The Super Smash Bros. Cinematic Universe is coming

Nintendo and Illumination were never going to stop with the first Super Mario movie. After it became one of the biggest animated films of all time at the box office, the road was open to take a generous inventory of its assets and decide which ones were best suited for the big screen.

Although it hasn't confirmed any additional films beyond the live-action Legend of Zelda coming next year, it's easy to read between the lines and Nintendo has a broad cinematic vision that will make all kinds of characters and universes make their mark. If they don't all end up as part of the same universe, the fact that Fox McCloud is confirmed to appear in the upcoming Super Mario Galaxy makes me think the whole thing will be one giant crossover.

Why is Star Fox in the Super Mario Galaxy movie?

I knew when the Super Mario Galaxy movie was announced that it was going to outer space for more reasons than just adapting the Wii masterpiece. Early trailers already showcased environments and gimmicks from later games such as Odyssey, making it abundantly clear that it was meant to use Nintendo and Illumination's popular name as a springboard to broaden the range of possible characters available to them.

Reaching beyond the stars, Nintendo has carte blanche to explore not only both Galaxy titles, but also other franchises like Star Fox and Pikmin that take full advantage of cute interstellar settings. Pikmin were briefly seen in a few blink-and-you'll-miss-it reels in social media posts, while a recent trailer showed Fox's blaster teasing us ahead of the full reveal. Whether he's a cute cameo or a key ally of Mario and company, Fox's introduction in this movie represents crossing a very important line.

Glenn Powell (of Top Gn Maverick and Spy Kids 3D: Game Over fame) has been cast as Fox. The biggest challenge in bringing all these Nintendo characters to life will be finding the right voices for them.

Mario, Luigi and Bowser in the Super Mario Galaxy movie.

If he can be in a Mario movie, that means a number of other Nintendo characters aren't off either. If Kirby, Kid Icarus (who made a cameo in the original with Mario in the first game) or Captain Falcon showed up, I wouldn't bat an eye, especially if the movie does the story work to show that Mario isn't alone in this big universe and that there are countless other different heroes waiting for their turn in the sun. It feels like Nintendo is laying the foundations for a Super Smash Bros. cinematic universe.

After decades of comic book movies and a lingering feeling of exhaustion following the release of Avengers Endgame, I expected to roll my eyes at the idea, but it got me pretty excited. After Ultimate failed to deliver a satisfying story mode that saw its massive roster interact well, I'm sad to see these characters finally adventure together.

I can see Star Fox being introduced and becoming Mario's friend as he offers to help take down Bowser in the final act of the film, because who better to use the power of space to defeat the villain than Fox and his team of expert dogfighters? I can smell the fan service from here. It can go to a lot of visually interesting places, even if I don't expect the story to stand up to scrutiny given how basic the first film was. It needs to appeal to audiences young and old around the world with a story of good vs. evil as old as time, and you won't pull it off by delving into overly complicated Nintendo lore.

The Super Smash Bros. Cinematic Universe is so ridiculous it just might work

Rosalina in the Super Mario Galaxy movie.

But well, I like to go in that direction. What I really want is for Nintendo's slate of animated films to reach a point where it gives us Super Smash Bros. Might give something like Spaceship Emissary from Brawl. A story filled with beloved icons teaming up with unlikely partners to take on larger-than-life dangers. The game was first released nearly two decades ago, so there's plenty of room for expansion if we're actually looking down the barrel of a Nintendo Cinematic Universe.

Start small with additions like Star Fox and Pikmin, ensuring these characters have their own stories told through individual arcs throughout Mario's outings. Then big names like Kirby or Animal Crossing might get a chance to stand out on their own.

Mario and Peach in the Super Mario Galaxy movie.

They can be major parts of Mario's story, or awesome bonuses that both casual and die-hard fans will appreciate. I don't know what final shape this SSBCU will take — look, I made it up now and all — but it not only presents an opportunity to tell new stories, but brings back many inactive characters in fresh visual form and makes them relevant again.

Fox McCloud and many other characters like him are confined to very old games that just won't interest today's young audience, so what better way to revive many of them through a film that millions of people are going to go and see? It's smart, and honestly I'm also a giant nerd who wants to see it happen.