Nintendo to Release a 'Super Mario' Movie With 'Minions' Maker Illumination?

By Jessica Ferrera, Christian Post Contributor Friday, November 17, 2017

The "Super Mario Bros." franchise is reportedly taking another huge leap and will soon have a movie release following a deal between its maker Nintendo and movie studio Illumination Entertainment.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Nintendo and Illumination are close to reaching an agreement where the latter will be given the right to create a movie featuring the all-time classic video game franchise, "Super Mario Bros."

Aside from creating the fan-favorite "Minions," Illumination is likewise known for making the "Despicable Me" franchise and "The Secret Life of Pets."

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WSJ also cited unnamed sources who claimed that various Hollywood studios had previously attempted to clinch a deal that would allow them to make a "Super Mario Bros." movie. However, it was also speculated that Nintendo and Illumination could have been involved in negotiations for the movie deal for over a year now.

Back in the '90s, Nintendo agreed to have a live-action "Super Mario Bros." movie that was released in 1993 and starred Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo, and Dennis Hopper. However, it had a lackluster box-office performance.

This time, though, Nintendo and Illumination are expected to amend that by producing an animated film.

After more than three decades of existence, "Super Mario Bros." is reportedly one of the most "tempting" materials to be brought to Hollywood, especially since producers have realized how much success a consistent movie series can get over the years and around the globe.

In the past, Nintendo also made a lot of effort to bring the "Super Mario Bros." franchise outside the video gaming field. "Super Mario" characters were officially printed on several clothing lines such as Vans and Uniqlo, while Nintendo and Universal Studios agreed to make theme park attractions based on the franchise.

"Super Mario"-themed video games also continue to gather success with this year's release of "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe," its crossover title with Ubisoft "Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle," and "Super Mario Odyssey." 

When asked to comment on the WSJ report, a Nintendo representative told The Verge: "We have nothing to announce on this topic."