Illumination
| Illumination | |
|---|---|
| |
| Founded | January 2007[1][2] |
| First Super Mario film | The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) |
| Current president | Chris Meledandri |
Illumination (formerly Illumination Entertainment) is an American animation company that is owned by Universal Pictures, itself a division of the NBCUniversal division of Comcast. Founded in Santa Monica, California by Chris Meledandri, Illumination is famous for creating the Despicable Me franchise, based on a concept from animator Sergio Pablos,[3] with the Minions from that franchise being the company's mascots. Other particular movies include The Secret Life of Pets, Sing, Migration, an adaption of The Lorax, and an adaption of The Grinch, the latter two based on popular books by Dr. Seuss.
Illumination's films are made on relatively smaller budgets compared to those of competing animation companies, usually rounding to $70 million. However, when producing The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the studio's first film based on an existing intellectual property not to be an adaptation of a Dr. Seuss book, the budget for the film was over $100 million, higher than their previous films.[4] Nevertheless, Illumination has proven to be financially successful in spite of usually mixed critical reception. France-based Mac Guff, which Illumination acquired in 2012 under Illumination Mac Guff (later renamed Illumination Studios Paris after the release of Sing 2), provides the animation for all of its films except the live-action film Hop, which featured CGI by Rhythm & Hues.
In all of Illumination's films, the opening logos showcase a gag, related to each film, involving the Minions (voiced by Pierre Coffin speaking in "Minionese"), including Kevin, Stuart, and Bob (the main trio of the first two Minions spin-off films); who say the company's name from The Secret Life of Pets (with no gag related to the film besides the original prototype made)[5] onward. While the original trailers and TV spots of The Super Mario Bros. Movie did not have the Minions in the Illumination logo before release, a truncated version of an opening logo from one of their films, Despicable Me 4, which released on July 3, 2024, was used for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie's official trailer; the original opening featured Stuart firing a weapon loaded with light pins on a wall to form the company logo and Kevin turning the lights on.[6] For the final trailer, however, the Minions do not appear in the Illumination logo.[7]
The Illumination logo shown at the start of The Super Mario Bros. Movie depicts a Minion (Stuart) attempting to drive a kart themed after Gru as the countdown from Mario Kart 8 is heard while the logo lights up like a starting light from the game, flashing "ILLU-MINA-TION" in red before it turns green, but turns white when the Minion fails to start the kart. Stuart then hits the kart with his fist in frustration before it suddenly blasts off as he shouts the company's name off-screen. This relates to the Go-kart scene mid-way in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Filmography
| Film | Release date | Director(s) | Producer(s) | Writer(s) | Executive Producer(s) | Editor(s) | Composer(s) | Co-production |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Super Mario Bros. Movie |  April 5, 2023[8] April 28, 2023[9] |
Aaron Horvath Michael Jelenic Co-Directors: Pierre Leduc Fabien Polack |
Chris Meledandri Shigeru Miyamoto |
Matthew Fogel | Brett Hoffman Bill Ryan Yusuke Beppu |
Eric Osmond | Brian Tyler Original Nintendo Themes by: Koji Kondo |
Universal Pictures Illumination Nintendo Animation Services: Illumination Studios Paris |
| The Super Mario Galaxy Movie | April 1, 2026[10] April 24, 2026[11] |
Aaron Horvath Michael Jelenic |
TBA | TBA | Brian Tyler |
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)
On January 31, 2018, during a financial briefing, Nintendo announced that Illumination would be producing an animated Super Mario–franchise film co-produced by Chris Meledandri and Shigeru Miyamoto.
Several days after the deal was made, Shigeru Miyamoto explained why Illumination was chosen for the project over other animation companies, saying he had been interested in producing an animated film for quite some time and, contrary to popular belief, making a movie and making a game are completely different procedures. Miyamoto wanted someone with experience in the film industry to co-produce the film, and after talking with numerous directors and producers, he was introduced to Illumination through Universal Parks & Resorts, with whom Nintendo was making a theme park. Miyamoto also stated that when he began talks with Chris Meledandri, the latter read numerous interviews about him and felt that they had a similar approach in creation. Miyamoto described Meledandri as having experience in the field of animation beyond Illumination, having been executive producer of Ice Age and other animated projects for 20th Century Fox, as well as being "extremely cost-conscious and time-conscious in his quest to make successful movies." Miyamoto also mentioned that Nintendo and Illumination had mutually agreed to call the deal off if neither company could come up with an interesting premise, but he also noted that the screenplay had been hashed out a number of times and discussions were in progression, hoping to provide more information once the schedule had been ironed out.[12]
On November 6, 2018, Meledandri said that he was glad the 1993 film Super Mario Bros. was not well-received, citing the primary reason being that the producers did not involve Nintendo, whereas Illumination was "embracing" Miyamoto and keeping him "front and center" in the film's creation. He said that Illumination's Super Mario film was in "priority development" and hoped that it would be released by 2022. Meledandri also noted that developing a Super Mario film is "an ambitious task," citing the challenge of adding depth to Super Mario that would simultaneously compromise generations of fans and feel organic to its iconography as well as supporting a three-act structure.[13][14] The voice cast for the film was announced in a Nintendo Direct in September 2021, before a press release on the same day revealed that Teen Titans Go! creators Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic are helmed as directors, with Minions: The Rise of Gru writer Matthew Fogel penning the script.[15][16] The movie was later delayed to spring 2023, with release dates of April 7, 2023 in North America (later changed again to April 5) and April 28, 2023 in Japan.[17]
The title was revealed to be The Super Mario Bros. Movie in a teaser trailer released on October 6, 2022,[18] and upon release, it would go on to become Illumination's highest-grossing film, surpassing Minions, which previously held the record.[19]
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026)
A follow-up was announced by Miyamoto on March 10, 2024 (on MAR10 Day) with a scheduled release for April 3, 2026, and the intention of "broadening Mario's world further" while having a "bright and fun story."[20] The original directors, producers, and writer of the first film were also confirmed to return, along with Illumimation Studios Paris again handling the animation while they already finished set designs and storyboards for the new film.[21] During the Nintendo Direct on September 2025, the film was announced to be titled The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, inspired by the Super Mario Galaxy games, with some of the cast from the first film, along with composer Brian Tyler, returning; and described by Miyamoto as the "main event" of the Super Mario Bros. 40th Anniversary celebration. A Nintendo Direct showcasing the first trailer in November 2025 revealed that the studio was weeks away from completing animation and that more characters would be introduced, including Rosalina and Bowser Jr. Following the second Nintendo Direct trailer of the film in January 2026, which revealed Yoshi's appearance in the film, the US release date was moved up to April 1.[10]
Notes
- Prior to Illumination's acquisition of the rights to adapt Super Mario, Donkey Kong had been mentioned in two Illumination films. In its adaption of The Lorax, during Ted's second visit with the Once-ler, the Once-ler says, "Why aren't you like other kids? Breakdancing and wearing Bell Bottoms and playing the Donkey Kongs?" During the final battle with Balthazaar Bratt in Despicable Me 3, Bratt says, "It's on like Donkey Kong!" after being challenged to a dance battle by Gru. Ironically, Illumination's parent company Universal once sued Nintendo over Donkey Kong for infringing the copyright to King Kong in 1982.
- There is also a reference to the Super Mario games in The Secret Life of Pets, where a turtle belonging to the "Flushed Pets" is capable of curling inside its shell and bouncing back and forth, hitting anyone in its path, much like a Koopa Troopa, even making the Koopa Shell sound from the Super Mario games.
- Illumination has also referenced a Nintendo console in one of its movies. In the first Despicable Me film, during the scene where Gru tries to sneak into Vector's fortress to retrieve the shrink ray, Vector can be seen playing a fighting game on the Wii, where he swings a Wii Remote around.
References
- ^ Family films for Universal. Variety. Retrieved March 9, 2026 from variety.com.
- ^ Studio. Illumination Entertainment. Retrieved April 2, 2025 from illumination.com.
- ^ September 25, 2017. The Humble Roots Of The Mega-Hit Franchise Despicable Me. Cartoon Brew. Retrieved from cartoonbrew.com.
- ^ Rebecca Rubin (April 6, 2023). Box Office: ‘Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Scores Huge $31.7 Million, ‘Air’ Lands $3.2 Million on Opening Day. Variety. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
- ^ https://www.facebook.com/SecretLifeOfPets/videos/from-the-creators-of-minions-illumination-entertainment-presents-the-secret-life/739375356210188/?locale=es_ES
- ^ Nintendo of America (November 12, 2025). The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Direct 11.12.2025. YouTube. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ March 9, 2026. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Direct 3.9.2025. YouTube. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ^ "Wahoo! The #SuperMarioMovie is moving from April 7 to April 5 in the US and in more than 60 markets around the world. The movie hits theaters in additional markets in April and May, with Japan opening April 28." – @supermariomovie (February 28, 2023). Post. Twitter. Retrieved February 28, 2023. (Archived February 28, 2023, 16:13:23 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^ The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) - Financial Information. The Numbers (English). Retrieved August 3, 2024. (Archived August 2, 2024, 02:26:10 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^ a b Nintendo of America (January 25, 2026). The Super Mario Galaxy Movie – Yoshi First Look. YouTube. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
- ^ 「宮本です。今晩はNintendo Directの放送がありますが、その前にひとつお知らせをさせてください。スーパーマリオの新たなアニメ映画の日本での公開日が2026年4月24日に決まりました。楽しい映画になるように、イルミネーションのチームと一緒に取り組んでいますので、引き続き楽しみにしてください。」– @Nintendo (June 18, 2024). Post. X (Japanese). Retrieved June 18, 2024. (Archived February 21, 2026, 23:28:00 UTC via Megalodon.)
- ^ Minotti, Mike (January 9, 2018). Nintendo's Miyamoto explains how Illumination won Mario movie rights. VentureBeat. Archived February 10, 2018, 00:32:53 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
- ^ Lang, B. (November 6, 2018). Inside Illumination's Plans for Animated 'Super Mario Bros.' Movie. Variety. Retrieved November 7, 2018. (Archived November 6, 2018, 21:56:53 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^ Schaefer, Sandy (November 6, 2018). Super Mario Bros. Animated Movie Is A Priority; May Arrive in 2022. Screen Rant. Retrieved November 6, 2018. (Archived November 6, 2018, 22:45:46 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^ Nintendo of America (September 23, 2021). Nintendo Direct - 9.23.2021. YouTube. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
- ^ Sepetember 24, 2021. Illumination and Nintendo Announce Theatrical Release Date and Voice Cast for the Super Mario Bros. Animated Film. Nintendo. Retrieved Sepetember 30, 2021.
- ^ "This is Miyamoto. After consulting with Chris-san, 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." – April 25, 2022. Post. Twitter. Retrieved April 25, 2022. (Archived April 26, 2022, 01:01:06 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^ Nintendo Direct: The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Nintendo Co., Ltd. (Japanese). Retrieved February 21, 2026.
- ^ The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
- ^ NintendoAmerica (March 10, 2024). Post. X. Retrieved March 10, 2024. (Archived February 21, 2026, 23:31:05 UTC via Megalodon.)
- ^ https://x.com/illumination/status/1766816161864495362?s=20
