With the Super Mario Galaxy Movie release date of April 1, 2026, fast approaching, Nintendo and Illumination have shifted their marketing into high gear. While the first film captured our hearts with its perfect recreation of the Mushroom Kingdom, the sequel is promising something much more ambitious: a full-blown dive into the deep lore of the Mario multiverse.
The latest batch of theatrical character posters dropped on February 14, 2026, and while most fans were busy gushing over Brie Larson’s Rosalina or Benny Safdie’s Bowser Jr., eagle-eyed veterans of the GameCube era noticed something groundbreaking. Tucked away in the background of the Princess Peach and Captain Toad poster is a group of NPCs we haven’t seen in a major way for 24 years: the Piantas.
This small detail has ignited a massive Super Mario Galaxy Movie Sunshine theory. Could the “black sheep” of the 3D Mario franchise, Super Mario Sunshine, be the secret ingredient that ties this cosmic adventure together? Let’s-a-go into the details.
The Pianta Clue: Why Isle Delfino Matters in 2026
For the uninitiated, the Piantas are the palm-tree-headed residents of Isle Delfino, the tropical setting of 2002’s Super Mario Sunshine. While they’ve made sporadic cameos in Mario Kart and various sports titles, they have never been established as residents of the Mushroom Kingdom or the Galaxies. Their inclusion in a “Galaxy” movie poster isn’t just an Easter egg—it’s a geographical statement.
In the original Super Mario Galaxy games, Mario traveled between planets and planetoids. However, the trailers for the upcoming film have already confirmed that the “Galaxies” in the movie act more like gateways to other iconic game worlds. We’ve already seen glimpses of the Cascade Kingdom from Super Mario Odyssey and a high-stakes casino world inspired by Super Mario Bros. 2.
If the Piantas are present, it strongly suggests that the Straw Hat-wearing heroes will be making a pitstop at Isle Delfino. Given the film’s focus on space travel, Isle Delfino could be reimagined as a “Tropical Planet,” or perhaps the starting point for a vacation gone wrong—mirroring the plot of the 2002 classic.
Bowser Jr.’s Paintbrush and the Sunshine Connection
The strongest evidence for a deep Sunshine connection isn’t a background character, but a foreground villain. The casting of Benny Safdie as Bowser Jr. was a major reveal, but his character design is what really tells the story. In the promotional footage, Bowser Jr. is seen wielding his iconic Magic Paintbrush.
This isn’t just a fun accessory; in Super Mario Sunshine, that brush was the primary engine of the plot. It was created by Professor E. Gadd and used by Bowser Jr. (disguised as Shadow Mario) to frame our favorite plumber for vandalizing the island with “goop.” If Bowser Jr. is the secondary antagonist of the Super Mario Galaxy Movie, his ability to warp reality—or at least the environment—using the paintbrush makes him a formidable threat to Rosalina’s Comet Observatory.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Sunshine theory suggests that Bowser Jr. may use the brush to corrupt various galaxies, turning the vibrant cosmic landscapes into the “goop-filled” hazards fans remember from Isle Delfino. It would be a brilliant way for Illumination to raise the stakes, forcing Mario to use more than just his jumping skills to save the day.
Expanding the Mario Cinematic Universe: From Galaxies to Kingdoms
Why would Nintendo choose to blend Galaxy and Sunshine now? The answer lies in the growing “Nintendo Cinematic Universe.” With rumors of a Star Fox cameo swirling after a recent 30-second teaser showed a mysterious pilot-like figure, it’s clear that the goal is world-building.
By incorporating elements of Super Mario Sunshine, the filmmakers are addressing a common fan critique: that the 2002 game is often overlooked in favor of its more successful siblings. Seeing Mario handle a modern-day reimagining of the F.L.U.D.D. mechanic—even if only for a single sequence—would be the ultimate “fan service” that Illumination excels at.
Furthermore, the “Casino” world shown in trailers looks remarkably like a more polished version of the Hotel Delfino casino. If the movie presents these locations as distinct planets within a vast “Nintendo Galaxy,” it opens the door for future sequels to visit even more obscure locales like Sarasaland or the Sprixie Kingdom.
Is a Sunshine Reimagining on the Horizon?
Whether the Piantas are a brief cameo or Isle Delfino is a major set piece, their presence proves that Nintendo is willing to mine its entire 40-year history for this sequel. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Sunshine theory gives us hope that the vibrant, messy, and creative spirit of the GameCube era is finally getting its big-screen flowers.
What do you think of the Sunshine clues? Do you want to see Mario strap on the F.L.U.D.D. pack one more time, or should the movie stay focused on the cosmic Rosalina storyline? Let us know your theories in the comments below!
