Nintendo and Illumination Entertainment Announce Animated Super Mario Bros Film

It’s a-he, Mario! Nintendo has announced on Twitter that it is working with Illumination Entertainment (Minions, The Secret Life of Pets) on an animated Super Mario Bros. feature film.

Nintendo and Illumination are partnering on a movie starring Mario, co-produced by Shigeru Miyamoto and Chris Meledandri! pic.twitter.com/wVRPLIzcGJ

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) February 1, 2018

According to an official press release, the deal was announced this week by Representative Director and President Tatsumi Kimishima. It will be produced by Illumination CEO/Founder Chris Meledandri and Shigeru Miyamoto, Representative Director, Fellow of Nintendo. It will be co-financed by Universal Pictures and Nintendo, with Universal distributing worldwide.

The last attempt at a Mario movie was, of course, the 1993 live-action film starring Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo and Dennis Hopper. It is a notoriously bad film, panned by critics and fans alike. The film also bombed at the box office, grossing only $20 million off a $48 million budget.