Super Mario Galaxy Proves Video Game Films Are Here To Stay

The success of Super Mario Galaxy can pave the way for other iconic gaming franchises to hit the big screen.

As the credits rolled on the newly-released Super Mario Galaxy film, I sat in my seat thinking to myself: “Wow, this was spectacular.” I couldn’t believe what I had just seen. Not only did the film widely exceed my expectations, but it also got me thinking about the potential success other giant video game franchises could see in the theater.

From the console to the cinema

As Super Mario Galaxy shatters box office records both domestically and internationally, it’s worth wondering if the film can help bring the dawn to a new era of video game-inspired theatrical features. In the coming years, we could see increased Hollywood collaboration with gaming giants like Nintendo, Xbox and PlayStation as well as individual developer studios to create high-quality productions bringing beloved gaming icons to the big screen.

The potential for video game-inspired films was established with the success of the original Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) and further cemented with A Minecraft Movie (2025), both of which were met with convincing critical and box office success and brought in hundreds of millions of dollars globally for Nintendo and Xbox, respectively.

Video game franchises which have already seen success at the cinema include the aforementioned Super Mario and Minecraft, as well as Sonic the Hedgehog, Mortal Kombat, Five Nights at Freddy’s, Tomb Raider, and several others. And that’s not even counting the widely popular TV series Arcane based on League of Legends, or anime adaptations of titles like Pokémon and Street Fighter.

In recent years, video game movies have become quite a production. The budgets for these movies typically hit above the $50 million mark, with planning and development beginning a year or more before release day. There has been no shortage of starpower either, with A-listers such as Tom Holland and Jack Black receiving widespread acclaim for their roles in Uncharted (2022) and A Minecraft Movie (2025), respectively. Speaking of Black, he also provided the voice of Bowser, the antagonist of the Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023). Black, Chris Pratt, Seth Rogen and Anya Taylor-Joy headlined the vocal talents of the Super Mario Bros. Movie, proving that even animated video game films can attract top-level Hollywood talent.

What’s next for video games and cinema?

Video game-inspired films aren’t likely to be going away anytime soon. Movies for franchises including Zelda, Mortal Kombat, Resident Evil and Metal Gear Solid are under development and are expected to be released within the next year. The Zelda film, appropriately titled The Legend of Zelda, is expected to hit particularly big, with reviewers already noting it has the potential to become the highest-grossing video game film of all time.

The success of video game films has helped bring more young people and families to the theaters and have even provided reason for moviegoers to flock to the cinema during dull periods, as shown by Five Nights at Freddy’s, which made over $100 million domestically despite being released in the wake of the devastating SAG-AFTRA strike in 2023.

The release of films based on franchises like Minecraft and Mortal Kombat pave the way for sequel films in the same universe, as franchises like Super Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Five Nights at Freddy’s all have multiple successful features to their names. There have even been rumors of Nintendo planning to create a sort of “Greater Nintendo Cinematic Universe”, combining the worlds of Super Mario, Donkey Kong, Metroid and more. Other franchises, including Halo, Star Fox, Persona, and even Fortnite were reported to have explored film adaptations at some point, showing that video game movies could be in store for both mainstream and niche franchises alike.

With the success of Super Mario Galaxy, we are entering a new era of theater, where film adaptations of video game series become more popular, reach new audiences and even take home some Oscars. With major video game producers like Nintendo, Xbox and PlayStation making more money than ever, there will be no shortage of funds to allocate toward developing the next big gaming film. In five years, we might be getting our kids opening weekend tickets to see Star Fox II: Wolf’s Revenge, or streaming The Metroid Movie, complete with cameos from Splatoon’s Inklings. But for now, we can safely say that video game films like Super Mario Galaxy will be a staple in cinemas around the world for years to come. And maybe, just maybe, we will someday get that Fortnite movie after all.