All this is to say that we haven’t seen the final Nintendo X Illumination collab. Wondering if there are other Nintendo IPs despicable me and The secret life of pets.
Obviously everyone wants to see zelda or Metroid Movies, but neither of these franchises feel right For Illumination, let’s admit it, it usually sits firmly on the cuddly side of things.
So what’s the right Nintendo product for Meledandri and company to tackle next? First, we’ll analyze the safe options likely to be generated from a Mario movie before moving on to options that are subtly alluded to in the movie or just feel appropriate.
I should also point out that I use some of the ideas below to elaborate on what happens in the Mario movies. I recommend not reading ahead until you catch up.
Illumination reasoning begins!
Which Nintendo franchise should Illumination tackle next?
Donkey Kong
Aside from the obvious Mario movie sequel, this option seems like the easiest one to achieve. Audiences seem split on Seth’s Logan performance as Nintendo’s iconic gorilla, but the movie’s Jungle His Kingdom section is some of the most detailed world-building it has to offer. is.
When Mario, Peach, and Toad were first driven along the Kingdom’s spiral tracks, one of the first things that came to our minds (after “New Mario Kart Circuit, please”) was , was to look ready to explore this world further. In addition to this, DK, Cranky, Funky, Diddy, and Dixie Kong playing along, and a movie with this ensemble, begins to feel like it’s writing itself.
Donkey Kong already has a game, so who says a solo movie can’t do the trick?
Luigi’s Mansion
I loved Charlie Day’s Luigi in the Mario movies. What we didn’t like was how little screen time he got. What?
There were few hints of Luigi’s mansion dotted with fellows arriving in Bowser’s domain (Brian Tyler, you genius) and now we want more. Ghost Busters– Extending chill levels for kids to a 90-minute runtime, giving Charlie Day a chance to really add some meat to his character and you’ll be the winner.
Much like the DK spinoffs, the big plus of going down the Luigi’s Mansion route is the number of characters you can pull in. Says E. Gad, King Boo, Polterpup, and finally an obligatory cameo from Mario. Not even. We saw Luigi as a brother in danger on the big screen, so why not flip the script?
Captain Toad
Admittedly, this is not very likely. butthe toad we see in the Mario movies looks a lot like Captain Toad from Treasure Tracker. know that there are adventures out there.
There are arguably worse choices than an adventure movie that sees Keegan-Michael Key’s Toad set off in search of the MacGuffin across the kingdom in the first film.idea indiana jones Does helium suddenly sound like your outlook is a little better?
star fox
Now we’ve actually entered franchise territory alluded to in the film. Spoilers ahead…
At one point you can see a TV in Mario’s room with him playing NES (more on that later), but balancing on top of the TV is Star Fox’s Arwing. Model. Used in the past (we’re looking at you, Marvel).
The idea of ââIllumination being in a Star Fox movie isn’t actually that bad. The studio knows how to make adorable animals (The secret life of pets, sing) and seeing a game series transformed into a full-on sci-fi big-screen experience is a good deal.
We’re depicting space-set dogfights, animal action, and, of course, just enough illumination quips to keep it lighthearted enough to earn a PG rating.
Kid Icarus
Remember Mario’s NES I mentioned earlier? This is the game he used to play.
Yes, the possibility of Nintendo working on another Kid Icarus game soon feels like a bit of a pipe dream. So what better way to get the masses back on board than with a big old fantasy epic?
The actual connection between this tie-up and the Mario movies is toy story and light year â the latter is a movie that plays out in the universe of the former. This allows Illumination to once again lean into gameplay references, reintroduce viewers to the Nintendo franchise, and create a film that acts as a standalone image in itself.
Pikmin
Pikmin is probably more likely to be a Luxoball-style cameo in each future Illumination X Nintendo project than get its own movie, but the studio certainly has a small, brightly colored There is a history of giving lead roles to aliens. Race.
there are quite a few pikmin shorts You can find it on YouTube, created by Dynamo Studios (since purchased by Nintendo to form the creative name “Nintendo Pictures”).
But this is illumination we are talking about. minions movie for them to see it love Support the little man.
Kirby
There’s no deeper thought behind this than the idea that if you blow up a minion and dip it in pink dye, it won’t be a million miles away from Kirby.
Much like previous Pikmin concepts, this one is based on Illumination’s love for its sleek, round (ish) protagonist, and Kirby fits the bill perfectly. Do you really want to hear the? Frankly, the thought sends shivers down my spine. But if the film leans into the interstellar, warp-star element of the franchise, we could definitely be persuaded.
It’s fun, it’s cute, and it can lead to the largest range of tie-in merchandise the plush toy market has ever seen.
animal crossing
A frosty “A Day in the Life” animated movie set in the world of Animal Crossing is actually a very fun idea. Japan got one Certainly another time, given the series’ global popularity?
As pointed out earlier, the illumination shows that there is no problem with anthropomorphic animals (presumably many of the models sing 2 no one will notice) and Animal Crossing is certainly the grandfather of them all.
Does this sell better as a gritty drama following a human wage slave forced to live in isolation under the thumb of tyrannical overlord Tom Nook? But the cute and cuddly route is also suitable. The biggest drama is how to get your friends back home instead of suffering financial debt.
Splatoon
Granted, it’s highly unlikely that Illumination will make a product centered around warfare with guns, but Nintendo said the same thing about Nintendo before they announced Splatoon, right? do have the shape Regarding firearms. Hehehe, down.
While all of your relentlessly splattering opponents may not immediately scream “Illumination,” the series’ message of global warming, its young protagonist, and (again) that there’s room to talk to animals is a There is no mistake. More squid-y than studios are used to.
Of all the Nintendo franchises out there, Splatoon is the one that also offers the best opportunity for some live music sequences. despicable me What about the soundtrack?), I think the chance to put the original Deep Cut and Squid Sisters material into the script is a strong enough selling point in and of itself.
Well, there it is. These are just a few of the Nintendo franchises that Illumination might try next. Which ticket would you buy first in line? Fill out the survey below and let us know what you think.
Anything else we missed? Get in the comments and leave your pitch for Illumination’s next video game flick.
