Fans Are Thinking Super Mario Galaxy Movie Could Feature Star Fox, But I Have One Concern

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is on the way, and as the brother plumbers shoot for the stars and meet a popular space princess, an exciting new rumor is circling the fandom faster than planets around the sun. Amidst previous rumors that Nintendo will attempt a shared film universe, many seem to think the latest trailer has a nod to the Star Fox franchise.

I was barking up the wrong tree when I suggested Nintendo pursue an F-Zero movie, because Star Fox does feel like a better fit when putting the character next to beloved characters like Mario and Luigi. Of course, we don't know for certain that Fox McCloud is in the movie yet, but a single frame has me feeling pretty hopeful.

Fans Think Star Fox Is Hiding In The Latest Super Mario Galaxy Trailer

A new, though brief, trailer for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie was unveiled, and with its arrival comes a brief blink-and-you'll-miss-it frame that has dominated discussion amongst Nintendo fans on X. Fortunately, we live in an era of screen grabs, so check out what people think may be the right shoulder, torso, and legs of Fox McCloud below:

It's blurry, but I can see the iconic white and green color combo the character often wears. It also looks like there's a device dangling from his hip. It could be a blaster, shield reflector, or maybe whatever makes him able to do that dash ability in Super Smash Bros. Side note, if there's a movie based on that game, can it be as brutal as the cutscenes that appear in it?

As of writing, this is all just speculation, and there's no actual word on whether Fox McCloud and the Star Fox crew are in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. It is curious, however, that this movie will partially be set in space. Let's not forget that the first movie featured a reference to the Metroid series, which also takes place in space. Could we really be heading toward a massive movie where all the Nintendo characters team up in some big event?

If Star Fox Is In The Movie, I'd Be Concerned About The Tone Of A Potential Spinoff

As cool as it'd be to see Star Fox in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, I do have worries about our first look at the character happening in an Illumination movie. As much as I love The Super Mario Bros. Movie and how it's been brought to life by the animation studio, the tone of its movies has often skewed toward a very young audience.

I hope if Fox is introduced in this movie for a spinoff film, the movie would have a bit more mature tone. Nothing so wild that it would escape a PG rating, but the tone of the Star Fox games has the flair of a dramatic space adventure. Injecting the hilarity we see in Mario movies into it would feel wrong, in my eyes, and a waste of a great character.

Of course, perhaps we should save any worrying about a spinoff movie for if Fox actually appears in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which is in theaters on April 1st. Even if the latest rumor doesn't pan out, there's still plenty to be thrilled about when looking at all the other nods to past games found in the trailer.