When it comes to picking characters to join Bowser Jr. in his efforts to defeat Mario in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, none makes better sense than Tatanga, a character the franchise walked away from 34 years ago. From the looks of things, the sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie will assemble a host of old foes of Mario and Luigi for their next big-screen adventure.
Not only will there be Bowser, his son, and Kamek, it would appear from the marketing that Birdo, whose original role was that of a villain, will battle Princess Peach. Mouser, Clawgrip, and Megaleg who have also held roles as bosses, will also make appearances. So clearly, an effort is being made to include both recognizable and deep-cut characters.
Given its willingness to reach deep into the depths of Mario’s extremely rich rogues’ gallery, the time may have finally come for Tatanga to return from obscurity.
Tatanga In Super Mario Land Explained
Despite the fact that he never met Bowser Jr., few Mario enemies are better fits for the subject material than Tatanga, the central antagonist of Super Mario Land. In the 1989 Nintendo Game Boy game, Tatanga was introduced as an extraterrestrial, purple invader who kidnapped Princess Daisy and took over her world, Sarasaland.
Tatanga returned in the next installment, Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. Released in 1992, the game revealed that Mario’s battles with Tatanga in Sarasaland had given Wario an opening to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom. During his journey to defeat Wario, he enters a space-themed world and gets a rematch with Tatanga.
Tatanga is defeated for the second and final time in Super Mario Land 2. While there have been references to the character since then, he has yet to make a full appearance in a video game.
Tatanga Would Be An Ideal Choice For A Side Villain In The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
As an alien, it’s not hard to imagine an encounter between Mario and Tatanga taking place in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. After all, once Mario and company reach outer space, they’ll be in Tatanga’s element, making it easy for the film to include him in a cameo role, complete with his small spaceship that he pilots in both Super Mario Land games.
Alternatively, he could fill the role of a henchman for Bowser Jr. In Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2, Mario has to beat a number of giant robot bosses. At least one of them, Megaleg, is confirmed to appear in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and it will be piloted by an unknown character (who may or may not be Bowser Jr. himself).
If some of the other robots are present in the story too, it may be necessary for each to have its own pilot in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, particularly if they’re spread out. If that happens, this could be where Tatanga comes into play, allowing him to have his first fight with Mario in 34 years.
- 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
