Nintendo’s upcoming animated sequel, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, is shaping up to be far more than a straightforward return to the Mushroom Kingdom. With just days left before its theatrical debut, the film has pulled off a surprise that few saw coming—bringing the Star Fox universe into Mario’s orbit. At the center of that reveal is Fox McCloud, the iconic space-faring pilot, now officially confirmed as part of the film. The character will be voiced by Glen Powell, adding another high-profile name to an already star-studded cast. Powell himself broke the news through a social media announcement, leaning into the symmetry between his own career and Fox’s aerial heroics—particularly after his high-flying role in Top Gun: Maverick.
For longtime Nintendo fans, the crossover feels both unexpected and strangely fitting. Fox McCloud has never been part of Mario’s core world, existing instead in the separate Star Fox series. His most frequent interactions with Mario and company have come through the Super Smash Bros. franchise, where characters from across Nintendo’s library collide. Still, seeing him step directly into a Mario-led narrative marks a significant shift.
Interestingly, this move appears to bend one of Nintendo’s long-standing creative philosophies. Shigeru Miyamoto, one of the company’s most influential figures, has previously spoken about an “unwritten rule” that keeps franchises largely separate—Mario stays in his world, Splatoon in its own, and so on. Exceptions have been rare, with the Pikmin characters being one of the few allowed to mingle more freely. Now, it seems Star Fox has joined that short list.
Hints of Fox’s inclusion had already begun to surface. Sharp-eyed viewers spotted what looked like a fleeting glimpse of the character in an earlier trailer, though many dismissed it as wishful thinking. That speculation has now been put to rest, with Nintendo even releasing a poster featuring Fox standing beside his signature Arwing spacecraft, ready to join the interstellar adventure.
The sequel’s premise—taking Mario and Luigi beyond their familiar terrain and into space—makes the crossover feel less jarring than it might have otherwise. Chris Pratt and Charlie Day return as the titular brothers, joined once again by Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Jack Black as Bowser, and Keegan-Michael Key as Toad. The film also expands its roster with new additions, including Donald Glover as Yoshi, Benny Safdie as Bowser Jr., and Brie Larson as Rosalina.
Fox McCloud isn’t the only nod to Nintendo’s broader universe. Previous footage has revealed appearances from Pikmin—those small plant-like creatures associated with Captain Olimar—as well as R.O.B., the retro Nintendo accessory that later became a Super Smash Bros. fighter. These inclusions suggest the film is leaning into a more interconnected Nintendo world, at least in small but meaningful ways.
For Star Fox fans, the timing of this crossover adds another layer of intrigue. The franchise has been largely dormant in recent years, with no new major release since Star Fox Zero in 2016. That game received mixed reactions and, notably, has never been re-released on newer hardware. Earlier, the long-shelved Star Fox 2 finally saw the light of day via the SNES Classic Edition, but beyond that, the series has remained quiet.
This cinematic reappearance raises an obvious question: is Fox McCloud’s role in the movie simply a one-off cameo, or could it signal something bigger for the franchise? Nintendo hasn’t offered any clear answers yet, leaving fans to speculate whether this marks the beginning of a broader revival.
What is certain, however, is that The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is aiming higher—both literally and creatively—than its predecessor. By pushing its characters into space and pulling in unexpected allies from across Nintendo’s history, the film is positioning itself as more than just a sequel. It’s becoming a crossover event, one that could redefine how these beloved worlds interact on the big screen.
With its release set for April 1, audiences won’t have to wait long to see how this ambitious blend of universes plays out—and whether Fox McCloud’s arrival is just the beginning of something much larger.
