Nintendo And Illumination Developing Animated Mario Movie

The world’s favorite mustachioed plumber in red is headed to the big screen. Nintendo is teaming up with Illumination Entertainment for an animated feature based on Mario from the iconic Super Mario Bros. video game franchise.

There have been rumblings of a Mario feature, but Nintendo of America made it official on their Twitter account saying, “Nintendo and Illumination are partnering on a movie starring Mario, co-produced by Shigeru Miyamoto and Chris Meledandri!”

Miyamoto is the mastermind that created Mario and Meledandri is the owner of Illumination, along with Universal Studios. Illumination is known for the uber-successful Despicable Me franchise which includes three movies and the spin-off Minions. They also produced The Secret Life of Pets and Sing, both of which are slated for sequels of their own.

The project goes along with Nintendo’s agreement with Universal Parks and Resorts made in 2015 to build attractions based on Nintendo characters including Mario and his partner in crime Luigi. A Super Nintendo Land is slated to open in Universal Studios Japan 2020 and shortly after in Universal Studios Florida.

In 1993, a live-action version of Super Mario Bros. starring Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo, and Dennis Hopper was released to lackluster reviews. This project marks another — and hopefully better attempt at a feature adaptation of the popular video game which launched in 1985 on the Nintendo Entertainment System. The franchise has since blown up and Mario has appeared in over 200 games, many of which are his own.

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