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Why doesn't Nintendo leverage their IPs for animation and film?

guek said:
It could be a horror/thriller. Samus is sent with a team of marines to investigate a science outpost that went silent. Crew had been massacred, systems are malfunctioning, an EMP that's triggered while trying to reboot the station knocks out Samus's power core leaving her with nothing but her suit's basic functions. They must travel to the other side of the space station for a replacement power supply that'll let her remotely call her ship to pick them up. As they make their way, samus discloses the story of her origin. They also find logs with details about the escaped alien creatures that are hunting them. Samus' suit regains functionality in the last act and they must fight their way out before the station's generator goes critical and explodes. They escape with one remaining metroid egg and a foreboding warning that space pirates are going to be interested in the new life form, priming the franchise for a sequel.
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See, I want this so badly. Just like this.

But I feel like the director would somehow mishandle the IP (make Samus seem excessively weak/downplay her massive stature, shoehorn jarring comic relief, have an overstated supporting cast, etc)
 
My Wishlist:

- Smash Bros anime
- Metroid live action movie, horror/action
- Zelda live action movie
- FZero hardcore mature TV series like GoT full of twists and turns (both racing wise and drama wise). Lots and lots of muscles, sex, and killing. I wanna see dudes getting Falcon Punched and their heads exploding like in Fist of the North Star
 
An animated CG Zelda, Metroid, or even Mario movie could be incredible in the right hands, and hugely profitable even.

If there were any video game I think could be adapted into a successful movie, it would be an animated Zelda movie.

Just taking music from the games as parts of the score would already give it a stellar soundtrack. Also, just look at how beautiful games like Wind Waker or Zelda Wii U look and taking inspiration and designs from the games could create a incredible visual style to the world. A story and characters could be harder but if Pixar can create a movie like Wall-E where the main character doesn't even say a single word for the first 20 minutes, someone can create a compelling story around the outline provided by the many games that exist in the series.

Nintendo needs to find a partner to make this movie, for my sake. lol

Also, I want to add that Nintendo should stay the hell away from live action movies. It's so much easier for things to not work with live action than animation because the practical/digital nature of filming as well as audience expectations. Animated is the way to go since you have so much more freedom for shots as well as being able to strike the proper tone. You can also have visuals that run the gamut from realistic to cartoony are go as stylized as you like without it looking odd and inconsistent.

Animated Nintendo movies >>>>>>> live-action Nintendo movies

Sorry guys, it shouldn't even be a discussion.
 
guek said:
It could be a horror/thriller. Samus is sent with a team of marines to investigate a science outpost that went silent. Crew had been massacred, systems are malfunctioning, an EMP that's triggered while trying to reboot the station knocks out Samus's power core leaving her with nothing but her suit's basic functions. They must travel to the other side of the space station for a replacement power supply that'll let her remotely call her ship to pick them up. As they make their way, samus discloses the story of her origin. They also find logs with details about the escaped alien creatures that are hunting them. Samus' suit regains functionality in the last act and they must fight their way out before the station's generator goes critical and explodes. They escape with one remaining metroid egg and a foreboding warning that space pirates are going to be interested in the new life form, priming the franchise for a sequel.
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Less Alien, more Cast Away.
 
In the sequel, space pirates have taken over Zebes and are attempting to integrate metroids with chozo technology. Samus is sent in as a stealth unit in her zero suit. She is joined by some returning characters from the first film as a black ops team. They're eventually discovered but not before they learn the pirates have succeeded and created super-metroids as well as a monstrous creature known as Ridley. They escape capture but remain on the planet to sabotage the pirates plans to mass produce metroids as bio weapons. Samus learns more about the past of her adopted Chozo parents and comes across a room that is activated by her unique genetic signature. Inside, they find the varia suit which Samus dons before finally confronting Ridley and destroying the complex. The pirates escape, and the film ends as they deliver a report to their leader, Mother Brain
 
guek said:
Here's a little bit of history. A little over a decade ago, Marvel comics was in dire straights. They were on the verge of bankruptcy and in a desperate move, they optioned off the rights of several key franchises to major movie studios. What happened? The Marvel Cinematic Universe happened, and now Marvel is more profitable and produces more titles than they ever have in their long history as publishers.
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The extent to which this entire statement is wrong, mistaken, and confused cannot be overstated.


Marvel wasn't on the verge of bankruptcy. They were bankrupt. They lost a ton of money due to bad business deals they made in attempts to expand outside of comics, their comic sales were actually much higher then than they are now.

So basically your entire analogy falls apart right there. Marvel as a comic publisher was many times more successful in the 90s than they are today. Their market share and market size have both been greatly reduced.

Whats more, the Marvel Cinematic Universe didn't start until over a decade later when they made the deal with Paramount to produce films in-house. This had nothing to do with their earlier bankruptcy.

Marvel is only more successful today compared to the 90's because they now serve as an IP farm for Disney. I imagine you wouldn't actually want Nintendo to end up anything like what Marvel is today.

I agree with the idea that Nintendo should exploit its properties more effectively, but there is really no comparison to be made with Marvel Comics outside of that single point.
 
Aquamarine said:
A lot more than that.


1) Captain N the Game Master (Cartoon, 1989-1991)

2) Donkey Kong Country (CGI Cartoon, 1997-2000)

3) The Super Mario Bros. Super Show (Live Action TV + Cartoon, 1989)

4) Kirby: Right Back At Ya! (Cartoon, 2001-2003)

5) Pokemon (Cartoon + Numerous Cartoon Movies, 1997-present)

6) Super Mario World (Cartoon, 1991)

7) The Legend of Zelda (Cartoon, 1989)

8) The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 (Cartoon, 1990)

9) The Wizard (Live Action Movie, 1989)

10) Super Mario Bros. (Live Action Movie, 1993)

11) Saturday Supercade (Cartoon, 1983-1985)

12) King Koopa's Kool Kartoons (Live Action TV, 1989-1990)

13) The Super Mario Challenge (Live Action TV, 1991)

14) Amada Anime Series: Super Mario Bros. (Cartoon, 1989)

15) Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach! (Cartoon Movie, 1986)

16) Animal Crossing (Cartoon Movie, 2006)

17) F-Zero: GP Legend (Cartoon, 2003-2004)


But I would love to see a modern-day CGI cartoon featuring Mario and the gang. Or a well done CGI movie about Zelda...it could be fantastic if done well.
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There's actually a few more, depending on what you're looking for. Mario had a bunch of OVA's revolving around things ranging from Fire Safety to Bandai TV toys. Takamaru also had a live action special, IIRC.

Mesoian said:
2.jpg


I had no idea it was still being updated in japan, they went all the way through paper mario.
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It's still going. The most recent volume was about NSMBU and Dark Moon.

QuixoticNeutral said:
I see nobody else here remembers the Donkey Kong Country television show that was part of the first wave of CG cartoon series along with the likes of ReBoot and Beast Wars.
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It's because we were trying to forget, thank you.

DRIVING AROUND IN A FANCY CAR
 
astrogamer said:
Fine, a good movie directly based an existing Video game IP.
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IBZ5JXD.jpg


Seriously, it makes no sense to say that because previous attempts were bad they should not bother trying. Most of their previous cartoons and films were made before the turn of the millennium. I have full confidence in their ability to produce good work here.
 
Slate Soda said:
You forgot about the F-Zero anime.

In fact it hasn't been mentioned once ITT. Strange.
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Probably because it was terrible, along with pretty much all of the cartoons based off Nintendo properties during the time. Which is probably the reason why they haven't opted to do anything like that these days. Besides, the Saturday morning cartoon is dead and any of the action games would probably meet the same fate as every current action cartoon these days :(
I did love that Paulutena reveal anime tho.
 
Aegis Vanguard said:
The extent to which this entire statement is wrong, mistaken, and confused cannot be overstated.


Marvel wasn't on the verge of bankruptcy. They were bankrupt. They lost a ton of money due to bad business deals they made in attempts to expand outside of comics, their comic sales were actually much higher then than they are now.

So basically your entire analogy falls apart right there. Marvel as a comic publisher was many times more successful in the 90s than they are today. Their market share and market size have both been greatly reduced.

Whats more, the Marvel Cinematic Universe didn't start until over a decade later when they made the deal with Paramount to produce films in-house. This had nothing to do with their earlier bankruptcy.

Marvel is only more successful today compared to the 90's because they now serve as an IP farm for Disney. I imagine you wouldn't actually want Nintendo to end up anything like what Marvel is today.

I agree with the idea that Nintendo should exploit its properties more effectively, but there is really no comparison to be made with Marvel Comics outside of that single point.
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Marvel is what they are today because they learned how to properly leverage their IPs outside of comics. Marvel Studios could never have existed without the success of earlier projects such as Spiderman and Xmen paving the way for Iron Man. I didn't mean to say that they're the biggest they've ever been because of their publishing arm, rather that they're as big as they are now because of how they've used their IPs since the turn off the century. Disney's acquisition is still pretty recent, and even then, Disney lets them run the majority of their own business and partner with outside studios. I don't see anywhere in your post how my analogy falls apart.
 
I can see their Marvel-like release schedule now...

Phase 1:
2016: Super Mario Bros. & Company (tv show with special appearance by Kirby), Pokemon: Pikachu & Friends (spin-off specials)
2017: The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Adventures (tv show), Kid Icarus Tales (tv show)
2018: Metroid Hunters (tv show with special appearance by Fox), Donkey Kong Island (tv show)
2019: Super Smash Heroes (animated movie). Tagline: All your favorite Nintendo heroes--Mario, Donkey Kong, Link, Samus, Yoshi, Pit, Fox, Pikachu, Luigi, Jigglypuff, and Kirby--team up to stop the combined evil forces of Bowser, Ganondorf, Medusa, and King Dedede who have invaded the lands of Hyrule, Skyworld, and the Mushroom Kingdom and have taken Peach, Zelda, and Palutena! Making their heroic debuts are Ness and Captain Falcon with special appearances by Zero Suit Samus and Sheik. Special end credit cameos by Master Hand, Wario, Meta Knight, Ridley, and Daisy and Rosalina.

Phase 2:
Series/Specials: Super Mario Bros. & Company, Pokemon: Pikachu and Friends, The Quest of Zelda, Star Fox: Lylat Sector, Kirby: Right Back at Ya Again!, Wario Ware & Company
Movies: Kaiju Battle! (Yoshi vs. R.O.B. vs. Wii Fit Trainer vs. Ridley), Metroid Prime (live action), Super Smash Heroes 2: Project M

Phase 3:
Series/Specials: Super Mario Bros. & Company, Pikachu and Friends Meet Pikmin, Animal Crossing Village, Falcon Prime Hunters, Handy Men (Captain Falcon, Little Mac, Male Fit Trainer, Ike, Chrom, Rob Haywood and other burly men I dunno... take off their shirts and flex or something. Whatever Teen Wolf does.)
Movies: Fire Emblem Rising, Metroid Prime 2, Palutena Versus Medusa, Super Bash Sisters, Super Smash Heroes 3: Return to Subspace

Not to nerd out any further, but I'm gonna need some pose-able action figures for this to work.
 
guek said:
Marvel is what they are today because they learned how to properly leverage their IPs outside of comics. Marvel Studios could never have existed without the success of earlier projects such as Spiderman and Xmen paving the way for Iron Man. I didn't mean to say that they're the biggest they've ever been because of their publishing arm, rather that they're as big as they are now because of how they've used their IPs since the turn off the century. Disney's acquisition is still pretty recent, and even then, Disney let's them run the majority of their own business and partner with outside studios. I don't see anywhere in your post how my analogy falls apart.
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Everything you said about Marvel is factually wrong. So any comparison to what Nintendo should do, using Marvel's current success as a basis, is also completely wrong. Marvel didn't actually do what you claim they did in the OP.

-Marvel wasn't on the verge of bankruptcy

-optioning their films wasn't a response to bankruptcy

-they had been selling rights to film and TV for years

-they didn't actually benefit from optioning off their films as Spiderman, X-Men, and Blade made them almost nothing while the studios made billions on their properties

-the marvel cinematic universe didn't get started until 2008 and was actually a reaction AGAINST optioning off their films in the 90's
 
zeldablue said:
Also:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3hvjSlbtzuM

Nintendo said f no.
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Oh wow, I didn't know about this.
It looked ok, but I can see why Nintendo didn't want anything to do with it; Imagi Animation Studios' two biggest licensed films (TMNT and Astro Boy) were pretty bad and sort of disappeared from the public consciousness after they were released.

I'm sure Nintendo would've been singing a different tune if it was Disney Animation Studios, or Pixar pitching an animated LoZ film.
:P
 
Aegis Vanguard said:
Everything you said about Marvel is factually wrong. So any comparison to what Nintendo should do, using Marvel's current success as a basis, is also completely wrong. Marvel didn't actually do what you claim they did in the OP.

-Marvel wasn't on the verge of bankruptcy

-optioning their films wasn't a response to bankruptcy

-they had been selling rights to film and TV for years

-they didn't actually benefit from optioning off their films as Spiderman, X-Men, and Blade made them almost nothing while the studios made billions on their properties

-the marvel cinematic universe didn't get started until 2008 and was actually a reaction AGAINST optioning off their films in the 90's
Click to expand...

Didn't benefit from their films in the 00s? I'm going to have to see a source for that. Marvel's film contracts were a direct consequence of their bankruptcy and desperation and they're consequently still trying to get back some of their film rights to this day. Marvel Studios was created specifically because their film projects had been so successful and they wanted more control and would never have been created if several of their properties hadn't become smash hits. They had never seen Xmen level success prior to that movie being made. I also never said that they hadn't used their properties in film before, but they never had as such mass appeal prior to the start of last decade.

You're nitpicking over the fact that I said on the verge of bankruptcy rather than bankrupt but that just strengthens my case.
 
A Zelda movie/show would be horrible because they'd either make Link talk, make it awkwardly done by not making Link talk, or create something based off the Zelda lore, that wouldn't interest the average person. Hardcore fans, yes, but not nearly enough to warrant production costs.

A Metroid film would heavily run the risk of feeling like an Alien ripoff, since that's how the series started, or change so much that fans would feel betrayed, Other M style.

A Mario movie would be tough to pull off because there's no plot that could be done with it that wouldn't feel incredibly shallow without completely changing aspects of it (like what the 80's movie did.

Smash Bros would be very weird to pull off because of style conflict. Just try to imagine Mario and Marth having a serious conversation. It works fine in the games because they're just fighting, but when you bring plot in, a lot of issues arise.

Their best bets would be 1: a Fire Emblem anime, or 2: a new Mario show. Fire Emblem is already plot-driven, so creating a show out of it wouldn't be that big of a leap for them. Mario's an incredibly recognized face, he's very marketable, and with many kids shows, they don't have over-arching plots, so every episode could have them facing off against Bowser, Wart, King Boo, Kamek, or whoever, in a different way. They could also pull stuff from spin-offs, like Mario Kart, or have a Luigi's Mansion Halloween episode. They could also have a little story arc as a prologue to an upcoming Mario game to do some cross-promotion.
 
effingvic said:
My Wishlist:

- Smash Bros anime
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As much as people hate on Brawl its Subspace emissary Singleplayer was quite good in the way it strung everyone together in the Smash bros Universe. I still hope we get something like that in the new smash bros. Its was much better story mode than mode fighting games get and that is was Platforming with Smash bro mechanics was ... oh soo good. If we had an anime in that kind of comboing with no VA but just the BA action put together it would be great.
 
I remember Reggie hyping up a Metroid movie that was in the works for a while (wasn't John Woo attached to direct at some point?). I wonder what ever happened with that.
 
I honestly think it's a good idea so long as everything is written well and doesn't contain material that conflicts with the nature of the games. I wouldn't mind seeing a Mario cartoon containing various funny shorts based on multiple characters like DK and Captain Toad, or even a Zelda anime with an artstyle and format of something like Avatar (Link would have to talk but I wouldn't mind that tbh.) All in all, I feel like it could be a useful step in rebuilding their major fanbase.
 
Ive had a few ideas for films leveraging Nintendo properties.

LoZ trilogy- An Animated/CG film loosely based around the events of SS, OoT and WW. Those three games would make for a good trilogy with a clean end and a good beggining with Hyrule, the master sword and Ganondorf being buried under the sea. Have it created by Studio Ghibli and marketed WW by Disney. Market it as a family movie drawing appeal and parallels to LoTR. It would easily attract family audiences as well as videogame fans and could be an incredibly successful endeavor for Nintendo, Studio Ghibli and Disney.

Rosalina- An animated film that is about Rosalina's backstory in Galaxy when she was a child. The first 15 minutes are about Rosalina and her mother's relationship. Her mother tells her she will be gone but if she looked to the sky and stars she will always be there. She hands Rosalina a bracelet with the seven grandmaster stars around it. Rosalina is depressed and spends all day and night outside by her tree gazing at the sky. One night a spaceship crashes and Rosalina meets Polari, a Luma, searching for his mother. Rosalina realizes her bracelet can power the starship so her and Polari set out on an adventure to find their mothers. They explore many galaxies featured in the galaxy series such as Gusty Garden. They have other adventures such as discovering star bits. Slowly more Lumas join their quest to look for their mother. They land on a comet and make a home on it while they continue travelling. The villian of the story is the Cosmic Witch who tricks Rosalina into handing over her grandmaster star bracelet to her in exchange for her mother. The Cosmic Witch uses the bracelet to create a blackhole that will absorb the universe and remake it in her image. In the pivotal part of the film Rosalina comes to terms that her mother is dead buried underneath her favorite tree. Polari explains to her what Lumas are and transforms into a comet so that she can go back to the Cosmic Witch and stop her. At the end resolving to be the mother of the Lumas and taking care of them until they are ready to become the planets, stars, comets, etc thus making her the mother of the universe. It would also be a musical in a similar vein to other children's Disney animated musicals.

Metroid would be a live action film. A third of the film would be her backstory of Ridley attacking and killing her parents/planet, being raised by the Chozo as a child and joining the Grand Federation eventually resolving to become an independent bounty hunter. Then it would be present time with it taking on a Survival Horror Action film where she investigates and liberates a planet of the Metroids and eventually gets her revenge on Ridley. A lot would focus on the horror aspect of investigating an alien planet and the Metroids as well as her working in surviving on the planet. If succesful they could create sequels somewhat based on Super Metroid, Metroid 2 and Fusion.
 
KoopaTheCasual said:
I think a Metroid movie has the potential to be absolutely incredible. Make it a story of Isolation, suspense, and beautiful vistas, and patches of action.
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I've actually thought about what a Metroid movie would be like, from time to time. And I think you have the right idea. But not very many people in Hollywood have the bravery to attempt something like that. I can just imagine the ways they would chicken out and ruin a Metroid movie:

- It's not about one person anymore, but a team of space pirate hunters (even if it focuses more on Samus).
- Most of the space pirates, aside from a few big-budget CGI monsters, would be human or humanoid, to cut costs.
- The story would take place on earth or near a populated area in some kind of scientific facility (again, to save money, but they justify it by claiming that it puts humanity in more direct peril)
- The movie would hold our hand from one explosion-laden fight to the next.
- Samus would be a "badass killing machine" with no emotional depth, and would appear naked or near-naked at least a few times.

In other words it would fit right in with the Resident Evil movies.


But I DO think a good Metroid movie can be made if it presents Samus as a real and believable person (like Ellen Ripley) and if it uses suspense and properly tuned emotion to fill the loneliness and lack of character interaction (like Gravity).
 
Don't really care about films, but I'd be down for a Smash Bros. anime and Fire Emblem should've had a full season a long time ago.
 
I went to the pokemon movie last weekend and I would love to say never again, but I'm sure I'll be back for next year's movie since this is how Nintendo does DLC.

:/
 
I could have sworn Miyamoto said he was working on a Pikmin anime around the time of Pikmin 3's release. Pikmin 3 pretty much feels like a cartoon from an era when they were good.
 
After that last Metroid game I played on the Wii, Samus really needs some kind of bad ass return to form. I think a horror thriller cartoon would be a great way to sort of reintroduce the character to younger fans. Because that Other M or whatever it was called was an affront to an entire gender.
 
I don't know, but I am glad they don't. Fuck the idea of Nintendo-based animes (specially a Smash Bros anime).
EmpReb said:
As much as people hate on Brawl its Subspace emissary Singleplayer was quite good in the way it strung everyone together in the Smash bros Universe. I still hope we get something like that in the new smash bros. Its was much better story mode than mode fighting games get and that is was Platforming with Smash bro mechanics was ... oh soo good. If we had an anime in that kind of comboing with no VA but just the BA action put together it would be great.
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No, the Subspace Emissary sucked. Brawl is probably my favorite game in the series and even i have to admit that. It was a total waste of resources. I am really glad neither of the two new Smash Bros are getting a "Subspace Emissary 2".
 
Apt101 said:
After that last Metroid game I played on the Wii, Samus really needs some kind of bad ass return to form. I think a horror thriller cartoon would be a great way to sort of reintroduce the character to younger fans. Because that Other M or whatever it was called was an affront to an entire gender.
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Other M was an offense to four genders at the very least. Though I agree animation is probably the best way to transition Metroid into non-interactive media, considering the general cast and setting of the games. A more polished take on this sort of style would be ideal - it conveys the low-fidelity grittiness of the Super Metroid SNES sprites quite well.
 
I assume they want to be as involved as possible in the creation but don't have any people from the company willing or able to work on them.
 
lupinko said:
I went to the pokemon movie last weekend and I would love to say never again, but I'm sure I'll be back for next year's movie since this is how Nintendo does DLC.

:/
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Come now. Nintendo doesn't do DLC like this. They do it like Mario Golf, New Super Mario Bros U, Mario Kart 8, Steel Diver.

Event Pokémon are different.
 
You know what? I'm happy with Nintendo just staying largely as a videogame company. I know QoL is likely going to take them outside that sphere somewhat, and they did things for decades before videogames, but I also think not every game company needs to try and turn into a media empire. Nintendo's franchises work best in videogame form.

Why the hell would I want to watch a Zelda when I could play one instead? I don't go into Zelda for the story, I go into it for the gameplay. Same with Metroid, Star Fox and Mario. Those properties were designed around being games, so why can't we leave them as such? Why do we constantly have to keep taking round pegs and trying to hammer them into square holes? I'm currently sick to the back teeth of the annual blitz of Marvel films that happens, and I'd hate for Nintendo to do the same thing, churning out films just because their other business isn't doing so well. If their games aren't doing great, focus on making them better, rather than diverting resources into becoming yet another wannabe-Disney empire.
 
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