BODY: Japanese viewers are getting a prime-time refresher course in the Mushroom Kingdom. Fuji TV has announced that The Super Mario Bros. Movie will air on its prestigious Saturday Premium broadcast slot on April 18, giving audiences a chance to revisit the hit film just as anticipation builds for its sequel.
The 2023 animated blockbuster, a collaboration between Nintendo and Illumination, became a global phenomenon upon release, grossing over $1.3 billion worldwide and ranking as one of the highest-earning animated films of all time. In Japan alone, the film pulled in over ¥14 billion at the box office, making it one of the top-performing foreign animated features in the country's history.
The broadcast timing is no coincidence. With The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 slated for release later this year, Fuji TV's scheduling represents a calculated move to keep the franchise front and center in the Japanese market. Saturday Premium is one of the network's marquee evening slots, typically reserved for major blockbusters and event programming that draws broad family audiences.
The sequel is expected to expand the world of the Mushroom Kingdom further, though Nintendo and Illumination have kept specific plot details tightly under wraps. The first film's massive success cemented the partnership between the gaming giant and the animation studio as one of the most commercially potent collaborations in entertainment.
The insider take
Free-to-air broadcasts of major films ahead of sequel releases are a well-worn strategy in Japan's entertainment ecosystem, and networks compete fiercely for these slots. For Fuji TV, landing the Mario movie is a coup that practically guarantees strong Saturday evening ratings. In Tokyo, the franchise's cultural footprint extends well beyond the screen — from the Super Nintendo World theme park at Universal Studios Japan to Mario-branded merchandise in every convenience store. This broadcast is less about introducing the film to new audiences and more about reactivating an entire fan base just in time for the sequel's marketing push to go into full gear.
Originally reported by 映画ナタリー - 最新ニュース (Japanese).