Super Mario Galaxy's Surprise Character May Create a Super Smash Bros. Multiverse
Given it takes place in literal outer space, The Super Mario Bros Galaxy Movie really raises the stakes. In this film, we’re getting acquainted with some classic Nintendo characters, including Princess Rosalina and Yoshi — but the biggest surprise is the recent news that Star Fox is barrel-rolling his way into the movie.
Glen Powell announced that he would be voicing the character through an Instagram video where he Mario-jumps through an empty cinema before showing off his Star Fox-emblazoned jacket. The caption read: “Born to Barrel Roll.”
Sure, Fox McCloud’s inclusion may well be a fun bit of fan service, but what if we’re at the precipice of something bigger? Namely, an epic Nintendo multiverse Smash Bros. movie? Let’s break it down…
Who Is Star Fox, and Why Is He in Super Mario Galaxy?
Fox is the leader of Star Fox, a group of mercenaries who just so happen to be humanoid animals. Essentially, they fly around the Lylat System in their trusty Arwing, often finding themselves going head-to-head with Andross, who is a mad scientist and Fox’s archenemy.
The Star Fox franchise began in 1993 with an SNES game, and with a new game rumoured to be coming soon, we can expect something of a Star Fox renaissance.
Given that The Super Mario Bros Galaxy Movie takes place in space, the inclusion of Fox and the gang makes sense. It could be that Mario and Luigi find themselves in the Lylat System, or perhaps Star Fox ventures further out into the galaxy. Either way, it is a pretty monumental moment.
How Likely Is a Super Smash Bros. ‘Event’ or Movie?
One of Nintendo’s most ambitious games is the Super Smash Bros. series. The games bring characters from various Nintendo projects and other franchises together with one goal: to fight to the death (ish). Along with Mario, Fox has appeared in every single edition of this platform fighting game.
The MCU has shown the industry just how enriching and lucrative cinematic universes and multiversal sagas are again. So, it wouldn’t be surprising if Fox’s appearance is just the beginning of the expansion of the Mario Bros movie universe.
Because of how loved the games are, I think that something like this would likely be very successful. Or, at the very least, we could get a spin-off movie that helps elevate iconic characters like Fox to a new generation.
The Crossover Potential For Mario With Pokémon & Sonic the Hedgehog
Along with Star Fox, other notable characters that have appeared in Super Smash Bros. games are Pikachu and Sonic. Given how iconic these characters are, a Smash Bros. film simply wouldn’t work without them. Because of the Pokémon IP’s connection to Nintendo, a crossover event with characters like Pikachu would definitely be feasible — but including Sonic might be a little difficult.
Since Sega owns Sonic, Nintendo would have to get its arch-rival to agree. However, Sonic has already appeared in games with the Mario brothers, most notably in the Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games series. Therefore, a crossover wouldn’t exactly be new territory. Moreover, Sonic has had a highly successful transfer to the big screen already, with three movies and a fourth on the way.
I still remember the hype around Sonic’s inclusion in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, so if Nintendo were to pull this off with a cheeky post-credit scene or the like, nostalgic gamers would absolutely go wild.
Other Video Game Movie & TV Show Crossovers
If a Smash Bros. movie is indeed coming, it wouldn’t be the first time that video game franchises have crossed over on the big screen. The most obvious example is Wreck-It Ralph, which has character cameos from various video game series like Super Mario Bros, Sonic, Pac-Man, Street Fighter, and Paper Boy, among others.
Similarly, Pixels crossed over with Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Galaga, Tetris and Centipede. As for the TV show Captain N: The Game Master, characters from various games appeared, including Kid Icarus, Mega Man, Donkey Kong, Punch-Out, Super Mario Bros, and Dragon Quest.
Ultimately, if there’s something the audience loves, it's a crossover — so while it might be logistically difficult, a Smash Bros. movie would be worth the work.
