Super Mario Bros. continues to be one of the biggest hits of 2023, only surpassed by Barbie in terms of box office earnings. The movie starring the plumber brothers has been steadily growing since its release last April, and there has been much talk since then about its highly anticipated sequel… and also about possible spin-offs.
If Super Mario Bros. served a purpose, it was to showcase the character’s universe to its fullest extent. The film made it clear that the Mushroom Kingdom is much more than an occasional fantasy world; it’s a universe full of possibilities, and it’s evident they are going to explore it to the fullest. And that means we will likely have more series and movies based on this universe… but what would be the ideal one?
Donkey Kong: the most striking character
Undoubtedly, the character most deserving of a spin-off among all those presented is Donkey Kong. While many others have potential, from Toad to Yoshi — the latter seems to be a major focus in the sequel — none compare to Donkey Kong in this regard. The character didn’t come alone but brought with him a world filled with others of his kind that complements him perfectly.
The segment where Mario visits Donkey Kong’s village is one of the best parts of the movie, and it also opens up other aspects such as the introduction of Mario Kart with a spectacular race. This, coupled with charismatic characters like Diddy Kong or Cranky Kong, makes Nintendo’s good-hearted gorilla a strong contender for his own show.
Whether it’s by telling Donkey Kong’s story through flashbacks or picking up from where we left off in the series, the character undoubtedly has great potential to succeed, just like Mario. In the end, if he has done it in video games, there’s no reason he can’t do it in a spin-off movie or, as I believe would be preferable, a series.
