The Super Mario Bros. Movie is getting a sequel, but the character Foreman Spike may not be part of it. Comedian and actor Sebastian Maniscalco, who voiced the character in the first film, recently discussed the possibility of coming back for the sequel, and he’s not feeling very optimistic.
Maniscalco said he went to a Universal Studios theme park with his kids and hoped to show his children a stuffed animal based on Foreman Spike. However, the store didn’t have one, and the lack of merchandise for his character leads Maniscalco to believe Foreman Spike is not set to return.
“No Spike, no nothing. It stopped at me. It was every other character, and then me, I have no animal, no stuffy, no nothing. So, the fact that I didn’t have a stuffed animal is not giving me a lot of confidence that I’m coming back for the sequel. I haven’t heard anything, so your guess is as good as mine,” he told ScreenRant with a laugh.
It’s possible, of course, that Foreman Spike could appear in the next Mario movie and Maniscalco just hasn’t heard anything yet. In terms of returning characters, no one has been officially confirmed, but Chris Pratt is surely a lock to come back as Mario.
2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie earned more than $1.36 billion worldwide, making it the No. 2 movie of the year, only behind Barbie ($1.446 billion). In March 2024, Nintendo and Illumination announced that they are working together on another Mario movie that is “based on the world of Super Mario Bros.”
Whether it’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 or something else remains to be seen. Previously, we heard rumors of a Donkey Kong movie with Seth Rogen, for example. Whatever it is, the new film will come to theaters on April 3, 2026 in the US.
Illumination’s Chris Meledandri is coming back to produce the film alongside Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto. Directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, who directed 2023’s movie, are coming back to make the next one as well. And once again, Universal Pictures is co-financing with Nintendo and distributing the film.
In addition to this next animated Mario movie, Nintendo and Sony are teaming up for a live-action Zelda movie.