Keegan-Michael Key may be voicing Bumblebee in Transformers One right now, but a few years ago, he was the voice of Toad in the highly successful Super Mario Bros. Movie.
A sequel is already in the works, and while Illumination Entertainment has not officially revealed anything, Key talks a bit about what to expect and how they plan to expand the world outside of the Mushroom Kingdom.
Expect Some Deep Cut Easter Eggs in Super Mario 2
Talking to Men’s Journal, Key explains a bit about how the Super Mario sequel would expand on the world introduced in the first movie. Key says:
“One thing I can say about the second movie is that it's a little broader in scope, and where it takes place is very intriguing lore and the Mario world… They're going to find some really fantastic Easter eggs and it's been very exciting so far.”
He doesn’t reveal specifically which characters could be appearing, but Key did continue, “I feel like what they've done creatively is they've really widened out the universe that these characters live in and we're going to meet some new folks. We're going to meet some new folks that are old favorites and some folks that I think are really deep cuts, but because of the way the story's laying itself out right now, those characters are going to be very intriguing.”
Until Nintendo or Illumination makes any official reveals, all fans can do is speculate, but based on what Key said, everyone is already scratching their heads about who could appear.
Could Yoshi finally have a significant part in the sequel? How about the rest of the characters in the Mario world, like Daisy and King Boo? No doubt everyone is hoping that after Bowser, fans will see Mario and Luigi take on Wario and Waluigi.
Easter Eggs in the First Mario Movie
For a video game adaptation, it was phenomenal how the first Super Mario Movie managed to squeeze in all the references they could. Besides introducing the classic characters like Bowser, Peach, and Toad, the movie was also able to incorporate classic Super Mario levels, Cat Mario, and elements of Luigi’s Mansion.
And if the movie didn’t feel congested enough, they also managed to squeeze in Donkey Kong and have a scene that pays homage to Mario’s first appearance in the Donkey Kong game, complete with the barrels and floating platforms.
They even found a way to incorporate elements of Mario Kart, complete with the Rainbow Road and turtle shell weapons.
What could be in Super Mario 2?
It’s not clear where the sequel could go yet, but if it’s anything like the first movie, audiences should expect some more elements from the games to make their way to the big screen—which shouldn’t be too hard for Illumination since there are decades of Super Mario history and characters.
Maybe Bowser can be a friend this time? Is it too early to crossover with other Nintendo titles like Kirby or The Legend of Zelda?
Fans will just have to wait and see until Nintendo decides to make the official reveal. In the meantime, no release date has been set for the Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel, but fans expect a 2026 premiere.