aren't super happy about it.

Some reviews of the animated sequel pointed out that the mothers of the Lumas doesn't play a big role in the movie, despite the fact that the game hinges on her character, one of several gripes critics had with the film that resulted in a disappointing Rotten Tomatoes score. Indeed, our own three-star The Super Mario Galaxy Movie review criticized "the bizarre treatment of Brie Larson's Rosalina."

"Casting a big (& expensive, presumably) actress who loves Mario, the Galaxy stuff, and Rosalina, to voice Rosalina, and then have her hardly do anything is certainly a choice," said one fan on Twitter.

Fans seem particularly confused by the movie's decision to give more screen time to Fox McCloud, voiced by Glen Powell, a character that appears in the Super Smash Bros. games but not in Super Mario Galaxy.

"'Let's make a Galaxy movie, but cut the most story-heavy character in favor of cameos to games that 90% of the audience won't even recognize.' Like, what?" wrote another.

"How do you have the balls to call it 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' and then sideline Rosalina," lamented someone else.

"Knew they were sidelining rosalina the second they started gassing up fox mccloud outta nowhere," someone else wrote.

"Wdym this mf is actually important to the plot?" asked another fan. "Like Star Fox fans I’m happy that your boy is finally getting something after so long, but you gotta admit this is kinda unfair right?"

Still, the movie is on track to make bank at the box office. The Super Mario Galaxy movie is predicted to open to $350 million worldwide, which would make it the biggest movie opening of the year so far.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is out now in theaters. For more, check out our guide to the best upcoming video game movies on the way in 2026 and beyond.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has debuted to a disappointing Rotten Tomatoes score – and, so far, it's failed to improve on the score of the first movie.

The sequel currently holds a score of 44% (based on 84 reviews) on the review aggregator site. That's a pretty significant drop-off from 2023's The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which has a score of 59% (based on 288 reviews).

Our own The Super Mario Galaxy Movie review gave the film three stars, with our reviewer writing that it "surpasses the original thanks to relentless energy and creativity, but its starry-eyed ambitions fizzle out thanks to the bizarre treatment of Brie Larson's Rosalina and an undercooked story."

"It's cute, and breezy, and rock-stupid, and will probably make a billion dollars again. Such is the world in which we live," says RogerEbert.com's review.

"There’s barely a plot here. Not a single memorable character," writes The Independent. "Not even another piano ditty for Jack Black to sing. It’s a series of large, vaguely connected explosions."

"If anything, the film only loses energy as it goes on, with the final confrontation proving particularly anemic and rushed, as if the film is hurrying along to avoid having to delve into its storylines with more than a surface skim," IndieWire's review notes.

"The film is an unpretentiously vapid cocktail of big-budget technical mastery and lack of artistic ambition," states Slant Magazine.

Not everyone is quite as down on the movie, though. "Vivid worlds, memorable characters, silly laughs: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is not deep but it's made with love and it hits the spot," writes Time Out.

Chris Pratt and Charlie Day return to voice Mario and Luigi in the sequel as they set their sights to the stars for a galactic adventure. They're joined by some new characters, too, including Brie Larson's Princess Rosalina, Donald Glover's Yoshi, and Benny Safdie's Bowser Jr.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is out now in theaters. For more on what to watch, check out our guide to all the upcoming video game movies on the way in 2026 and beyond.