GameTimeline

Watch order

Mario movie watch order

Nintendo’s plumber on the big screen—US release order for the 1993 live-action curiosity, Illumination’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023), and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026)—plus a Story path that keeps the Illumination saga first and parks 1993 as soft-skip Elseworlds. Platformer play order lives on Mario platformers; hedgehog films are a separate page at Sonic film timeline.

Updated August 2026

Release order

When each Mario theatrical film opened in the US—Bob Hoskins’ 1993 live-action, Illumination’s 2023 hit, and the Galaxy sequel’s April 2026 premiere. One row per film; cartoons and theme-park shorts stay FAQ-only.

  • Recommended fiction path → Illumination 2023 → Galaxy 2026; 1993 optional curiosity
  • Release-only binge → 1993 → 2023 → 2026 in premiere order
  • Game players → movies are separate adaptations; no required watch before Odyssey or Wonder
  • Kart / RPG / Party → not required for either film path—see FAQ
Story order tips

Illumination’s animated saga first (The Super Mario Bros. Movie → The Super Mario Galaxy Movie), then the 1993 live-action film last as Elseworlds—optional historical curiosity, not required before the Illumination pair.

  • Illumination saga → The Super Mario Bros. Movie then The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
  • 1993 live-action → Elseworlds soft-skip after Galaxy (or skip entirely)
  • Do not merge movie plots into platformer Story rows on Mario platformers
  • Sonic films → separate Paramount continuity on Sonic film timeline

Timeline

When each season premiered in the US. Expand a row for dates and where it fits in your watch order.

Release order

  1. Super Mario Bros. (1993 film)

    Super Mario Bros. (1993 film)

    TheatricalHome videoFilmLive-actionElseworlds

    Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo play Brooklyn plumbers pulled into dystopian Dinohattan under Dennis Hopper’s Koopa—live-action cyberpunk far from Nintendo’s bright Kingdom. 1990s Hollywood curiosity; tagged Elseworlds, not Illumination continuity.

    Overview
    Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel lean into industrial sci-fi and adult-leaning comedy rather than remaking any NES platformer. Only major live-action Mario; Illumination later resets tone and cast.
    Related games
    Shares names only with Mario platformers—not a prequel to the 2023 animated film.
    Where it fits
    First on Release by date. Story parks it last as Elseworlds soft-skip. Optional before The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023).
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical premiere May 28, 1993; home video and digital windows vary by region.
  2. The Super Mario Bros. Movie

    The Super Mario Bros. Movie

    TheatricalStreamingFilmIlluminationAnimated

    Chris Pratt’s Mario and Charlie Day’s Luigi tumble from Brooklyn into the Mushroom Kingdom with Anya Taylor-Joy’s Peach against Jack Black’s Bowser—Illumination and Universal’s CG spectacle. Opens the modern Mario film saga; game motifs everywhere, plot still movie-only.

    Overview
    Illumination wraps Warp Pipes, Kart energy, and Rainbow Road flashes into a buddy-adventure for theaters—not one game script beat-for-beat.
    Related games
    Easter eggs nod to classics on Mario platformers; Brooklyn-to-Kingdom arc is Illumination fiction, not Odyssey walkthrough.
    Where it fits
    Start of the recommended path. Watch before The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. No Kart, RPG, or 1993 homework required.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical premiere April 5, 2023 (Illumination / Universal); streaming and home platforms follow.
  3. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

    The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

    TheatricalFilmIlluminationAnimated

    Illumination’s sequel sends the animated Mario universe into Galaxy-scale space adventure—US theatrical April 1, 2026, direct follow-up to the 2023 hit. Same CG continuity; separate from Nintendo game Story years on the platformers page.

    Overview
    Cosmic set pieces and Galaxy-era iconography with Illumination’s family-comedy voice—theatrical next chapter, not a remake of the Wii campaign.
    Related games
    Motifs echo Super Mario Galaxy on Mario platformers—movie sequel only; play the Wii classics anytime.
    Where it fits
    Watch after The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023). Latest Illumination entry as of August 2026; 1993 stays optional Elseworlds.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical premiere April 1, 2026 (Illumination / Universal). Streaming windows typically follow later.

FAQ

Recommended watch path, Illumination vs 1993, games vs movies, Kart/RPG spin-offs, and related timelines.

Watch order

No. The 1993 live-action film (Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo) is a standalone Elseworlds adaptation with its own tone and world. Illumination’s 2023 and 2026 films are a separate animated saga. Story tab parks 1993 last so it never breaks the Illumination path.

Canon & games

No. Illumination’s films borrow characters, locations, and motifs but do not follow Super Mario Odyssey, Galaxy, or any single platformer plot beat-for-beat. You can play the games without watching the films—and vice versa.

The Mario platformers timeline (Mario platformers) covers Nintendo’s 2D and 3D Super Mario games in release and suggested story order. This page is theatrical films only.

Optional & extras

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.