Illumination's Super Mario Bros (2023)

[Andysol]

LOL at the argument that Illumination or Dreamworks makes "cartoons" so it's a better fit vs Disney's "deep emotional" animated films.

Talk about a stretch. So is saying "cartoons" just another way to say shallow or slapstick or well... not as good of a film?

No. Both companies have highs and lows. Some are deep, some are surface layer fun. Minions, SLoP and the like are certainly surface layer- just as Madagascar and the majority of Dreamworks- but they also have HHTYD which is certainly deeper.

Then you have Disney- who, unless youre blinded by hatred of Disney, is clearly the winner of essentially all genres. They can have deep like an inside out, etc. But also surface like a wreck it ralph.

Illumination, Dreamworks, Disney and Pixar are all capable of making both "deep emotional" films as well as "cartoons" - whatever that even means.

There should be no debate on which studio has been kicking ass for a decade in it's animation. Hell, even Universal admitted it with their Dreamworks acquisition openly stating - in so many words - that they are now lined up to be the best animated studio behind Disney. So let's curb the fanboism.


So here's what we know:
-Nintendo now has a deal with Illumination
-It's great for park synergy
-I can't wait to see the movie
-Kubo and the Two Strings was robbed at the Oscars

 

[JungleSkip]

So let's curb the fanboism.

Peak irony: achieved

 

[Andysol]

Peak irony: achieved

Clearly

-Kubo and the Two Strings was robbed at the Oscars

 

[JungleSkip]

And I think Zootopia is better than Kubo, but I'm apparently the "blatant fanboi".

 

[Paulio]

I really hope Universal really hits the ballpark with the Mario Bros. animated movie. After all, Universal did team up with Dr. Seuss company to make the live-action Grinch movie and Cat in the Hat movies, Lorax, and the upcoming animated Grinch movie. To be honest, I think it is to be made for the sake of appealing to the audience in the United States, not that it has to be really good or something. I just hope it will be like the Warner Bros' Lego movie where it receives a critical and financial success. How they would flesh out the Mario character perfectly without robbing the character of its value has yet to be determined.

 

[JungleSkip]

I really hope Universal really hits the ballpark with the Mario Bros. animated movie. After all, Universal did team up with Dr. Seuss company to make the live-action Grinch movie and Cat in the Hat movies, Lorax, and the upcoming animated Grinch movie. To be honest, I think it is to be made for the sake of appealing to the audience in the United States, not that it has to be really good or something. I just hope it will be like the Warner Bros' Lego movie where it receives a critical and financial success. How they would flesh out the Mario character perfectly without robbing the character of its value has yet to be determined.

IMO, Mario should be nearly mute. He rarely talks, and even in the RPGs he's in he's basically mute. Let all the other characters talk around Mario while he gets the job done, allowing his lines to be sporadic and more noteworthy when he does talk

 

[Blue]

Just when I thought Mario as an IP couldn't get any bigger... this could be huge if they get it right.

Looking forward to the inevitable Super Smash Bros-style shared universe movie in 10 years

 

[zg44]

I’ll be amazed if it’s not successful, money wise at least. Mario is insanely loved across the world, and Illumination’s films always make a good amount of money

The movie will likely be profitable at any level of box office over $275m just because of how low Illumination keeps its costs.

But to really be considered a success for Nintendo to the point where they'd greenlight a lot more with Illumination, I'd guess that they'd want to see 2 things: 1) Box Office over $500m worldwide (with $150m US, $150m EU, $100m China, $70m Japan), and 2) RT gauge over 80% with generally high reviews.

If they see those 2 things, which are fairly reasonable expectations, then they'd probably be very quick to move to a Mario 2, a possible Zelda movie, etc. I have high expectations just because Illumination has been very successful at making crowd-pleasers like SLoP and Sing, so they should absolutely be able to make this work.

The key is to make sure that it takes itself seriously enough without losing the general lightheartedness of the Mario games, and the natural appeal that a Mario movie should have for families.

As for a Zelda movie, that's where I think they'd consider something more serious or darker toned a la HTTYD.

 

[JungleSkip]

As for a Zelda movie, that's where I think they'd consider something more serious or darker toned a la HTTYD.

I really don't think animated is the way to go with Zelda, but that's just me.

I'd love to see Illumination do DK, Kirby, Yoshi, etc though

 

[AlexanderMBush]

And to also say, in the terms of creative control; Nintendo collaborated with Ubisoft, the third party game developer company responsible for Rabbids, Rayman, FarCry, the Ghost Recon series, and more; to create a RPG/Strategy Mario title, using a third party character of the Rabbids, with huge success. And that success has seemed to be showing with Ubisoft, as they are coming in more now to support the Switch than before.

I understand that some people are to be worried, but if Nintendo gives as much control as how they did with Ubisoft for a partnership with Illumination, we could see great results with the possibility of a dedicated CGI animated Super Mario movie; and that they could keep it simple and still have a great film possibility on their hands.

 

[Ryan]

I'd disagree. Despicable Me 1 is their best, but Secret Life of Pets and Sing are both really good. But they do something Disney doesn't do, and that's make great cartoons. Mario is a cartoon, not a deep emotional story. It fits Illumination better IMO

WAG makes good cartoons. Disney can make a good cartoon.

Illumination makes cookie cutter mediocrity. The bar is super low considering the last product, but I do not want a cookie cutter Mario movie with fart jokes. Don't get me wrong: they're hugely successful and are great at what they do in attracting mass audiences.

But I hate their movies and I despise their influence on the animation industry. I'm not expecting a deep emotional story, but I'm expecting a story that isn't the same thing I've seen over and over without any sort of subversion or finesse, and certainly something funny and not cheap and easy gags.

Call me a snob, but yeah. I'm not really happy about this aside from the fact that it must mean Nintendo is happy with Universal when it comes to the parks.

 

[zg44]

I really don't think animated is the way to go with Zelda, but that's just me.

I'd love to see Illumination do DK, Kirby, Yoshi, etc though

Given how careful they're being, I think they'll focus on popularity if they do want to pursue other movie opportunities, so Zelda and Donkey Kong would probably be the most likely to get a chance after the first Mario movie.

Yoshi's a tough one, it'll most likely be a part of the Mario movie (as would Luigi in some fashion), so I think those 3 will be wrapped together in the Mario franchise of movies depending on how they do this.

We're probably looking at them timing this for the same dates as Orlando/Hollywood SNW 1.0s are ready to rollout, so you're looking at something like 2021 or 2022 as the first movie.

Then if successful, you get a sequel by 2024 along with a possible Zelda or DK movie by 2025 or 2026.

 

[GadgetGuru]

FWIW, Illumination handles all of the Seuss movies as well. They can definitely sell themselves to protective creators well. I don't think Disney can (they would be too controlling?) and I don't think WAG has a large enough track record.

That just leaves Illumination and DWA to do a possible animated movie.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

FWIW, Illumination handles all of the Seuss movies as well. They can definitely sell themselves to protective creators well. I don't think Disney can (they would be too controlling?) and I don't think WAG has a large enough track record.

That just leaves Illumination and DWA to do a possible animated movie.

To be fair, Blue Sky at Fox did do Peanuts with a good amount of critical response.

However, with Universal; Nintendo is already collaborating with them, and that it would make better sense to keep it within Universal's Animation groups.

 

[Ryan]

FWIW, Illumination handles all of the Seuss movies as well. They can definitely sell themselves to protective creators well. I don't think Disney can (they would be too controlling?) and I don't think WAG has a large enough track record.

That just leaves Illumination and DWA to do a possible animated movie.

You really think The Lorax was a faithful and honest retelling of the Seuss story and did not bog itself down with hypocrisy and dumb jokes?

Edit: I should point out Horton was Blue Sky

 

[Paulio]

Why didn't Universal have DreamWorks Animation do it instead of Illumination?

 

[Ryan]

I'd be fine with DWA. Captain Underpants was fantastic for a film that was "just a cartoon".

 

[paintervision]

My hope with this one, would be a movie similar to The Lego Movie, with Mario on a big adventure, while interacting with a bunch other Nintendo universes (bonus points if they could get Lord and Miller as writers or even directors). After all, it would go in a much different direction than the previous Mario movie and TV show. You could also work-in so many more easter eggs that way.

 

[Ryan]

Illumination is all about cost savings. No way they would try to nab Lord and Miller, who would have an entirely restructured development process and would cost a pretty penny.

 

[JungleSkip]

I'd be fine with DWA. Captain Underpants was fantastic for a film that was "just a cartoon".

This is why there’s chocolate and vanilla. I found Captain Underpants to be uninspired