A character who appeared in one of the Legend of Zelda video games will have a role in the upcoming Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and fans finally received a first look at the character's design in the upcoming title. Mario has been one of the most popular franchises for decades now, so it came as no surprise that the Super Mario Bros. Movie performed so well at the box office in 2023. Nintendo and Illumination will look to replicate its success in April 2026, when The Super Mario Galaxy Movie premieres in theaters.
The official Super Mario Galaxy Movie account on X recently shared a brand-new poster for the upcoming movie on the social media platform. The image includes a lot of the movie's main characters, such as Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Bowser, and Bowser Jr. However, it also showcases a new character who has appeared in both the Mario game franchise and the Legend of Zelda franchise — Wart.
On the poster, Wart can be seen just below Mouser and Birdo, to the left of Mario's leg. He does not appear as big as some of the other characters, which could imply that he won't have a major role, but his inclusion is a major milestone since the character appeared in Zelda and Mario.
Just like in the video games, Wart is sporting his crown, his sleeveless robe, and his pendant on a gold chain.
For reference, Wart was originally created as the main villain of the Super Mario Bros. 2 video game. He was the leader of a group called the 8 Bits and used the hijacked Dream Machine to take over Subcon. Wart is the final boss of Super Mario Bros. 2.
While Super Mario Bros. 2 was Wart's first appearance in the video game world, he also made a cameo appearance in a Legend of Zelda game.
Specifically, Wart popped up in the Game Boy title The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening. Unlike Super Mario Bros. 2, in Link's Awakening, Wart is not an antagonist. He appears in a pond beneath the Signpost Maze on Koholint Island, and helps Link if the player is willing to fork over 300 Rupees.
Initially, Wart appeared as a 2D character in the original version of the game and wasn't very detailed. However, he was also included in the Link's Awakening remake for the Nintendo Switch as a 3D character. Notably, this was the first time Wart was ever given a 3D model in a video game.
Wart still has on his robe, crown, and pendant in the original version of the Zelda game, but the remake is much more detailed and looks way more similar to the version of Wart that will be seen in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
Wart's appearance ties the Zelda world to the Mario movie franchise, which is extremely groundbreaking.
Zelda has become increasingly popular as the years have gone on. A lot of rumors suggest that Universal is planning to build a Zelda-themed land in one of its Orlando theme parks (most reports say it will either go in Islands of Adventure or the new Epic Universe).
It is also worth mentioning that Sony Pictures is already developing a live-action Zelda film that is set to be released in 2027, so the fact that The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has a connection between the two franchises is extremely important.
What Will Wart's Role in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Be?
Based on the trailers and information that have been revealed about The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, it seems as though the main villains will be Bowser Jr. and his father, Bowser. However, it has been heavily rumored that Wario will also be joining the fight in the upcoming sequel, so he could be a surprise villain who pops up at some point in the film.
Most likely, Wart will still be acting as an antagonist in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. In the video games, he is a bit of a deeper cut, as most general Mario fans aren't too familiar with him, and especially not kids.
It is possible that he will appear in a dream-like world like Subcon, just as he did in Super Mario Bros. 2, but fans shouldn't expect him to get a ton of screen time. It seems likely that Wart will pop up for a little more than a cameo.
