An Easter egg in the final trailer for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie may hint at yet another hidden Mario boss. The newly released trailer confirmed long-held suspicions that the main antagonist of Super Mario Bros. 2 had a secret role in Mario and Luigi’s next adventure – and there may still be some surprises in store in terms of the movie’s villain lineup.
Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, Yoshi, and Rosalina will evidently have their hands full in the sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie. They’ll be dealing primarily with Bowser, Bowser Jr, and their army of minions, of course, but other classic Mario foes will be on hand as well, including Mouser, Megaleg, Clawgrip, Birdo, and, most notably, the long-missing Wart from Super Mario Bros. 2.
Although that’s a generous amount of Mario villains to put in one film, others could still be featured in some capacity. One in particular is Dino Piranha, who was subtly referenced in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’s final trailer.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Includes A Dino Piranha Easter Egg
At some point in the upcoming film, Princess Peach and Toad will enter a casino full of both recognizable and deep-cut Mario enemies, which is apparently where Wart will enter the picture. There’s a possibility that he’ll be joined by Dino Piranha, based on a design on the doorway in the casino above where Peach and Toad are standing at the 1:44 mark.
The design resembles that of two variations of the classic Super Mario minion, Petey Piranha and Dino Pirahna. Petey Pirahna is arguably more famous, but this is more likely a reference to Dino Piranha, because of the two, only he has connections to the Super Mario Galaxy series.
This may only be an Easter egg, but the possibility exists that it’s also a hint at a role for the dinosaur-like take on Petey Pirahna. In the games, he’s characterized by his large stature and heavy tail, which is the weak point Mario has to exploit to beat him.
He’d be an appropriate choice for a small part as a villain, given that the character is one of the bosses of both Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2. In fact, Dino Piranha is the first boss Mario has to bypass in Super Mario Galaxy.
As it stands, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie only has own one of the Super Mario Galaxy series’ exclusive bosses in the form of Megaleg. A large swath of the villain lineup – or what’s been revealed of it so far – seems to stem from Super Mario Bros. 2, so more represenatives from the Super Mario Galaxy games do appear to be in order, and Dino Piranha would certainly fit that bill.
Why Dino Piranha Could Be A Hidden Character In The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
As for how he’d fit, it’s not hard to imagine him being utilized as a form of security for Wart at the casino. It’s possible that Wart uses Dino Piranha to safeguard against threats to whatever villainous operation he’s likely running here. And he may very well need it, considering that a fight with Princess Peach and Toad is on the horizon.
As the trailer indicates, Wart will run afoul of Princess Peach, who will have to fight both Birdo and the Ninjis, who are presumably Wart’s minions, just as they are in Super Mario Bros. 2. For one reason or another, the pair of Toad and Peach will be up against an assortment of Super Mario Bros. 2 villains.
For the casino battle, beating Wart may be the final hurdle, which would make sense, as he is the game’s main villain. But The Super Mario Galaxy Movie may throw in a fun surprise, with Dino Piranha, who may be caged or contained somewhere in the casino, being unleashed upon them as the “final boss” of this particular area.
- Release Date
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April 1, 2026
- Runtime
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98 Minutes
- Director
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Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic