A Classic Nintendo Hero Will Appear in ‘Super Mario Galaxy’

While it’s currently known as The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, it increasingly appears to be the first step towards a larger series of Nintendo-based films – a full cinematic universe, potentially.

The first Super Mario Bros. movie focused its characters on those from the Super Mario games, though Donkey Kong made a cameo. Technically, Mario actually first appeared in the original Donkey Kong game, meaning both franchises share a connected universe.

The latest poster for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is surprising – it doesn’t feature Mario or any of the usual characters. Instead, it highlights Fox McCloud, the main character from Nintendo’s Star Fox games.

See for yourself.

The original Star Fox game came out for the Super Nintendo in 1993, and the most recent main installment was Star Fox Zero for the Wii U. These games are usually played as ‘rail shooters,’ meaning you control Fox’s Arwing ship along a set path while completing missions. However, characters from Star Fox—like Fox, Falco, and Wolf—have also appeared in other Nintendo games, especially the Super Smash Bros. fighting series, where they’ve all been playable characters.

As a huge cinema fan, and especially of Nintendo properties, the talk about a potential Star Fox appearance has really got me thinking about all the other characters who could pop up in the Mario movies. And let’s be real, there will be more Mario movies – the first one made over $1.3 billion globally, and this new one looks like it’s on track to do just as well, if not better. It’s exciting to imagine all the possibilities!

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie opens in theaters on April 1.

The 10 Worst Video Game Movies of the Last 10 Years

10. Monster Hunter

The 2020 movie Monster Hunter, based on the popular Japanese role-playing game, unfortunately doesn’t live up to its potential. While the visual effects and creature designs are impressive, the film suffers from poor editing, a basic storyline, and underdeveloped characters. Despite a fun premise and cool visuals, the movie never quite delivers on its promise, resulting in a disappointing experience. What could have been a blockbuster instead ended up being a failure.

9. Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City

The Resident Evil movies were already struggling, but 2021’s Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City likely ended the franchise. While this reboot closely follows the video games, it falls short in almost every other way – the story is weak, the acting isn’t great, the visual effects are lacking, and the movie feels rushed. It had the potential to be much more entertaining, frightening, and fulfilling, but ultimately feels unfinished.

8. Until Dawn

I’ve been a huge fan of the game Until Dawn since it came out, so I was really looking forward to the movie. Unfortunately, it’s a big disappointment. Unlike the game, which had well-developed characters, genuinely frightening moments, and a great winter setting, the movie relies on tired horror tropes and excessive gore. As I said in my review, it just doesn’t make a lasting impression. I wish they hadn’t made it, though I will admit the creature designs are somewhat interesting.

7. The Angry Birds Movie

While The Angry Birds Movie isn’t as bad as you might expect from a film based on an old phone game, it’s still not a good movie. It relies too heavily on simple, childish humor, seemingly assuming its young audience won’t notice. It has a few laughs and a fast pace, which is a plus, but ultimately feels like a shallow attempt to make money. It lacks the cleverness, beautiful animation, and emotional depth found in superior animated films like Inside Out or The Lego Movie. Still, it’s better than The Emoji Movie!

6. Doom: Annihilation

Released straight to video in 2019, Doom: Annihilation is the second film based on the Doom video game series, but it feels like it was made simply to use the existing license rather than as a genuinely good action-horror movie. The script is poor, the dialogue is awkward, the characters are bland and uninteresting, and the action sequences become repetitive. References to the game feel forced and unnatural, and the movie’s overall production quality is surprisingly low. It’s so poorly received that even the official Doom social media account publicly stated they had no involvement with the film – a pretty strong indicator of its quality.

5. Borderlands

As a huge film and gaming fan, I was really disappointed by the Borderlands movie that came out in 2024. It had so much potential – an amazing cast including Cate Blanchett, Jack Black, and Ariana Greenblatt – but it just didn’t come together. The characters weren’t particularly likable, the jokes felt really forced, and honestly, the constant chatter got old fast. It was all explosions and fighting, but it didn’t make for exciting action, and a big budget and famous actors couldn’t save it from being a pretty underwhelming experience.

4. Warcraft

The 2016 film Warcraft, based on the popular video game series, is a mixed bag. While visually impressive, it often gets bogged down in predictable action, cheesy dialogue, and references that only dedicated fans will appreciate. The movie prioritizes hitting familiar fantasy tropes over building compelling characters or a story accessible to everyone. Ultimately, it suffers from being too reliant on existing material, excessive special effects, and a cluttered plot. Despite its flaws, many longtime fans will likely defend it, and their enthusiasm is understandable, even if it didn’t quite connect with me.

3. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter

Paul W.S. Anderson’s Resident Evil: The Final Chapter had the potential to be a grand finale, but unfortunately, it ends the original Resident Evil series on a disappointing note. Though fans of the franchise might enjoy the film’s action, violence, and familiar characters, its messy editing, predictable storyline, and unresolved plot points make it one of the weakest entries in the series – especially considering it was meant to be the strongest.

2. Tomb Raider

Love it or hate it, the 2001 Lara Croft: Tomb Raider movie with Angelina Jolie is undeniably entertaining. The 2018 reboot, however, is a dull and forgettable action film. It’s especially disappointing because it doesn’t let Alicia Vikander (who is fantastic in Ex-Machina) shine in a compelling origin story, and it lacks the over-the-top, but enjoyable, campiness of the earlier film.

1. Hitman: Agent 47

Inspired by the Hitman video game series, the 2015 film Hitman: Agent 47 attempts a thrilling reboot but ultimately falls short. While visually stylish, the movie lacks the excitement and emotional depth of a truly great action film, relying instead on predictable gun battles and fight scenes. It’s not a bad movie, but it’s ultimately forgettable, which is a bigger problem.

2026-03-26 16:56