Is The Super Mario Bros. Movie's Donkey Kong about to receive a spin-off?
Universal and Nintendo have registered a copyright for an Untitled Donkey Kong Project; Motion Picture.
This is by no means a confirmation that a Donkey Kong movie is definitely going to happen, but it is a sign that Universal and Nintendo are at least exploring the possibility.
A sequel to the Mario film is set to hit theaters on April 3, 2026, so those events could lead directly into a Donkey Kong movie.
Additionally, when a live-action Legend of Zelda movie was announced, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa previously stated that the Japanese video game company was also working on other projects.
"We released The Super Mario Bros. Movie in theaters in April 2023, and are pleased to say that it has been received positively by many people around the world...Although we cannot discuss our plans beyond The Legend of Zelda movie at this time, we are working on various other projects."
Donkey Kong, voiced by Seth Rogen, plays an important role in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
When Mario and Princess Peach travel to the Jungle Kingdom, they hope to recruit the Kong army, which is led by Cranky Kong, Donkey Kong’s father. Before offering their support, Donkey Kong challenges Mario to a one-on-one fight. Mario manages to win, earning the respect of the Kongs.
After that, Donkey Kong becomes a key member of the group, joining Mario, Peach, and Toad on their journey to defeat Bowser. His character is portrayed as flashy and full of confidence, but also hiding a few personal insecurities.
He plays a major part in the second half of the movie, taking part in major action scenes and helping to drive the plot towards a final showdown with Boswer.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) was a massive hit at the box office, earning more than $1.36 billion worldwide.
This impressive total made it the highest-grossing video game adaptation of all time, the second-biggest film release of 2023, and one of the most successful animated films ever made.
The film currently ranks #5 after Ne Zha 2, Inside Out 2, 2019's Lion King remake, and Frozen 2.
Critics gave The Super Mario Bros. Movie a mixed response. Many praised its stunning visuals and the way it honored the games, but others criticized the story for being thin and the humor for lacking consistency.
Despite those critiques, general audiences responded very positively, turning the film into a global phenomenon and a major win for both Nintendo and Illumination.