Smart TVs, take note Breaking down why Apple TVs are privacy advocates’ go-to streaming device Using the Apple TV app or an Apple account means giving Apple more data, though. Scharon Harding – Jun 1, 2025 7:35 am | 22 Credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images Credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more Every time I write an article about the escalating advertising and tracking on today's TVs, someone brings up Apple TV boxes. Among smart TVs, streaming sticks, and other streaming devices, Apple TVs are largely viewed as a safe haven. "Just disconnect your TV from the Internet and use an Apple TV box." That's the common guidance you'll hear from Ars readers for those seeking the joys of streaming without giving up too much privacy. Based on our research and the experts we've consulted, that advice is pretty solid, as Apple TVs offer significantly more privacy than other streaming hardware providers. But how private are Apple TV boxes, really? Apple TVs don't use automatic content recognition (ACR, a user-tracking technology leveraged by nearly all smart TVs and streaming devices), but could that change? And what about the software that Apple TV users do use—could those apps provide information about you to advertisers or Apple? In this article, we'll delve into what makes the Apple TV's privacy stand out and examine whether users should expect the limited ads and enhanced privacy to last forever. Apple TV boxes limit tracking out of the box One of the simplest ways Apple TVs ensure better privacy is through their setup process, during which you can disable Siri, location tracking, and sending analytics data to Apple. During setup, users also receive several opportunities to review Apple's data and privacy policies. Also off by default is the boxes' ability to send voice input data to Apple. Most other streaming devices require users to navigate through pages of settings to disable similar tracking capabilities, which most people are unlikely to do. Apple’s approach creates a line of defense against snooping, even for those unaware of how invasive smart devices can be. Apple TVs running tvOS 14.5 and later also make third-party app tracking more difficult by requiring such apps to request permission before they can track users. "If you choose Ask App Not to Track, the app developer can’t access the system advertising identifier (IDFA), which is often used to track," Apple says. "The app is also not permitted to track your activity using other information that identifies you or your device, like your email address." Users can access the Apple TV settings and disable the ability of third-party apps to ask permission for tracking. However, Apple could further enhance privacy by enabling this setting by default. The Apple TV also lets users control which apps can access the set-top box's Bluetooth functionality, photos, music, and HomeKit data (if applicable), and the remote's microphone. "Apple’s primary business model isn’t dependent on selling targeted ads, so it has somewhat less incentive to harvest and monetize incredible amounts of your data," said RJ Cross, director of the consumer privacy program at the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG). "I personally trust them more with my data than other tech companies." What if you share analytics data? If you allow your Apple TV to share analytics data with Apple or app developers, that data won't be personally identifiable, Apple says. Any collected personal data is "not logged at all, removed from reports before they’re sent to Apple, or protected by techniques, such as differential privacy," Apple says. Differential privacy, which injects noise into collected data, is one of the most common methods used for anonymizing data. In support documentation (PDF), Apple details its use of differential privacy: The first step we take is to privatize the information using local differential privacy on the user’s device. The purpose of privatization is to assure that Apple’s servers don't receive clear data. Device identifiers are removed from the data, and it is transmitted to Apple over an encrypted channel. The Apple analysis system ingests the differentially private contributions, dropping IP addresses and other metadata. The final stage is aggregation, where the privatized records are processed to compute the relevant statistics, and the aggregate statistics are then shared with relevant Apple teams. Both the ingestion and aggregation stages are performed in a restricted access environment so even the privatized data isn’t broadly accessible to Apple employees. What if you use an Apple account with your Apple TV? Another factor to consider is Apple's privacy policy regarding Apple accounts, formerly Apple IDs. Apple support documentation says you "need" an Apple account to use an Apple TV, but you can use the hardware without one. Still, it's common for people to log into Apple accounts on their Apple TV boxes because it makes it easier to link with other Apple products. Another reason someone might link an Apple TV box with an Apple account is to use the Apple TV app, a common way to stream on Apple TV boxes. So what type of data does Apple harvest from Apple accounts? According to its privacy policy, the company gathers usage data, such as "data about your activity on and use of" Apple offerings, including "app launches within our services...; browsing history; search history; [and] product interaction." Other types of data Apple may collect from Apple accounts include transaction information (Apple says this is "data about purchases of Apple products and services or transactions facilitated by Apple, including purchases on Apple platforms"), account information ("including email address, devices registered, account status, and age"), device information (including serial number and browser type), contact information (including physical address and phone number), and payment information (including bank details). None of that is surprising considering the type of data needed to make an Apple account work. Many Apple TV users can expect Apple to gather more data from their Apple account usage on other devices, such as iPhones or Macs. However, if you use the same Apple account across multiple devices, Apple recognizes that all the data it has collected from, for example, your iPhone activity, also applies to you as an Apple TV user. A potential workaround could be maintaining multiple Apple accounts. With an Apple account solely dedicated to your Apple TV box and Apple TV hardware and software tracking disabled as much as possible, Apple would have minimal data to ascribe to you as an Apple TV owner. You can also use your Apple TV box without an Apple account, but then you won't be able to use the Apple TV app, one of the device's key features. Data collection via the Apple TV app You can download third-party apps like Netflix and Hulu onto an Apple TV box, but most TV and movie watching on Apple TV boxes likely occurs via the Apple TV app. The app is necessary for watching content on the Apple TV+ streaming service, but it also drives usage by providing access to the libraries of many (but not all) popular streaming apps in one location. So understanding the Apple TV app’s privacy policy is critical to evaluating how private Apple TV activity truly is. As expected, some of the data the app gathers is necessary for the software to work. That includes, according to the app's privacy policy, "information about your purchases, downloads, activity in the Apple TV app, the content you watch, and where you watch it in the Apple TV app and in connected apps on any of your supported devices." That all makes sense for ensuring that the app remembers things like which episode of Severance you're on across devices. Apple collects other data, though, that isn't necessary for functionality. It says it gathers data on things like the "features you use (for example, Continue Watching or Library)," content pages you view, how you interact with notifications, and approximate location information (that Apple says doesn't identify users) to help improve the app. Additionally, Apple tracks the terms you search for within the app, per its policy: We use Apple TV search data to improve models that power Apple TV. For example, aggregate Apple TV search queries are used to fine-tune the Apple TV search model. This data usage is less intrusive than that of other streaming devices, which might track your activity and then sell that data to third-party advertisers. But some people may be hesitant about having any of their activities tracked to benefit a multi-trillion-dollar conglomerate. Data collected from the Apple TV app used for ads By default, the Apple TV app also tracks "what you watch, your purchases, subscriptions, downloads, browsing, and other activities in the Apple TV app" to make personalized content recommendations. Content recommendations aren't ads in the traditional sense but instead provide a way for Apple to push you toward products by analyzing data it has on you. You can disable the Apple TV app's personalized recommendations, but it's a little harder than you might expect since you can't do it through the app. Instead, you need to go to the Apple TV settings and then select Apps > TV > Use Play History > Off. The most privacy-conscious users may wish that personalized recommendations were off by default. Darío Maestro, senior legal fellow at the nonprofit Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (STOP), noted to Ars that even though Apple TV users can opt out of personalized content recommendations, "many will not realize they can." Apple can also use data it gathers on you from the Apple TV app to serve traditional ads. If you allow your Apple TV box to track your location, the Apple TV app can also track your location. That data can "be used to serve geographically relevant ads," according to the Apple TV app privacy policy. Location tracking, however, is off by default on Apple TV boxes. Apple's tvOS doesn't have integrated ads. For comparison, some TV OSes, like Roku OS and LG's webOS, show ads on the OS's home screen and/or when showing screensavers. But data gathered from the Apple TV app can still help Apple's advertising efforts. This can happen if you allow personalized ads in other Apple apps serving targeted apps, such as Apple News, the App Store, or Stocks. In such cases, Apple may apply data gathered from the Apple TV app, "including information about the movies and TV shows you purchase from Apple, to serve ads in those apps that are more relevant to you," the Apple TV app privacy policy says. Apple also provides third-party advertisers and strategic partners with "non-personal data" gathered from the Apple TV app: We provide some non-personal data to our advertisers and strategic partners that work with Apple to provide our products and services, help Apple market to customers, and sell ads on Apple’s behalf to display on the App Store and Apple News and Stocks. Apple also shares non-personal data from the Apple TV with third parties, such as content owners, so they can pay royalties, gauge how much people are watching their shows or movies, "and improve their associated products and services," Apple says. Apple's policy notes: For example, we may share non-personal data about your transactions, viewing activity, and region, as well as aggregated user demographics[,] such as age group and gender (which may be inferred from information such as your name and salutation in your Apple Account), to Apple TV strategic partners, such as content owners, so that they can measure the performance of their creative work [and] meet royalty and accounting requirements. When reached for comment, an Apple spokesperson told Ars that Apple TV users can clear their play history from the app. All that said, the Apple TV app still shares far less data with third parties than other streaming apps. Netflix, for example, says it discloses some personal information to advertising companies "in order to select Advertisements shown on Netflix, to facilitate interaction with Advertisements, and to measure and improve effectiveness of Advertisements." Warner Bros. Discovery says it discloses information about Max viewers "with advertisers, ad agencies, ad networks and platforms, and other companies to provide advertising to you based on your interests." And Disney+ users have Nielsen tracking on by default. What if you use Siri? You can easily deactivate Siri when setting up an Apple TV. But those who opt to keep the voice assistant and the ability to control Apple TV with their voice take somewhat of a privacy hit. According to the privacy policy accessible in Apple TV boxes' settings, Apple boxes automatically send all Siri requests to Apple's servers. If you opt into using Siri data to "Improve Siri and Dictation," Apple will store your audio data. If you opt out, audio data won't be stored, but per the policy: In all cases, transcripts of your interactions will be sent to Apple to process your requests and may be stored by Apple. Apple TV boxes also send audio and transcriptions of dictation input to Apple servers for processing. Apple says it doesn't store the audio but may store transcriptions of the audio. If you opt to "Improve Siri and Dictation," Apple says your history of voice requests isn't tied to your Apple account or email. But Apple is vague about how long it may store data related to voice input performed with the Apple TV if you choose this option. The policy states: Your request history, which includes transcripts and any related request data, is associated with a random identifier for up to six months and is not tied to your Apple Account or email address. After six months, you request history is disassociated from the random identifier and may be retained for up to two years. Apple may use this data to develop and improve Siri, Dictation, Search, and limited other language processing functionality in Apple products ... Apple may also review a subset of the transcripts of your interactions and this ... may be kept beyond two years for the ongoing improvements of products and services. Apple promises not to use Siri and voice data to build marketing profiles or sell them to third parties, but it hasn't always adhered to that commitment. In January, Apple agreed to pay $95 million to settle a class-action lawsuit accusing Siri of recording private conversations and sharing them with third parties for targeted ads. In 2019, contractors reported hearing private conversations and recorded sex via Siri-gathered audio. Outside of Apple, we've seen voice request data used questionably, including in criminal trials and by corporate employees. Siri and dictation data also represent additional ways a person's Apple TV usage might be unexpectedly analyzed to fuel Apple's business. Automatic content recognition Apple TVs aren't preloaded with automatic content recognition (ACR), an Apple spokesperson confirmed to Ars, another plus for privacy advocates. But ACR is software, so Apple could technically add it to Apple TV boxes via a software update at some point. Sherman Li, the founder of Enswers, the company that first put ACR in Samsung TVs, confirmed to Ars that it's technically possible for Apple to add ACR to already-purchased Apple boxes. Years ago, Enswers retroactively added ACR to other types of streaming hardware, including Samsung and LG smart TVs. (Enswers was acquired by Gracenote, which Nielsen now owns.) In general, though, there are challenges to adding ACR to hardware that people already own, Li explained: Everyone believes, in theory, you can add ACR anywhere you want at any time because it's software, but because of the way [hardware is] architected... the interplay between the chipsets, like the SoCs, and the firmware is different in a lot of situations. Li pointed to numerous variables that could prevent ACR from being retroactively added to any type of streaming hardware, "including access to video frame buffers, audio streams, networking connectivity, security protocols, OSes, and app interface communication layers, especially at different levels of the stack in these devices, depending on the implementation." Due to the complexity of Apple TV boxes, Li suspects it would be difficult to add ACR to already-purchased Apple TVs. It would likely be simpler for Apple to release a new box with ACR if it ever decided to go down that route. If Apple were to add ACR to old or new Apple TV boxes, the devices would be far less private, and the move would be highly unpopular and eliminate one of the Apple TV's biggest draws. However, Apple reportedly has a growing interest in advertising to streaming subscribers. The Apple TV+ streaming service doesn't currently show commercials, but the company is rumored to be exploring a potential ad tier. The suspicions stem from a reported meeting between Apple and the United Kingdom's ratings body, Barb, to discuss how it might track ads on Apple TV+, according to a July report from The Telegraph. Since 2023, Apple has also hired several prominent names in advertising, including a former head of advertising at NBCUniversal and a new head of video ad sales. Further, Apple TV+ is one of the few streaming services to remain ad-free, and it's reported to be losing Apple $1 billion per year since its launch. One day soon, Apple may have much more reason to care about advertising in streaming and being able to track the activities of people who use its streaming offerings. That has implications for Apple TV box users. "The more Apple creeps into the targeted ads space, the less I’ll trust them to uphold their privacy promises. You can imagine Apple TV being a natural progression for selling ads," PIRG's Cross said. Somewhat ironically, Apple has marketed its approach to privacy as a positive for advertisers. "Apple’s commitment to privacy and personal relevancy builds trust amongst readers, driving a willingness to engage with content and ads alike," Apple's advertising guide for buying ads on Apple News and Stocks reads. The most private streaming gadget It remains technologically possible for Apple to introduce intrusive tracking or ads to Apple TV boxes, but for now, the streaming devices are more private than the vast majority of alternatives, save for dumb TVs (which are incredibly hard to find these days). And if Apple follows its own policies, much of the data it gathers should be kept in-house. However, those with strong privacy concerns should be aware that Apple does track certain tvOS activities, especially those that happen through Apple accounts, voice interaction, or the Apple TV app. And while most of Apple's streaming hardware and software settings prioritize privacy by default, some advocates believe there's room for improvement. For example, STOP's Maestro said: Unlike in the [European Union], where the upcoming Data Act will set clearer rules on transfers of data generated by smart devices, the US has no real legislation governing what happens with your data once it reaches Apple's servers. Users are left with little way to verify those privacy promises. Maestro suggested that Apple could address these concerns by making it easier for people to conduct security research on smart device software. "Allowing the development of alternative or modified software that can evaluate privacy settings could also increase user trust and better uphold Apple's public commitment to privacy," Maestro said. There are ways to limit the amount of data that advertisers can get from your Apple TV. But if you use the Apple TV app, Apple can use your activity to help make business decisions—and therefore money. As you might expect from a device that connects to the Internet and lets you stream shows and movies, Apple TV boxes aren't totally incapable of tracking you. But they're still the best recommendation for streaming users seeking hardware with more privacy and fewer ads. Scharon Harding Senior Technology Reporter Scharon Harding Senior Technology Reporter Scharon is a Senior Technology Reporter at Ars Technica writing news, reviews, and analysis on consumer gadgets and services. She's been reporting on technology for over 10 years, with bylines at Tom’s Hardware, Channelnomics, and CRN UK. 22 Comments

Epic Universe is massive. Spanning over 110 acres, the new Florida theme park from Universal Studios, which opens today, has created four different themed lands that captivate the imagination and offer a wide array of thrills for park enthusiasts: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon Isle of Berk, and Dark Universe. That count jumps to five if you count Celestial Park, the hub of Epic Universe, with several restaurants and two big rides of its own. The park is massive financially as well. Universal spent an estimated $6 to $7 billion to create the theme park. Dr. Sean Snaith, director of the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Economic Forecasting, estimates it will generate $2 billion for the state of Florida in its first year and create more than 17,500 jobs in year one. Comcast, the parent company of NBCUniversal, saw the division’s theme park revenue drop in the first quarter of 2025 due to the L.A. wildfires. But the company expects to see a big boost from the new Orlando park. A one-day adult ticket runs $139, while children will pay $135 for a single-day pass. (Florida residents do not currently get a discount.) Each of the lands in Epic Universe is painstakingly detailed, creating several different incredibly immersive experiences. But the grandeur of Epic Universe comes at a cost: Crowds.  If you’re planning on going anytime soon, be prepared to wait. Some lines in previews of the park were more than five hours long—and they’re likely to be longer at times in the opening months. If you opt to wait until the lines are shorter (and don’t want to spend an extra $140 for an express pass) or simply are looking for something to do besides shop and eat in your downtime, the park’s developers have included a slew of Easter eggs—little details and hidden secrets that make the experience even more fun. Here are some to keep an eye out for. Super Nintendo World [Photo: Universal Studios] Learn the secret drink at Dark Universe Head to the DR. H. Jekyll Apotheker in Darkmoor (the village within the Dark Universe portal) and listen closely. You’ll hear Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde arguing. Stick around and you’ll learn the name of an off-the-menu drink, which you can order at the Burning Blade Tavern. Find a key piece of Harry Potter lore If you’re willing to shell out $85, you can buy an interactive wand to cast “spells” at certain locations in Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which trigger effects. One of those in Epic Universe’s Ministry of Magic will reward you with a look at the Sorcerer’s Stone, which fans of the books might remember, was in Paris in the time frame of this land (set during the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them period). Look in the area of the Le Gobelet Noir restaurant. The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter – Ministry Of Magic at night [Photo: Universal Studios] Try a ride more than once If the lines aren’t too bad, it’s worth taking a second ride on several of the coasters, not just to get the adrenaline rush once again, but because the dialogue and soundtrack are often different on different tracks. Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, for instance, has different dialogue from the dragon trainer, depending on whether you choose the right or left track. Look for nods to other Universal franchises Stardust Racers is one of the best and most intense rides in Epic Universe. Located in Celestial Park, it’s not tied with any of the themed properties of the portals, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a link to a well-known franchise. On the back of the coaster, sharp-eyed fans will see a flux capacitor, the device that powered Doc Brown’s time machine in Back to the Future.  Maybe that’s what gives the coaster its three incredible bursts of speed through the course of the track. Not a fan of Back to the Future? The Curse of the Werewolf ride has a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it nod to the classic An American Werewolf in London film, with a replica of the iconic red jacket worn by David Naughton in the 1981 film hung in the barn you’ll zip through a time or two.  Hiccup’s Wing Gliders [Photo: Universal Studios] Study the bathroom details Bathrooms usually aren’t a lot of fun, especially at theme parks. But Epic Universe does things a bit differently. For instance, you’ll notice there aren’t a lot of mirrors in the Dark Universe (since Dracula doesn’t cast a reflection). And Super Nintendo World highlights the pipes, since Mario often uses warp pipes to transport through his world.

Chris Pratt and Charlie Day are expected to return as Mario and Luigi. Universal appears to have confirmed that the next Mario film will be titled Super Mario World. The title was included in a press release about upcoming movies, but apparently by mistake, since it was removed shortly after publication. The title first appeared in a press release about NBCUniversal’s upcoming content slate, listed as part of a selection of films scheduled to stream exclusively on NBC’s Peacock following their theatrical release. Within hours the post had been updated and “Super Mario World” removed, along with mentions of Shrek and Minions movies. The title makes some sense. The first film’s post-credit scene teased the arrival of Mario’s bright green dinosaur steed / friend Yoshi, who made his videogame debut in… Super Mario World, which launched on the SNES in 1990. It was the console’s most popular game, selling more than 20 million copies. The upcoming sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie was announced in March 2024, with a launch planned for April 3rd, 2026, and directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic returning to lead the production. A sequel came as no big surprise after the first film brought in over $1 billion worldwide. Nintendo took that as a green light to ramp up its entertainment efforts, with a live-action Legend of Zelda movie also in the works and due to release in March 2027.

World Premiere Wa-hoo! The sequel to the Super Mario Bros Movie gets a name, thanks to NBCUniversal prematurely pressing let’s a-go The name's since been scrubbed, likely after someone noticed and let out an ear-splitting Toad scream. Image credit: Nintendo/VG247 News by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on May 14, 2025 The upcoming sequel to 2023's Super Mario Bros. Movie looks to have accidentally had its name revealed early, thanks to NBCUniversal making a goof with a press release. The film will seemingly be going by Super Mario World, not to be confused with the classic 90s SNES game. We first learned that this sequel was coming in March last year, as Nintendo, Universal and co unsurprisingly decided to double down on the big hit. This year's Minecraft Movie has only further marked that call out as a no-brainer, as game adaptations continue to make huge bank at the box office. To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Now, as spotted by Wario64, NBCUniversal has put out a press release citing Super Mario World among a list of upcoming films from Universal Pictures and Illumination that will eventually be released on its Peacock streaming service. The reference to Mario was quickly scrubbed, pointing to it having been an error of some kind to chuck it in alongside the likes of Shrek, Minions, and Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale - all films that cater to the exact same audience (ok, maybe not). That'd be Shrek 5 and Minions 3, by the way, potentially suggesting Super Mario World might not be this sequel's final title, if it turns out the company only meant the Mario movie IP as a whole. To see this content please enable targeting cookies. That said, as folks have pointed out, Super Mario World could make perfect sense as the title if the SNES game and the events of the first Mario movie's post-credits scene offer clues here. Warning: Spoilers for The Super Mario Movie lie ahead. That post-credits scene offered a quick look at a polka-dotted egg starting to hatch - likely teasing a Yoshi debut. Super Mario World on the SNES marked Yoshi’s game debut in the long-running series that he's gone on to become a staple of as we've hopped, leaped, and jumped from the 90s to 2025. Plus, it'd also fit nicely with the latest edition of Mario Kart set to drop with the Switch 2 this summer being dubbed Mario Kart World. Accidental corporate synergy maybe, but hey. Wait! Will this next Mario movie have cinema-goers demanding that prices be dropped? Given the kind of theatre shenanigans the Minecraft Movie's spawned, who knows. While you wait to see if Super Mario World is confirmed as the sequel's name, make sure to check out our review of the first film.

We might have the name of the The Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel ahead of time after an NBCUniversal press release appeared to jump the gun.As spotted across the internet, NBCUniversal published a press release announcing its Upfront Showcase offerings, and in it mentioned Super Mario World as one of the upcoming films from Universal Pictures and Illumination that will eventually be released on its streaming service, Peacock.It didn’t take long for Universal to change the wording of the press release to remove all mention of Mario entirely.It’s worth noting that the original paragraph in the NBCUniversal press release referred to “Super Mario World, Shrek, and Minions." We know Shrek and Minions are Shrek 5 and Minions 3, which perhaps means NBCUniversal did not list the correct final title of the Mario movie sequel either, instead a potential umbrella term. That is to say, the next Shrek movie is not simply called Shrek, and the next Minions movie is not simply called Minions.PlayHowever, Super Mario World is a more specific title than a simple Super Mario or Super Mario Bros., so it’s worth speculating based on it being correct. And indeed, Super Mario World as the title of the next Mario movie would make a lot of sense.Warning! Spoilers for The Super Mario Bors. Movie follow:The Super Mario Bros. Movie post-credits scene gave us a glimpse of a character who’s almost certainly going to play a big part in the next movie. We return to the underground sewer system of the real world and see a quick glimpse of a polka-dotted egg. That egg is starting to hatch, and we know who’s inside: Mario’s faithful dinosaur companion Yoshi. The Super Mario Bros. Movie is teeing up Yoshi in basically the same way the first Sonic the Hedgehog teased the debut of Tails.Fans of the Mario video games will know 1990 SNES platformer masterpiece Super Mario World marked Yoshi’s video game debut. Perhaps ‘The Super Mario World Movie’ will do the same in the movie adaptation franchise.According to the lore in Super Mario World (what little there is), Bowser magically trapped the Yoshis in eggs, leaving Mario to find and free them over the course of the game. The Yoshi we see in the post-credits scene could be part of one of Bowser’s schemes. Maybe the Koopa King has a contingency plan in case he’s defeated?The Super Mario Bros. Movie arrived in 2023 and was a smash hit for Nintendo, pulling in $1.36 billion worldwide. This quickly led to the announcement of a second film, but outside an April 3, 2026 release date, practically nothing is known about it.In our 8/10 review of the first film, IGN said: "The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a fireball of animated fantasy, overcoming a Paper Mario-thin plot with undeniable charm and energy."Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Next Super Mario movie title quietly announced then quickly removed by NBCUniversal Blooper reel. Image credit: Eurogamer News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on May 14, 2025 We're now less than a year away from NBCUniversal's next Mario movie, but almost nothing's been revealed about the sequel so far beyond a release date. We might, however, finally have a name to go with that limited information, thanks to a hastily deleted official leak. In a press release shared overnight, NBCUniversal detailed a few of its key movie, TV, and streaming releases for 2025 and 2026. On the film front, these included the likes of Wicked: For Good, Five Nights at Freddy's 2, plus more Shrek and Minions - and, most notable for the purposes of this story, a little something called Super Mario World. It appeared to be quiet confirmation that a name for NBCUniversal's Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel has now been settled upon; one immediately conjuring visions of an adventure set beyond the familiar confines of the Mushroom Kingdom while also giving grown-ups of a certain age a little blast of nostalgia as memories of the 1990 Super Nintendo classic resurface. A reminder of the original Super Mario Bros. Movie from 2023.Watch on YouTube However, no sooner did NBCUniversal give, it tooketh away, quickly scrubbing all mention of Super Mario World from its press release. Presumably, an irate Miyamoto had hightailed it to the doorstep of the NBCUniversal boss' house, steam blasting from his ears and a tea table held aloft in his shaking palms. If Super Mario World is the new movie's name, it's likely Nintendo will be wanting to reveal that itself in a special Direct, much like it did last time. Here's NBCUniversal's statement before it was snipped. | Image credit: NBCUniversal Whatever it ends up being called, the second animated Super Mario Bros. movie is currently set to hit US cinemas on 3rd April, with a Japanese release scheduled for 24th April and all other territories likely somewhere in-between. And if it's anything like its breezy but entertaining predecessor, expect plenty of bums on seats and more smashed box office records. To date, the original has generated over $1.36bn, making it the highest grossing film based on a video game of all time - although this year's Minecraft movie is closing in fast.

A little over a year ago, Nintendo, Universal Pictures, and Illumination announced, surprising no one, that they were following up on the stupendous success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie with a sequel that was due out in 2026. Details on the movie have been scarce since then, but a crucial tidbit has seemingly now emerged. On the official NBC Universal website, a report was published highlighting the lineup of titles shown off at the recent NBCUniversal’s 2025-2026 Upfront showcase event, and mentioned among several upcoming movies is Super Mario World. In case you were wondering, no, that isn’t a title that has been officially confirmed for the animated film so far. “An exciting range of films from Universal Pictures, Focus Features, DreamWorks Animation and Illumination were presented, including Megan 2.0, Nobody 2, Bad Guys 2, How to Train Your Dragon, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, Black Phone 2, HIM, The Phoenician Scheme, Super Mario World, Shrek, and Minions,” the website reads. In October last year, actor Keegan-Michael Key, the voice of Toad in the Mario movies, said of the sequel that it will be “a little broader in scope” and that it will “widen out the universe.” A title such as Super Mario World would certainly fit with that kind kind of scope, while it would, of course, also be a great way to exploit the nostalgia of fans of the beloved SNES 2D platforming classic of the same name. For now, we’re going to have to wait for official word on what the next Mario movie will be called and what it’ll bring to the table, but hopefully the wait won’t be too long. Stay tuned for more updates.

Theoretically, Suits LA had a lot of things going for it. It was released on the heels of Suits’ Netflix renaissance, it came from the same creator as the original series, Aaron Korsh, and even promised the return of fan-favorite original characters like Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) and Louis Litt (Rick Hoffman). But unfortunately, none of those were quite enough to make Suits LA worth the watch. And viewers concurred, with NBC canceling the show after one season. To start, Suits LA just doesn’t have as compelling of a hook as its predecessor. The inciting incident in Suits involves Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) being hired by Harvey Specter to the prestigious Pearson Hardman law firm, despite the fact that he doesn’t have a law degree. We spend the entire first season wondering if Mike and Harvey’s ruse will be discovered all the while watching Mike outperform his peers who actually went to Harvard law. Now the first season of Suits is by no means perfect, but it has enough of a draw to keep us watching. Aside from the gripping premise, the characters have phenomenal chemistry – it’s not hard to believe that many of them have worked together for years. In Suits LA, on the other hand, the series begins with an unexpected betrayal between law partners Ted Black (Stephen Amell) and Stuart Lane (Josh McDermitt). Lane shuts Black out of a merger with another law firm, and essentially leaves him to fend for himself. It’s an interesting idea, and certainly a shocking way to begin the series, but with very little context of who these people are and why we should care about them, the betrayal ultimately falls flat. Suits has done this kind of thing multiple times. Pearson Hardman goes through a number of mergers and restructurings throughout the series’ nine seasons. But the series does so once we’re familiar enough with these characters to recognize the stakes. The underhanded deals and betrayals hit harder because we know what they have to gain and lose. The characters of Suits LA also fail to match the level of chemistry the original cast had. Even though there were plenty of characters in Suits who didn’t get along, they still had a compelling rapport with each other. In Suits LA, it just feels like everybody hates each other, but not in any way that’s remotely interesting. Erica (Lex Scott Davis) essentially gets mad at Leah (Alice Lee) for having work boundaries just because she doesn’t know how to say no herself. Guest stars Patton Oswalt and Brian Baumgartner have beef not once, but twice in a season for some reason. Ted and Stuart have a somewhat similar relationship to Harvey and Louis – Stuart feels like Ted constantly belittles his skills but also considers Ted to be his best friend and like a brother to him. But despite the fact that the series brings in both Harvey and Louis to try and get that idea through to us, Ted and Stuart still can’t escape their shadow. Bringing Harvey and Louis into Suits LA reminds us how good we had it with the original series, and that no matter how hard this show tries it just can’t capture that same magic. “There can be many, many reasons why [Suits LA isn’t resonating], people are speculating why it hasn’t resonated, but it’s just not really showing the potential to grow for us in the future, unfortunately,” Jeff Bader, the president of program planning strategy at NBCUniversal Entertainment told reporters after the show’s cancellation. “We had to look at the performance of the shows, both on linear and on digital. We had to see the ones that looked like they had growth potential in the future.” It is a shame that TV shows don’t have as much room to grow as they once did. Who’s to say that Suits LA wouldn’t have found its stride in a second season as so many other network shows have before? But at the same time, the show should have been able to stand on its own. Its ties to Suits should be enough to bring fans in, but it’s up to the show itself and its new characters to keep them tuning in.  It seems pretty clear now that not even bringing back fan favorite characters was enough to give Suits LA the viewership numbers it needed to keep up with its predecessor nor was it enough to make the series worth tuning into. Watching Harvey and Louis interact with these characters just reminds how good we had it, and how badly Suits LA missed the mark.