Michael Christopher Jelenic (born May 12, 1977, in Los Angeles) is an American animator, screenwriter, producer, and director. Together with Aaron Horvath, he co-created the Cartoon Network series Teen Titans Go! (2013-present) and co-directed both Illumination/Nintendo Mario films - The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) - the first of which grossed over $1.36 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing video game adaptation ever made.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which Jelenic co-directed with Aaron Horvath, was released in cinemas on April 1, 2026, and as the first film of the year, it crossed the billion-dollar mark.
The world premiere of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie took place on March 28, 2026, at the historic Minami-za theater in Kyoto.
During Nintendo Direct in September 2025, the title of the sequel was officially revealed - The Super Mario Galaxy Movie - along with a teaser trailer.
The series Teen Titans Go!, which Jelenic co-created, celebrated its 400th episode on Cartoon Network in November 2024.
Illumination and Nintendo announced in March 2024 the production of a sequel to the Super Mario films with Horvath and Jelenic once again in the director's chairs.
