'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' brings McDonald’s Happy Meal, new merch

"The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" is hitting theaters on Wednesday, April 1. And with the movie's release comes a ton of merch that fans can snag.

Mario represents one of the most successful franchises, not just in video games, but in pop culture. The plumber character made his first appearance in the 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong. (Back then, he was initially referred to as "Jumpman." He was renamed "Mario" because of his resemblance to Nintendo of America's warehouse landlord, whose first name was "Mario," according to History.com.)

"The Super Mario Galaxy Movie," which follows 2023's successful "The Super Mario Bros. Movie", features voice acting from Chris Pratt as Mario, Jack Black as Bowser, Charlie Day as Luigi, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Brie Larson as Rosalina, Donald Glover as Yoshi, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Issa Rae as Honey Queen and Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek.

Here's what to know about the wide variety of merch that is available for Mario fans.

'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' Happy Meal at McDonald's

McDonald's launched "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" Happy Meal on March 26. The meal will include one of 12 available toys, or posable clips, featuring one of the characters. "Clip Mario to your backpack, pin Princess Peach to your purse or let Yoshi dangle from your keyring – now's the perfect time to grab this season's must-have accessory," said an online news release from McDonald's.

'Super Mario Galaxy' record-breaking popcorn cauldron on sale April 1

The "world's smallest popcorn container" goes on sale Wednesday, April 1, at participating cinemas, including AMC Theatres.

Measuring 2.6 inches at its widest point, the tiny cauldron can hold anywhere between five and 11 kernels of popcorn, making it the "smallest functional popcorn vessel on record," according to Guinness.

In recent years, movie theaters have garnered attention for their wacky popcorn buckets, including the sandworm-like bucket for "Dune: Part Two," a disappearing illusion box for "Now You See Me: Now You Don't" and a baby sling carrier for "Despicable Me 4," worn on the chest.

"The miniature cauldron represents the latest example of the growing role of theatrical collectibles in creating immersive cinema experiences, giving audiences a unique way to celebrate the worlds and characters they love long after the credits roll," Illumination, Nintendo and Universal Products & Experiences said in a joint statement.

Per Illumination, Nintendo and Universal Products & Experiences, the collectible popcorn cauldron transforms the story element from the 2023 film "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" into a piece of theatrical memorabilia for fans.

Yoshi and Luma popcorn buckets will be released alongside Bowser's tiny cauldrons on April 1 to celebrate the release of the new film.

Celebrating the Super Mario Bros. franchise with other merch

When it comes to merch you can wear, there is plenty to choose from. Fervent and casual fans can outfit themselves from head to toe with Mario-related hats, caps, socks and even boxer briefs. On-the-go options include sling bags and crossbody bags.

Many of the new Mario-related products combine current styles with Y2K-era nostalgia. Some new exclusive products are available now on BoxLunch.com or in BoxLunch stores, while more products can be found at Amazon, GameStop, Hot Topic, Target and other major retailers nationwide.

“We’ve seen Super Mario merchandise continue to trend strongly with fans as excitement builds around the upcoming film," Jillian Wendt, vice president of marketing for BoxLunch and Her Universe stores, told USA TODAY in a statement. "Nostalgic gaming franchises like Mario resonate across generations, with longtime fans and new audiences alike looking for ways to celebrate the characters.”

In addition to Mario and Luigi cosplay-styled berets, you can find Mario and Luigi bucket hats, Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach beanies, dad hats sporting characters' iconography and a Princess Peach trucker hat. There's also a Princess Peach 4-Piece Treat Yourself Care Kit, including a scrunchie and headband.

Other ways to flaunt your love of the Mario franchise include a Bowser shell backpack and a Raccoon Red Mario Cosplay hat. Want to keep your fandom close? Opt for those boys boxer briefs.

“Our community is especially drawn to exclusive Super Mario collections that feel unique to BoxLunch," Wendt said. "Fans love discovering new designs and collectibles that bring their favorite characters into everyday style.”

Need a reason to shop? BoxLunch partners with Feeding America to donate one meal to local food banks for every $10 its customers spend in-store and online.

This new product line goes beyond the obvious. "We have Mario and we have Luigi, Bowser and we have Princess Peach, which obviously appeals to girls," Mayes said. But there's also products featuring lesser-known characters such as a Waluigi Mario Purple Cosplay hat, inspired by Luigi's archrival.

Working with retailers such as BoxLunch, "we can kind of target it up a bit," Mayes said. The collection is "just very rich and very deep."