Nintendo and Illumination have been steadily rolling out reveals for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in the weeks leading up to its April 1 release, and today’s announcement might be the biggest surprise yet. The official Super Mario Galaxy Movie social media account shared a new character poster confirming that Fox McCloud, the ace pilot from the Star Fox franchise, will appear in the film.
The post was accompanied by the message, “Let’s rock and roll! Fox McCloud joins The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, only in theaters April 1.” The poster features Fox in his signature look, complete with the Arwing in the background, and Illumination seems to have nailed his design.
This isn’t entirely coming out of nowhere for those who have been paying close attention. Sharp-eyed fans previously spotted what appeared to be a figure wearing a green shirt and white vest carrying a blaster for just a few frames in an earlier trailer. At the time, some dismissed it as wishful thinking, but today’s poster confirms those theories were on the right track. Fox McCloud joins Pikmin and R.O.B. as non-Mario Nintendo characters confirmed for the movie, and the fact that Fox is getting his own dedicated poster suggests his role might be more significant than a quick cameo.
It makes a lot of sense when you think about it. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is set in space, and few Nintendo characters are as synonymous with space adventures as Fox McCloud. It’s been nearly a decade since the last Star Fox game, with Star Fox Zero releasing on Wii U back in 2016, and Fox’s last major appearance was in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in 2018. His inclusion in the movie has already sparked speculation about whether Nintendo and Illumination are laying the groundwork for something larger, possibly a Super Smash Bros. movie down the line.
No voice actor has been announced for Fox McCloud yet, which means Nintendo is likely saving that reveal for the movie itself. Either way, as someone who grew up playing the original Star Fox on the SNES, it’s great to see Fox McCloud getting some attention again. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie hits theaters on April 1.
