Shigeru Miyamoto says the Super Mario movies are being kept firmly family-friendly, with crude jokes deliberately left out of the franchise. In an interview with Crank In, the longtime Nintendo creative chief explained that he views children as audiences still learning, which is why he avoids humor that feels cheap or overly rude.

That approach reflects Nintendo’s broader strategy for the movie series, which has grown into a global success after The Super Mario Bros. Movie and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Miyamoto’s comments suggest the studio wants to maintain a tone that remains welcoming to children while still delivering the scale expected of a major animated release.

The emphasis remains on character-driven comedy rather than pushing boundaries for quick laughs.

“I think of children as 'adults, they just don't have as much knowledge yet,'” Miyamoto said in an interview with Crank In. He added that this perspective is why he avoids relying on humor that could feel inappropriate or unnecessary.

“That's why I don't want to make them laugh with dirty jokes, and I've even given Chris a ban on dirty jokes,” he said, referring to Chris Meledandri of Illumination. Even with that guideline in place, Miyamoto noted that characters like Wario could still appear in future films.

That all-appeasing tone has benefited the franchise’s performance at the global box office.

Super Mario's box office run continues to build

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is closing in on the $900 million mark worldwide, extending a run that has made it one of 2026’s biggest releases. The sequel added $44.3 million globally in its fifth weekend, bringing its total to about $894 million.

A significant portion of that success is coming from Asia. In South Korea, the film opened to $4.5 million over five days, outperforming releases like Despicable Me 4 and Lilo & Stitch. It also held the top position in Japan for a second weekend, adding $6.3 million and reaching a total of $22.7 million in that market.

The film’s broad appeal has helped it remain steady after a major launch. With school holidays and seasonal boosts in some markets, analysts expect continued momentum in the weeks ahead. That trajectory places it within reach of $900 million and keeps the possibility of a billion-dollar run in play.

What do you think about Super Mario movies avoiding crude humor? Let us know in the comments.

Written by

Pratham Gurung

Edited by

Adiba Nizami