Boss Rush Banter: How Far Should Nintendo Go With Mario Movies?

The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a massive box office success, bringing in $146 million domestically in it’s first opening weekend and totaling more than $900 million as of the time of writing. With Illumination’s track record, it’s a no-brainer that more movies are in the works for the future. The movie featured countless characters such as Luigi, Toad, Donkey Kong, and even the likes of Cranky Kong and Kamek. While a Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 seems like the most obvious sequel, how deep could this rabbit hole of Mario movies go?

The phrase “Cinematic Universe” has been thrown around for the last decade due to the popularity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Many other franchises have attempted to follow suit, such as the DC Extended Universe with films like Man of Steel and Justice League, and the MonsterVerse with Godzilla and King Kong: Skull Island. These “cinematic universes” share common characters while the different movies explore different themes and elements of their shared world. So how far could Nintendo take the Mario movies?

The “Mario Cinematic Universe,” or “MCU,” if you will. (Image Source: Nintendo)

First off, sequels. We’ll no doubt get a Super Mario Bros. Movie 2, and it’s only a matter of time before that’s confirmed. There are plenty of villains that could step up as the big bad, such as Wario, King Boo, or Bowser Jr. The return of Bowser is also a possibility. While the first movie seemed to pull inspirations from all sorts of Mario games, sequels could very well focus on more specific titles, such as Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Galaxy, or Super Mario Odyssey. If anything, we can expect some sort of sequel to the original movie is in store.

The next big idea is that of spin-off films. These movies usually take existing side characters and put them center stage for their own adventure. Charlie Day, the actor behind Luigi in the film, has expressed interest in a Luigi’s Mansion film, while Seth Rogen, the voice of Donkey Kong, has mentioned a possible Donkey Kong Country film. Many characters, such as Toad, Peach, or even character’s we haven’t even been introduced to like Wario, could definitely pull their own weight and have their own movie. Plus, these movies could easily tie in to some sort of “team up” movie.

*WarioWare’s* Jimmy T origin movie when? (Image Source: Nintendo)

One sincere hope that I have is that Nintendo doesn’t get carried away. Do I want a Legend of Zelda movie? Yes, but I think Nintendo should leave these properties disconnected. While the idea of a Super Smash Bros. movie sounds awesome, it would be really weird seeing a Legend of Zelda movie try to take itself seriously when Link also shows up and makes jokes with Mario and Donkey Kong.

What do you think? Do you think we should launch the “Nintendo Cinematic Universe?” Or should Illumination and Nintendo keep things grounded? What Nintendo property do you want to see adapted to the big screen? Let us know in a comment, or join the Boss Rush Discord and let us know!

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Featured Image: Nintendo

One thought on “Boss Rush Banter: How Far Should Nintendo Go With Mario Movies?”

James Bojaciuk says:

April 29, 2023 at 3:20 pm

I’d prefer if they keep it grounded. Limit the spin-offs, and keep movies from different franchises separate. One of the best things about the games is that every series is its own beast, free to go in different directions and appeal to different audiences. You also aren’t required to have played every entry in a series to understand the story. I’d be sad to see that disappear. Other cinematic universes have also flattened the tone and style of every entry to be the same or similar, to appeal to one market-tested audience, and I’d hate to see that happen.

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