An Iconic Super Mario Bros. Character Is Getting His Own Movie After Major Development

Two years after The Super Mario Bros. Movie was released and became one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time, Universal may have subtly announced that another project in this beloved Nintendo universe is on the way. The original movie premiered in 2023 and introduced audiences to Mario (Chris Pratt), Luigi (Charlie Day), and countless supporting characters from the Mushroom Kingdom.

With updates on The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 being unfortunately sparse, it seems like Universal Pictures may be focusing its attention elsewhere to expand this universe in a different direction. The studio recently acquired the film copyright for an unтιтled Donkey Kong movie, which could be the first of several spinoffs in Nintendo’s budding movie franchise (via publicrecords.copyright.gov).

What The Donkey Kong Copyright Means For The Super Mario Franchise

Donkey Kong May Be The Beginning Of A Large Franchise

While this isn’t an official confirmation that a Donkey Kong movie is coming any time soon, the studio’s decision to purchase the copyright is a clear indicator of its intentions for the Super Mario franchise. This spinoff project has been highly speculated among fans ever since the character’s introduction in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, where he is voiced by Seth Rogen.

With Donkey Kong Bonanza releasing on the Nintendo Switch 2 in just a few weeks, it definitely seems like Universal has found the perfect window to get this project underway. The Super Mario Bros. Movie clearly sets up multiple spinoffs, and Donkey Kong was always an obvious candidate thanks to his scene-stealing appearances in the 2023 movie and Rogen’s hilarious performance.

Thankfully, Donkey Kong probably won’t be the only spinoff that sees the light of day in this video game franchise. Given the immense success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, it would make sense for Nintendo and Universal to make as many of these projects as possible; characters like Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), Daisy, Yoshi, and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) are all potential leads for further spinoffs.

Our Take On A Donkey Kong Movie

Donkey Kong Is A Great Start For Super Mario Spinoffs

By officially purchasing the rights to a Donkey Kong movie, Universal Studios has proven that it has its priorities in the right place for the Super Mario franchise. While Mario and Luigi are brilliant protagonists who can easily draw in huge audiences, the real magic of this series is the supporting characters.

While the reveal of a Donkey Kong spinoff is exciting in and of itself, what’s most interesting about this news is the possibility of a universe stemming from The Super Mario Bros. Movie coming to fruition. This was always very possible following the box office success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, but the confirmation of Universal’s acquisition proves the company is taking steps in the right direction.