Now that The Super Mario Bros. Movie has become a smash hit in theaters, it seems likely that Nintendo will give more of their video games big-budget movies. As one of the leading gaming companies for over 40 years, Nintendo has many beloved franchises brimming with content that can be made into riveting and entertaining blockbusters.
While there are many properties for them to choose from, the makers of Mario should focus on giving these five games their own cinematic adaptations.
Kid Icarus
For readers unfamiliar with this one, Kid Icarus follows the angel Pit as he fights for the Goddess Palutena and protects her domain from evil, most notably the Goddess of Darkness, Medusa. Kid Icarus remains a cult classic in gaming, and it has only grown more popular with Pit’s inclusion in the Super Smash Bros. games and the release of Kid Icarus: Uprising.
The latter game has shown the franchise’s cinematic and narrative potential, presenting extraordinary action in the skies and on the ground, as well as hilarious and sometimes meta banter between the hero and his allies. Uprising also expands on the games’ mythology by adding so many colorful worlds and characters that it could spawn a five-film saga all on its own. Even if this game doesn’t get remastered, bringing the Kid Icarus games to cinemas would make for a movie franchise unlike any other.
Metroid
While most of Nintendo’s games are lighthearted, family-friendly adventures, a Metroid film would arguably make for one of the companies’ darker cinematic outings. Beginning as a side-scrolling platformer like Super Mario Bros., the Metroid games follow bounty hunter Samus Aran as she battles the Space Pirates and other evil aliens to protect the galaxy.
This franchise is basically the video game equivalent of Ridley Scott’s Alien, and it would undoubtedly make for a frighteningly terrific sci-fi odyssey for moviegoers to enjoy. In addition, Samus nearly got her own origin film directed by the legendary John Woo back in the 2000s, which only makes us ask what kind of explosive and action-packed audiences could’ve gotten, making the idea of a Metroid movie all the more tantalizing.
Kirby
Following the titular pink puffball as he defends Dream Land from a wide variety of evils, the Kirby games share the same weird and whimsical charm as Super Mario Bros. with their surreal and childlike adventures, allowing it to appeal to a broad audience. Also, Kirby is a unique hero in that he can copy the abilities of almost any object and enemy he devours.
The narrative potential Kirby wields with this power can lead to some creative and hilarious battle sequences. Though Mario is Nintendo’s most iconic hero, based on his abilities and the cosmic terrors he’s faced, Kirby might be the company’s strongest hero.
Donkey Kong
Seth Rogen shined with his performance as the arrogant and immature Donkey Kong, who frequently clashes with Mario and longs for his father’s approval. As one of the most powerful characters in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Rogen’s character has room for more development in a film of his own, and Donkey Kong has plenty of games to draw from for inspiration. This spin-off film could have Donkey Kong team up with friends like Diddy and Dixie Kong to defeat his nemesis, King K. Rool, and save their kingdom.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie has already created a vast and vibrant world for Donkey Kong to explore in his homeland, the Jungle Kingdom, which makes creating a spin-off for him so much easier. Also, since The Super Mario Bros. Movie has achieved popular success with its opening weekend, the chances of Donkey Kong getting a solo movie seem greater than ever.
The Legend of Zelda
Behind Super Mario Bros. and Pokémon, The Legend of Zelda is Nintendo’s most popular gaming franchise, and it’s a secret to nobody that fans have long been begging for it to get the big screen treatment. For years, Link and Zelda’s many adventures through Hyrule and beyond have made for some truly immersive gaming experiences. This iconic video game franchise has presented many heartfelt moments, heart-pounding action, and a continuously growing world that would make for a truly epic fantasy film.
The franchise’s popularity has reached an all-time high with the legendary success of Breath of the Wild and the massive hype surrounding its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom. It couldn’t be a better time for Nintendo to place the Hero of Hyrule in his own big-screen adventure, and it could easily turn into one of the greatest video game films of all time.
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