The Super Mario Bros. Movie marketing is in full swing. Just one month after the first teaser hit the web, a brand new full theatrical trailer was released which gave audiences a better look at the various heroes and villains for the film as well as more of what Chris Pratt’s Mario will sound like. The trailer is filled with easter eggs and references to Mario’s rich video game history, and it appears the creators of the movie have put a lot of care into getting the film right.

The trailer also dropped a couple of hints at a larger plot point not just for The Super Mario Bros. Movie but quite possibly even more Nintendo movies down the line. Currently, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is the only movie currently in development between Nintendo and Universal Pictures, but it appears the upcoming Mario Bros. Movie might be laying the groundwork for an interconnected shared universe of Nintendo properties, one that if done well could rival the success of the MCU, DCU, and the Star Wars Universe. This is how The Super Mario Bros. Movie might be hinting at a Nintendo Cinematic Universe.

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Various Nintendo Properties in This One Movie

     Universal Pictures

Right off the bat, it is worth noting that The Super Mario Bros. Movie is more than just a Mario movie. Not only does it feature classic characters from the series like Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, and Bowser but the trailer also shows Donkey Kong and Yoshi. Both characters have close ties to the Mario franchise and are typically under the Mario franchise umbrella in games like Mario Party and Mario Kart. Yet both also have their own successful video game franchises.

Donkey Kong has his own supporting cast of characters, many of which seem to appear in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Cranky Kong is already confirmed, and the trailer shows Funky Kong while the Donkey Kong character poster featured Diddy Kong and Trixie Kong. Rumors have already circulated that Nintendo and Universal are developing a Donkey Kong spin-off film with Seth Rogen reprising his role from The Super Mario Bros. Movie and with a large amount of Donkey Kong games to draw from it makes sense.

The same applies to Yoshi, who has been the star of his own video game series. That means The Super Mario Bros. Movie could not only have direct sequels but two different spin-off franchises based on Donkey Kong and Yoshi. It could even be three if they decide to adapt Luigi’s Mansion as a film.

A Universe of Possibilities

In The Super Mario Bros. Movie trailer, Princess Peach drops what might be the biggest bombshell when she says, “There’s a huge universe out there. With a lot of galaxies.” This is most likely a reference to the popular video game Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2, which sees the title hero exploring various planets. That might be the setup for future Mario Bros. sequels, however, it also may hint at how Nintendo looks to connect its various franchises.

Popular video game series like Metroid, Pikman, Starfox, and Kirby all have a cosmic type setting to them, and all are likely high priorities for Nintendo to make a movie about. If Nintendo did want to unite their various franchises together in a potential crossover film similar to Super Smash Bros., claiming these different franchises take place in different galaxies might be the best possible explanation.

Portals To Other Worlds

The trailer also shows Mario and Luigi falling through a portal. The movie seems to adopt the original origin of the brothers as two plumbers from Brooklyn who arrive in the Mushroom Kingdom. If Mario and Luigi are visitors to the Mushroom Kingdom, that shows there are parallel worlds in this franchise that can be accessed. How is unclear, but it may have something to do with either the classic gold stars or the Rainbow Road from Mario Kart showcased in the trailer.

These portals to other worlds might be another possible way to connect the various Nintendo franchises. They can all take place in their own universe that can be accessed through portals. This allows for franchises like The Legend of Zelda and Pokémon to maintain their own rules and mythology without needing to worry about interfering with the rules set up in The Super Mario Bros. Movie version of Mushroom Kingdom.

Nintendo’s Cinematic Future

     Nintendo

Ever since partnering with Universal Parks & Resorts to create various Nintendo-themed lands for Universal Studios parks around the world, Nintendo has been exploring the concept of feature films. The Super Mario Bros. Movie is the first attempt at a true collaboration and future Nintendo movies at the studio will likely depend on how well it does at the box office. In June 2022, Nintendo purchased Dynamo Pictures to form Nintendo Films to help develop its various franchises into other adaptation platforms like film and television so how this will work alongside Universal Pictures or separate from it remains to be seen.

Nintendo has a rich catalog of classic characters that are known the world over, and have the possibility to be the next major film franchise. Nobody could have expected in 2008 that Iron Man would kick off the most successful film franchise of all time. As the MCU is entering its fifteenth year, there has been much discussion of Marvel fatigue with so much material being released. Now might be the time for a new major franchise to come in and take the top spot for a bit. With some of the most recognizable pop culture figures in the world, countless stories to draw from, and an iconic crossover branding like Super Smash Bros. just waiting to be used, a shared Nintendo Cinematic Universe might be the next major franchise audiences have been waiting for.