This year, audiences will be treated to Mario on the big screen in the form of an animated feature film. Despite its announced December 2022 release, the movie still doesn’t have an official title. Even though we know very little about the movie, people are curious and there’s already a lot of hype surrounding it. The casting of actors like Chris Pratt and Charlie Day as Mario and Luigi seem like some weird choices, but based on Illuminations other projects, such as Despicable Me, Sing, and The Secret Life of Pets, there are very good odds that this won’t be the only Mario movie we’ll be getting.
However, could Nintendo and Illumination be setting up for something bigger? Perhaps a full blown franchise of films? But more importantly, SHOULD Illumination start the Nintendo Cinematic Universe?
In theory, this would be awesome. Seeing films based on Metroid, The Legend of Zelda, StarFox, or even Earthbound sounds great! It would be even more exciting to see an Avengers-style Super Smash Bros. movie. This could lead to crossovers, and a new franchise of films to be excited about.
On the other hand, these movies might follow the path of Marvel. While the comics were the foundation of the stories, the movies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have become the definitive ideas of these characters. While the comics have been popular, it’s impossible to think of characters like Iron Man without thinking about Robert Downey Jr. If we get a franchise of Nintendo movies, this might cause people to think of the likes of Chris Pratt and Charlie Day instead of Mario and Luigi.
Personally, I’d love to see a Nintendo Cinematic Universe, but I don’t think Illumination is the company I would want to run it. Looking at their movies like The Lorax or Minions, I don’t think it’s possible for the same company to make a Legend of Zelda or Metroid movie that can capture the tone and themes of the respective games. I’m not sure if there is truly is a company that could capture such a wide range of games on the big screen.
What do you think? Should Nintendo and Illumination join forces to create the Nintendo Cinematic Universe? Or should these games be left alone on the consoles where they belong? Let us know in the comments, or join the Boss Rush Discord!
Image Source: My Nintendo News