Nintendo and Universal’s Illumination Entertainment are reportedly in talks for the development of an animated film based on the Super Mario franchise. The deal has still not been signed, but The Hollywood Reported has been able to confirm the negotiations between the two companies. For a better perspective on the importance of the deal, it’s worth remembering that Illumination is responsible for the multi-billion dollar franchise Despicable Me and its spin offs. In fact, the studio is currently working on ‘Minions 2.’
Super Mario Bros. already received an infamous Hollywood adaptation in 1993 that was panned by the critics and bombed at the box office. However, the circumstances surrounding this project would be radically different. For starters, it would be an animation film, which ensures a faithful representation of the characters in respect to their appearance in the videogames. Secondly, Universal has a more than proved record in making successful animated films, which makes them a perfect fit to propel the brand into Hollywood stardom.
This way, Nintendo continues with its impressive momentum on the back of recent hardware releases like Nintendo Switch and best selling games like Super Mario Odyssey. On the other hand, Hollywood is currently looking among popular videogame series in order to find their next blockbuster, with upcoming releases including adaptations of Tomb Raider, Uncharted, Metal Gear Solid, or a reboot of the already successful Resident Evil series.
Published: Nov 14, 2017 12:11 pm