Universal Delays ‘Super Mario Bros.’, ‘Puss In Boots’ Release Dates

Originally set to release on December 21, Illumination’s Super Mario Bros. animated feature has been pushed to April 7, 2023, in North America. The film will then release in Japan on April 28.

The announced delay was made by Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto himself through the Nintendo of America Twitter account.

This is Miyamoto. After consulting with Chris-san [producer Chris Meledandri], my partner at Illumination on the Super Mario Bros. film, we decided to move the global release to Spring 2023–April 28 in Japan and April 7 in North America. My deepest apologies but I promise it will be well worth the wait.

While some fans may be disappointed by the delay, others are finding comfort in one of Miyamoto’s famously-attributed quotes, allegedly made when 1998’s The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was postponed:

A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad.

The delay of Mario marks the second significant animation release of fall 2022 that has been pushed back in recent days. The other postponement is Sony’s sequel Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which vacated its October 7 date for June 2, 2023.

Universal will fill the hole left by Mario’s delay with Dreamworks Animation’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, now releasing on December 21. Originally the sequel to 2011’s popular Shrek spinoff was meant to land in theaters on September 23.