Super Mario Bros. movie box office record paves the way for a Nintendo Cinematic Universe

First of all, given the commercial success of "The Super Mario Bros. Movie", there is no chance that this partnership will be unique. Aside from the somewhat mixed critical response to the film (read our review here), the box office speaks for itself and mainstream audiences are eating it. So, at the very least, we're getting a sequel or two. But given Nintendo's vast library of characters that would also lend themselves to animation, one has to imagine bigger ideas swirling around in and among those at the top of the food chain for these three companies.

And why not? If a "Mario" movie can work, why not make a "Kirby" movie next? Maybe even do a "Luigi's Mansion" spin-off. Likewise, why couldn't a "Star Fox" movie work so well? I'll be the first to admit that a "Metroid" movie produced by Illumination, the same studio behind the "Minions" movies, is a tough sell. But "The Legend of Zelda"? I could see that. And a "Donkey Kong" spinoff would be an incredibly easy sell given its appearance in the "Mario" movie. All pieces are either on the board or can be moved quite easily on the board.

As to what could all this lead to? What would "The Avengers" be in this Nintendo Cinematic Universe, so to speak? A "Super Smash Bros." the movie just sits there, bringing all the disparate characters together under one roof to compete in tournament style. The issue wouldn't even need to be forced, as one of Nintendo's most popular video game series would serve as a natural conclusion to it all. The thing is, for Nintendo, it wouldn't be about trying to insert a square peg into a round hole. Their stable of titles is made for the cinematic universe treatment.