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Nintendo Is Making An Animated Super Mario Bros. Movie, Says Report (gizmodo.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the in-the-pipeline dept.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Nintendo has made a deal with Illumination Entertainment -- the animation studio that makes the Despicable Me movies -- to make an animated Super Mario Bros. movie. The film is currently in "early development," but the report comes as a surprise given how protective Nintendo is of their intellectual properties. Gizmodo reports: According to the report, the companies have been in negotiations for a year and the fact Universal (which finances and distributes Illumination's movie) has partnered with Nintendo for several theme parks was helpful. Right now, the deal is one for one movie, but there is potential for more. Of course, Nintendo is almost laughably protective of their intellectual properties, especially after the disastrous 1993 live action Super Mario Bros. movie. They've made Pokemon movies but, beyond that, rumors of movies based on Mario and The Legend of Zelda have been around for years. This is the vide game company's first big move forward in a long time, and the implications are extremely significant.

51 of 71 comments (clear)

  1. there goes the neighborhood by giggles778 · · Score: 1

    as if there wasn't enough rule 34 to choke a sperm whale

    1. Re:there goes the neighborhood by TWX · · Score: 3, Funny

      as if there wasn't enough rule 34 to choke a sperm whale

      Funny enough, I believe there's rule 34 of that too, making for one of the most disturbing recursions imaginable.

      --
      Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
    2. Re:there goes the neighborhood by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Well excuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuse me, Princess!!

    3. Re:there goes the neighborhood by giggles778 · · Score: 1

      rule 34-ception in an infinite loop

    4. Re:there goes the neighborhood by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      What do you mean? Princess peach or princess Daisy?

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    5. Re:there goes the neighborhood by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      I prefer Pauline, the O.G. princess and Mario love interest. Current mayor new New Donk City, and a talented singer.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    6. Re:there goes the neighborhood by PincushionMan · · Score: 1

      I've seen those. Those Super Mario episodes (The Super Mario Bros Super Show) must have been extremely low budget. Usually, there would be a pretty bad live action segment followed by a terrible cartoon. To be fair, most Saturday morning cartoons were terrible - maybe as an incentive to get kids outside? Anyway, the to give TSMBSS mass-market appeal, the cartoon segment has a rap intro. When the credits rolled, it featured the live-action Mario (a sort-of-Italian white guy) rapping and 'dancing' while the credits rolled. You just have to see it

      As for the Zelda cartoon - no rap intro, just narration. It is obvious one of the writers was a huge fan of Steve Martin, and tried to transfer some of Steve's stage persona to Link. Link doesn't pull it off - at all. He comes off as a whiny entitled punk seeking a kiss from Zelda. The entitled part might be why is isn't getting any. Maybe they should've gone with the Rodney Dangerfield "I get no respect" line instead?

      • OT: Good Saturday morning cartoons

      Mighty Orbots - Saturday morning sentai-type Japanese animation (small team, combining robots, etc). Single 1/2 season, 13 episodes (includes ending). Only aired for about six months. Production halted by a lawsuit from Tonka (GoBots). Not widely available.

      Gummi Bears (Disney's Adventures of the) - Since this is from the 80s, it's likely locked in Disney's vault

      Thundarr the Barbarian - futuristic fantasy. Like Conan, but set in the future. A princess/sorcerer and a Mok (a Wookie) are his companions.

      The Littles - may as well call it the MacGuyvers. They could build anything out of cardboard, rubber bands and buttons. Including aircraft.

      Muppet Babies - every episode was different, but the better ones were movie themed versions where the muppets would act out various roles. Idea for it came from the movie "The Muppets Take Manhattan"

      Smurfs - little blue dudes from a magical forest. I preferred the original narration intro over the shortened doom & gloom intro.

      Fat Albert - This taught kids the dangers of urban life, and is still somewhat relevant today. Some of the stereotypes are not-so-nice, and we've recently discovered that the main star was into helpless women, and therefore you'll likely never see this show anywhere.

    7. Re:there goes the neighborhood by Jason+Levine · · Score: 1

      I grew up watching the Super Mario Brothers Super Show. My boys recently found it on Netflix and loved it. I, meanwhile, cringed at how corny it was. Some things you should just let stay as nice memories and not revisit as an adult.

      Also, Luigi gets shortchanged as usual. In the introduction, the plumbers are sucked down the pipe into Mushroom Land. There, they roll up to Bowser and his Koopas. Luigi is the one who knocks out all of the guards. (Bowser jumps off a cliff to escape.) However, Mario gets all the credit. Sure, it was by accident, but Luigi was the one who took out the guards, not Mario.

      --
      My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
    8. Re:there goes the neighborhood by Rakarra · · Score: 1

      Gummi Bears (Disney's Adventures of the) - Since this is from the 80s, it's likely locked in Disney's vault

      I see it currently available on DVD on Amazon.

      Smurfs - little blue dudes from a magical forest. I preferred the original narration intro over the shortened doom & gloom intro.

      I liked the UNICEF Smurf promo, made with permission of Peyo's estate. Now why couldn't they have THAT in the live-action movie?

      I've seen those. Those Super Mario episodes (The Super Mario Bros Super Show) must have been extremely low budget. Usually, there would be a pretty bad live action segment followed by a terrible cartoon.

      I have a fondness for ol' wrestler Lou Albano as Mario. The live-action segments were pretty terrible, showing Mario and Luigi's home life. I still remember when Madonna was the guest star of the live action segment and she was pretty shamelessly trying to sleep with both of them. Even when I was 12 I knew that was pretty damned inappropriate.

    9. Re:there goes the neighborhood by PincushionMan · · Score: 1

      I have a fondness for ol' wrestler Lou Albano as Mario. The live-action segments were pretty terrible, showing Mario and Luigi's home life. I still remember when Madonna was the guest star of the live action segment and she was pretty shamelessly trying to sleep with both of them. Even when I was 12 I knew that was pretty damned inappropriate.

      That's cool. I must admit I'm now curious about that episode.

      I liked the UNICEF Smurf promo [youtube.com], made with permission of Peyo's estate. Now why couldn't they have THAT in the live-action movie?

      That's really quite disturbing. What's more disturbing is that they didn't have to doctor the standard Smurf footage all that much to do it. As for the live-action Smurfs - yeah - that's one of those things you either don't watch, or just watch once and say, "That was absolutely terrible. *poof* I wish they'd make a live-action Smurf movie. And while I'm wishing, a sequel to the Matrix would be nice, too."

      I see [Disney Gummi Bears] currently available on DVD on Amazon.

      Great, thanks!

    10. Re:there goes the neighborhood by Rakarra · · Score: 1

      And while I'm wishing, a sequel to the Matrix would be nice, too.

      I kindof liked the Matrix Reloaded. Well, ok, I liked "parts" of the Matrix Reloaded.
      I liked the Architect, even if it was a very wordy scene. It was interesting wordiness.
      I liked the freeway fight.
      I liked the questions posed by the ending.

      Unfortunately, the third movie undid some of the things I liked about the second movie.
      The machine motives were less interesting.
      The big reveal at the end of the second movie (is the "real world" also the Matrix? Is it another layer? Is the Matrix like an onion?) is quickly undone in the third movie (no, Neo just has powers in the real world too. Because. BORING).
      Most of the action in the huge Zion climax takes place with characters we don't know and don't care about.

      I think a good 30-45 minutes should have been edited out of the Matrix Reloaded and then it could have been a good movie. The stupid Zion rave.. most scenes in Zion, actually. The bad fight between Neo and a thousand Agent Smiths, much of the action in the Matrix movies is not good enough to suspend disbelief. Like Star Wars, it's overchoreographed and feels unnatural. The only fight scene that I thought was pretty good was the one that took place in the real world between Neo and the Smith-possessed guy.

  2. Hope it's better than the last one... by TWX · · Score: 1

    ...as the last one tried to kill Bob Hoskins.

    --
    Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
    1. Re:Hope it's better than the last one... by Talderas · · Score: 1

      It can't possibly be worse. Mario wouldn't even jump in that movie.

      --
      "Lack of speed can be overcome. In the worst case by patience." --Znork
    2. Re:Hope it's better than the last one... by TWX · · Score: 2

      Yeah, I loved that line from Honest Trailers, something to the effect of, "Jump! It's like, the only thing you do!"

      --
      Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
  3. They've already made one by HalAtWork · · Score: 1

    There have already been animated Mario features such as this one:

    https://www.mariowiki.com/Supe...!

    Nintendo was right to protect their franchises after the North American live movie as well as the Philips CDi Mario and Zelda games. They do partner with others on games such as Mario + Rabbids, but they have more oversight and communicate often. That seems fair.

    --
    Twinstiq, game news
  4. Re:Is it a porno by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    and when it turns out to be crap they can say we did say it's about plumbers so no refunds.

  5. Aiming low by Opportunist · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You know, most movies today are remakes, rehashes or reboots. And they suffer from one fatal flaw: They have to stand against a timeless classic, a masterpiece that has entertained generations before, that people remember fondly and that even draws a lot of viewers whenever a rerun is shown on TV. Why? Because you only make remakes and reboots of successful movies.

    This movie, though, will have to stand against this.

    And 2 hours of Mario jumping and saying "Itsa me, Mario!" would beat that in story, credibility, faithfulness to the original material, acting and general entertainment.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    1. Re:Aiming low by bluefoxlucid · · Score: 1

      Psh, that movie was awesome. The guy who played President Koopa did an amazing job, and pretty much all of the acting was dead on. It had enough comic relief and memorable moments to turn it into a timeless classic.

      "Hey, can you do that again? The way your knuckles smashed into my face?" "............ dance with me."

      A lot of unexplained stuff (how the heck did they know about the parallel dimension? I guess they had the whole meteor to begin with and could pass through) and it didn't hold true to source at all, but it was a great movie.

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      Support my political activism on Patreon.
    2. Re:Aiming low by Rakarra · · Score: 1

      The Mario movie was terrible, but there was a good reason. The filmmakers went for a grittier, darker tone (think Tim Burton's Batman) and it focused on family -- Mario's relationship with Luigi. Just a few weeks before filming, the studio stepped in a demanded an entire new script. The new script was extremely half-baked and not what the filmmakers or actors originally signed on to do. The sets were already made, and it feels like there's a total disconnect between the surroundings and the actors, because the sets were designed for a different movie.

      Bob Hoskins says it's the worst thing he ever did, he hated working in the movie, and the whole thing was a nightmare. Leguizamo said that the studio pushed for a family-friendly film while the directors wanted something more adult. He and Hoskins were frequently drunk on set to get through it, knowing the film was going to be bad. Dennis Hopper (Koopa) also mentioned it being a nightmare, with the directors both being control freaks who wouldn't talk before making decisions. His 5 weeks scheduled turned into 17 weeks.

    3. Re:Aiming low by bluefoxlucid · · Score: 1

      I liked how the movie turned out. It's kind of silly and comical, and it's baked into this darker and edgier atmosphere. The juxtaposition isn't awkward, and the acting really is excellent. They managed to work through the ham-fisted stuff better than a lot of modern crap that just doesn't fit together at all: a few scenes are jarring, but nothing screams "discontinuity" too badly.

      --
      Support my political activism on Patreon.
  6. I want Zelda by XXongo · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Skip Mario-- I want the Legend of Zelda movie!

    1. Re:I want Zelda by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 3, Interesting

      What would really kick ass, if done correctly, is a Metroid movie trilogy. Samus is not a D-cup bimbo hero so I hope they pick accordingly.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    2. Re:I want Zelda by Rei · · Score: 1

      Metroid was really groundbreaking in the fact that not only was the main character female (extremely rare at that time), but that they let you get through the entire game before revealing this fact. The series also had a rather quiet, solemn atmosphere for what was otherwise a scrolling platformer - something that would probably translate well to the screen. The problem with turning video games to movies is flushing out the characters. We know what Samus *does* in the game, who the antagonists are, etc. But who is she as a person? Without filling that in, you just get a one-dimensional action movie.

      --
      The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not âEureka!â(TM), but
    3. Re:I want Zelda by jandrese · · Score: 1

      On the other hand, the last time they went story heavy with a Metroid title we got The Other M" and a whole lot of Samus Daddy Issues.

      --

      I read the internet for the articles.
    4. Re:I want Zelda by Hydrian · · Score: 1

      I agree Metroid could be good in the right hands. The only director I could see doing this well is Ridley Scott. He knows how to get the atmosphere of the movie right and the obviously the creatures.

      As for as actresses playing Samus, the actress that first pops into my my head is Scarlett Johansson. She knows the action movie genre and has a good look for the part. Also she understands how to physically talk with her moments in a low dialogue movie.

      --
      No good deed goes unpunished.
    5. Re:I want Zelda by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      But who is she as a person? Without filling that in, you just get a one-dimensional action movie.

      Which sadly is enough for at least 5 Transformers movies.

      Nintendo could do a Pixar with this one. Mario is the most family friendly character in gaming... When Peach invites him over to eat some cake, they really do just eat some cake.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    6. Re:I want Zelda by Rei · · Score: 1

      Yeah, she would be good as Samus. I have trouble with the "pick an actor/actress for a role" things because my mind immediately jumps to "who would be the worst person to cast for the role. Rosie O'Donnell! Dame Judy Dench! Paris Hilton! Snooki! Once I start thinking down that route, all serious possibilities disappear ;)

      --
      The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not âEureka!â(TM), but
    7. Re:I want Zelda by pak9rabid · · Score: 1

      Man, I've been saying this for years. I'd love to see this done, if like you said, was done correctly.

    8. Re:I want Zelda by Rei · · Score: 1

      Oh, and as for the atmosphere, I picture something sort of like "Avatar meets Alien". Aka, really inventive with the alien landscapes and creatures in a way that feels like a natural, integrated whole - but instead of Avatar's "Ferngully"-style motif on top of it, having that a grimy cyberpunk feel. Less "in harmony with the mother goddess", more "nature red in tooth and claw", integrated in with advanced but decrepit spacecraft, weaponry and facilities. Hmm... you know, the feel of "Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex" would work really well... take out the teeming megacities and replace them with a lonely, "alien outpost on a hostile world" setting, and I think you've got the atmosphere right.

      --
      The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not âEureka!â(TM), but
    9. Re:I want Zelda by Jason+Levine · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Forget a Legend of Zelda movie. How about an animated Legend of Zelda series on Netflix? Have the story arc planned out and start Link from plucky farm boy "chosen one" to his quest to save Zelda. You can flesh the story out and take your time with it more than a movie ever could. (I'm thinking something like the current Voltron reboot on Netflix.)

      --
      My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
    10. Re:I want Zelda by micahraleigh · · Score: 1

      You mean the Alien franchise?

    11. Re:I want Zelda by brewthatistrue · · Score: 1

      > The only director I could see doing this well is Ridley Scott.

      >...

      > As for as actresses playing Samus, the actress that first pops into my my head is Scarlett Johansson.

      I was thinking Sigourney Weaver.

    12. Re:I want Zelda by antdude · · Score: 1

      "Excuse me, Princess." from the 80s.

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
    13. Re:I want Zelda by Rei · · Score: 1

      I think one can safely write that one out of the canon ;)

      I'm thinking something that covers the timeperiod starting most of the way through Metroid 2, ending at the end of Super Metroid. Because then you start with someone who's a stone-cold killer and loner, somewhere between a warrior monk and a special forces sniper. But then you humanize her as she bonds with the metroid hatchling - only to have it die in the end.

      You'd still have to incorporate other characters, mind you - I don't think "A girl and her metroid, plus two hours of killing baddies" stands up as a plotline. But unlike Other M's having her as a submissive person reliant on others, her character is to reject what others are doing - even if they're working toward the same goal - and go off on her own. You might have two teams raiding Zebes at the same time, but it's the *other* team that's going to need to randomly saved by her showing up and pulling some River Tam-style stuff, then ditching them again once the "situation" is resolved.

      My mental image of Zebes is a world crawling with life, all of it hostile down to the plants and smallest creatures (even things that pose no threat to Samus's suit). I picture her meditating when not on the move - and willing to remain still for hours while things crawl across her suit, plant tendrils slowly wrap their way around her, etc, just to line up the perfect shot. But then when things heat up, pulling the aforementioned "River Tam" style action (but heavier on advanced ranged weaponry involved, of course!).

      There's a question of how to do the metroids right. Because they're sort of ethereal, sort of not - and you don't want any cheesiness like the spirits in Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. Maybe something that sort of floats (lofted as if from plasma propulsion? or more buoyant?), with a skin resembling a cold streaming plasma moving around an inner core, which can stream into and out of other beings to feed, spreading like a fungus's tendrils (almost slime mold-like). Still tangible, tactile, but not... "normal". Maybe almost feeding sort of like a gorgon worm. And I can picture Samus as the sort of person who would quietly let the baby feed on her (say, an arm) with a sort of "cold but motherly" attitude about it.

      --
      The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not âEureka!â(TM), but
    14. Re:I want Zelda by Hydrian · · Score: 1

      I think she'd be a good person for the part if she was younger. I'm not talking in a hollywood sense. I'm talking that she nearly 70 and her being an active bounty hunter seems a bit off which Samus is not. If they wanted to use Sigourney for a middle-aged veteran bounty hunter, I'm all for it. I just don't think she a slam dunk for the Samus part.

      --
      No good deed goes unpunished.
    15. Re:I want Zelda by brewthatistrue · · Score: 1

      You are right.

      I was mostly riffing on the irony of having the directory and cast from Alien in the movie version of a game that ripped off Alien.

      http://metroid.wikia.com/wiki/...

  7. Re:TV animated series and movie by giggles778 · · Score: 1

    "The quest for more money" did mel brooks not teach us anything?

  8. Make more GAMES. Ship more CONSOLES. by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 1

    Video game movies suck. Worse than that, they distract Nintendo from doing the two things people actually want: ship MORE GAMES for your existing consoles (currently the Wii U and the Switch) and ship MORE CLASSIC CONSOLES from when the good old days when Nintendo and it's licensees did ship a lot of games.

  9. Re:TV animated series and movie by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

    He should listen to himself.

    I'm still waiting for Spaceballs Zero: The Prequel which would be a parody of SW episodes 1 to 3.

    Then again how can you make a parody of something like Jar Jar Binks, it's already a huge joke.

    --
    #DeleteFacebook
  10. always a catc [Re:I want Zelda] by XXongo · · Score: 1

    What would really kick ass, if done correctly...

    Yeah-- there's always a catch, isn't there.

  11. Re:Is it a porno by Rei · · Score: 1

    I can see the plot now....

    --
    The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not âEureka!â(TM), but
  12. Re:TV animated series and movie by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    The better question is whether you can make a Jar Jar parody that's even more racist than the original.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  13. Re:Anime Style by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    So... basically yet another Final Fantasy movie just without swords that are larger than the characters?

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  14. Re:Make more GAMES. Ship more CONSOLES. by Baron_Yam · · Score: 2

    >Video game movies suck.

    Mortal Kombat (I) was excellent. Not Oscar-worthy, for sure, but so far above the standard for the genre I have to wonder why they did it (but I'm glad they did). Tomb Raider wasn't bad, either. I like Street Fighter, but I'll grant you that other than Raul's performance it was crap. The Mario Brothers live action... I don't know what they were thinking.

    Video game-based movies are like any other movie... quality varies based on the source material, budget, and talent involved.

  15. Re:TV animated series and movie by Translation+Error · · Score: 1

    My guess is that the success of the Marvel movies made them reconsider the potential of movies based on other media.

    --
    When someone says, "Any fool can see ..." they're usually exactly right.
  16. I hope... by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 1

    ..they made lotsa spaghetti!

  17. Re:Make more GAMES. Ship more CONSOLES. by micahraleigh · · Score: 1

    Resident Evil

  18. Re:Make more GAMES. Ship more CONSOLES. by ausekilis · · Score: 1

    Video game-based movies are like any other movie... quality varies based on the source material, budget, and talent involved.

    Not just the source material, but adherence to the source material. The movie adaptations of games that make it are the ones that have a solid story to begin with.

    Mortal Kombat was good because they kept true to the games premise - a tournament on a remote island hosted by a crazy sorcerer bent on stealing souls. Tomb Raider actually felt a lot like "female Indiana Jones" which is more or less what the games are. As for Mario Bros: Goombas are not 7 feet tall and 300+ pounds, Bowser is reptilian, and the Mushroom Kingdom is not the neon slums of New York.

  19. Re:Who are the voice actors? by Rakarra · · Score: 1

    Bob Hoskins is dead, they'll have to settle for Ron Jeremy.

  20. Re:Who are the voice actors? by Merk42 · · Score: 1

    Mario: Charles Martinet
    Luigi: Charles Martinet
    Wario: Charles Martinet
    Waluigi: Charles Martinet

  21. Re:Make more GAMES. Ship more CONSOLES. by Merk42 · · Score: 1

    The people from Nintendo involved in this movie are the exact same people that are developers and also manufacturers?