## NintendoS New Focus on Film: A Lasting Legacy?
Nintendo, the gaming giant behind iconic franchises like *Mario* and *Zelda*, is making a important push into the film industry.This marks a dramatic shift for the company,especially considering its past experiences with Hollywood. Following the critical and commercial disappointment of the 1993 *Super Mario Bros.* film starring Bob Hoskins, nintendo largely avoided large-scale live-action adaptations, focusing instead on anime projects like films based on *Animal Crossing* and *Pokémon*.
However, the phenomenal success of the 2023 *Super Mario Bros. Movie* has spurred a new wave of cinematic ambition.A sequel is already in the works, and plans are underway for a *Legend of Zelda* movie slated for 2027, with potential films based on *Donkey Kong* and *Luigi’s Mansion* also being discussed.
shigeru Miyamoto, the legendary creator of *Mario*, *Zelda*, *Donkey Kong*, and *Pikmin* (recently adapted into a short film), recently explained the reasoning behind this renewed focus on film in an interview with Kyodo News. Miyamoto stated, “Games eventually stop running when new versions are released, but movies remain forever.”
His reasoning highlights the perceived longevity of film compared to video games. Miyamoto suggests that as gaming technology evolves, older titles can become harder to access. Films, however, can be enjoyed across generations irrespective of platform.
This perspective, however, seems somewhat at odds with Nintendo’s current practices. Classic titles like the original *Super Mario Bros.* and *Super Mario 64* continue to thrive, remaining popular with speedrunners and are readily available on the Switch. Furthermore, numerous iterations of *super Mario Bros.* are playable on a wide range of Nintendo consoles released as the NES, with only a few exceptions like the Game Boy, N64, and Virtual Boy.
Despite occasional limited-release strategies like *Super Mario 3D All-Stars* and *Super Mario 35*, Nintendo’s dedicated fanbase consistently ensures the enduring popularity of its classic games, even through community-driven preservation efforts. Nevertheless, Nintendo appears to be betting on film as a way to secure a lasting legacy for its beloved franchises, extending their reach beyond the ever-changing landscape of video game hardware.
