Movies based off of video games have had a checkered past in the movie business, with a number of failed projects arriving over the years. Some of the best video game movies arrived recently, and chief among them is Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic's The Super Mario Bros. Movie (which is streaming now with an Amazon Prime subscription). While we wait for news about a sequel, it looks like a beloved Nintendo character might be getting a spinoff.
The first Super Mario Bros. Movie was a billion dollar hit, and fans immediately started asking for a sequel. After all, there's a huge catalogue of characters that didn't get to appear yet. One that did make an impact was Seth Rogen's Donkey Kong, and it's rumored that he might be getting his own movie. Online public records indicate that Nintendo and Universal have applied for an "Untitled Donkey Kong Project", which will be a full motion picture. Does that mean a spinoff is happening?
We should probably take this with a grain of salt for the time being. The process of developing a DK movie could take years, and things could go wrong along the way. Plenty of projects sit in development hell before never being made, so it's probably best not to get one's hopes up until we hear from the studios. Still, it's a hopeful sign for those looking to dive back into this burgeoning animated franchise.
What we know about The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 is super limited, and there's been no real updates about its story or release date. Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto indicated that development was active, but didn't share much more than that. So perhaps Illumination is seeking both a sequel and a spinoff, creating a bonafide trilogy in the process. Given how well the first movie did, this makes a ton of sense.
Seth Rogen's Donkey Kong was a definitely scene-stealer throughout the first Super Mario Bros. movie. And with a the big guy getting a new game on the Nintendo Switch 2 called Donkey Kong Bananza and a Universal ride Mine-Cart Madness it seems like the perfect time for Nintendo and Illumination to lean into his iconography with a spinoff. We'll just have to wait and see if any official word is given by the studios or Rogen himself.
Animated blockbusters like The Super Mario Bros. Movie usually take years to bring together, so moviegoers are going to be patient when waiting on a sequel and/or the possible DK spinoff. While there's no new titles on the 2025 movie release list, Nintendo continues to be a beloved IP, one with multigenerational appeal. So returning to this new franchise seems like simply a matter of time.
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