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Nintendo’s fame goes way beyond video games—it is about to step into major filmmaking territory. Lately, the company took the classic set of characters for a spin on the big screen, attracting old-school fans and new fans alike. The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a big launch for Mario and friends in animation. Pokémon, already an established theatrical franchise, draws audiences all over the globe with every installment.
Barring a few exceptions, the creation of a bigger "Nintendo Cinematic Universe" is currently underway, which may allude to a possible expansion apart from Mario's Mushroom Kingdom.
Several projects are at present under development in the course of their joint ventures with Universal Pictures, while some others are considered to be stuck in limbo with official statements. A few movies will still have their path determined sometime down the road, as schedules and details have yet to be laid down.
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As that cinematic universe clock winds itself, fans will probably see some popular Nintendo franchises like Kirby getting adapted. This certainly means there will be more of these stories with recognizable characters who step out of their consoles and onto the big screen.
These upcoming Nintendo video game movies have fans excited
1) The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda movie is set to draw on the video game series for its blueprint, leaning into classic tales from “Ocarina of Time” and “Twilight Princess” for inspiration.
Production hasn’t been smooth sailing; the project has hit the brakes a few times while the team searched for the right cast. But now, two fresh faces are set to take on Hyrule: Benjamin Evan Ainsworth steps up as Link, with Bo Bragason playing Princess Zelda. The question of whether Zelda will tie into Nintendo’s wider movie plans is still hanging in the air, though the live-action format keeps crossovers with other franchises—like animated Mario—pretty unlikely.
The word is that The Legend of Zelda will take a slightly more grown-up approach to storytelling, digging deeper into the complexity of the games but still keeping young audiences in mind. May 7, 2027, for release gives plenty of breathing room from The Super Mario Bros.
Wes Ball, of Maze Runner and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes fame, is calling the shots. His track record with CGI and motion capture hints at some ambitious special effects in store for Link’s first live-action quest.
2) The Super Mario Bros. 2
The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 looks to bring Mario, Luigi, and the whole Mushroom Kingdom crew back for another round, following up Nintendo’s blockbuster hit from 2023. The original soared to the top of the box office, quickly joining the league of the highest-grossing movies ever.
Chris Pratt returns as Mario, joined by Charlie Day, Jack Black, and Anya Taylor-Joy, rounding out a voice cast that’s become instantly recognizable to moviegoers as well as gamers.
Details on the sequel are still mostly under wraps. Nintendo’s keeping story hints close, but the new chapter will drop fans into fresh corners of the video game universe—expect new characters and familiar worlds with every jump, block, and warp pipe. The first movie’s ending set up Yoshi’s arrival, and odds are strong he’ll take center stage this time, with plenty of classic Super Mario faces likely to pop up too.
Slated for an April 3, 2026, release, the sequel has been the subject of rumors—many point to the title Super Mario World as a nod to even bigger adventures ahead. But why the silence around updates? Chalk it up to Nintendo thinking big: a stitched-together cinematic universe, spinoffs, and solo quests waiting down the pipeline.
The 2023 SAG-AFTRA writers’ strike put development on pause, giving the studio extra space to plan out a connected future. So while no spinoffs are locked in yet, talk around what will happen after the Super Mario sequel has never been louder.
3) Detective Pikachu 2
After more than six years since the first film hit theaters, Detective Pikachu 2 is still on the books—just caught up in a serious case of delays. The sequel was officially given the go-ahead back in 2023, but updates since then have been scarce. COVID-19 setbacks and the Hollywood strikes of 2023 have thrown obstacles in the film’s path, stalling whatever head start the project had.
The most recent word came from Justice Smith, who starred in the original. As of January 2024, he admitted he’s still waiting by the phone. He told ScreenRant, “I know what was released online, but no one has called me. So I'm just waiting for that call.” Not exactly a sign of smooth sailing, but it doesn’t mean things aren’t brewing behind closed doors.
Production shakeups didn’t help the pace. Rob Letterman was in line to direct before stepping back; now, Jonathan Krisel is set to helm the sequel, with Chris Galletta joining as writer. The project feels uncertain, but the runaway success of the first movie—over $433 million worldwide—makes dropping the sequel unlikely. With so many new Pokémon, locations, and game nods waiting in the wings, Detective Pikachu 2 still holds plenty of cinematic potential for whenever it cracks the case.
4) Donkey Kong Movie
Nintendo and Universal have yet to go public with details, but recent copyright filings point to a Donkey Kong movie officially hitting the drawing board. Donkey Kong made a splashy entrance in The Super Mario Bros. Movie—voiced by Seth Rogen, with Diddy and Cranky Kong tagging along for the ride. That on-screen debut set the table for even more spinoffs, especially with The Super Mario Bros. Movie smashing box office records in 2023.
While there’s still radio silence on specific plot or game inspiration, options run deep. The movie could easily pick up threads from the animated Mario universe, or go off in new directions. Classic games like Tropical Freeze or Mario vs. Donkey Kong offer wild worlds and a playable cast just begging for a close-up.
Then there’s the newly minted Donkey Kong Bananza, already turning heads as a top-rated hit on the Nintendo Switch 2. With the game’s fresh take, quirky characters, and bold platforming, there’s plenty for the film to draw from if producers aim to catch that current Donkey Kong buzz.
Given how these characters cross paths everywhere—from arcade machines to red carpets—a Donkey Kong solo movie feels like the next logical chapter in Nintendo’s big-screen adventure.
5) Luigi's Mansion
The rumor mill for a Luigi's Mansion movie is gaining traction, and much to the excitement of fans, this would be the green-dressed brother's big-screen debut as the titular character. Even though the Japanese company has yet to announce anything about it, the general feeling is that the story will aim at the spooky, faintly playful atmosphere of the beloved haunted-mansion game series.
The captivating essence of the game lies in an equal blend of mildly scary ambiance with some quirky fun, and a film adaptation can aim to emulate just that. The movie could very well be a new route to extend the video game world to an even bigger audience, leveraging the rising appeal of Nintendo's cinematic universe.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is currently available to stream on Prime Video.
