The upcoming Super Mario Galaxy movie has added a new member to its voice cast. Nintendo’s growing film universe is expanding its casting to do justice to as many characters from the iconic video game franchise as possible. As per the latest developments, Atlanta star Donald Glover will be joining the star-studded ensemble. But who is he playing in the movie?
Donald Glover joins the Mario universe
During a Nintendo Direct presentation on March 9, 2026, producer and Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri announced the casting for the movie. Donald Glover will voice Yoshi in the upcoming animated sequel. Yoshi is a colorful dinosaur-like creature in the Super Mario universe and is known as Mario’s loyal companion.
Yoshi has been a central character in the Mario franchise since his debut in the 1990 video game Super Mario World. He is one of the most recognizable characters of the Super Mario world, and fans will be eager to see whether Glover can do justice to the role. With the success of the first installment, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, expectations are high for the franchise’s next theatrical outing.
The other newly announced cast members include Luis Guzman as Wart and Issa Rae as Honey Queen. Chris Pratt is returning to play the main protagonist, Mario. The other returning cast members are Jack Black as Bowser, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Charlie Day as Luigi, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach.
Furthermore, the animated sequel will introduce Princess Rosalina, played by Brie Larson, and Bowser Jr., played by Benny Safdie. Produced in collaboration with Nintendo and Illumination, the new installment will be directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
Plot details for the latest Mario film, scheduled to hit theaters on April 1, 2026, have not yet been revealed. But with the cast of the upcoming film made public, one can make an educated guess that it could draw inspiration from the Super Mario Galaxy games. Now, it remains to be seen whether the addition of Glover, along with the other cast members, will surpass the milestone set by its previous iteration.