“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” in theaters now, has been a source of endless speculation among fans of the franchise (both the video games and the animated movies, which began with 2023’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”) – would this new installment point towards a future Super Smash Bros. movie?
We’ve seen the new movie and will help to break down everything in regards to the ways that “Galaxy” does – or does not – point in the direction of a smashing sequel. But, first, an explicit spoiler warning must be issued for those who haven’t seen the movie or those who care about us going over the movie in forensic detail.
What is Super Smash Bros.?
Super Smash Bros., first released on the Nintendo 64 in the year of our lord 1999, is a fighting game developed by Nintendo partner HAL Laboratory that combined characters from disparate Nintendo franchises (and, later, beyond) into a single, madcap brawler. Yes, this was your opportunity to, as Link from The Legend of Zelda, put the beatdown on Pikachu from Pokémon. It was a delight. And with its lack of true narrative, it didn’t break any continuity or pre-existing lore. Super Smash Bros. just is, best enjoyed with buddies splitting a large Domino’s two-topping pizza and several 2-liter bottles of Mountain Dew Code Red.
Over the years, there would be subsequent installments in the franchise – Super Smash Bros. Melee for the Nintendo GameCube, Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Wii, a surprisingly robust Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo’s handheld 3DS, another version for the ill-fated Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for the vastly more popular Nintendo Switch.
To each generation, a Super Smash Bros. is born. And the game’s popularity has only increased over the years, particularly with Ultimate’s seemingly never-ending roster of downloadable characters and additional improvements. Truly, we are blessed.
Why did people think “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” would soft-launch a Super Smash Bros. movie?
While the first “Super Mario Bros. Movie” was stuffed with Easter eggs from Nintendo’s illustrious catalog, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” takes that to a positively astronomical level. And as additional characters started to leak out during the movie’s promotional cycle – characters from Pikmin, the Nintendo robot R.O.B. and, finally, Fox McCloud from Star Fox – it seemed to point towards a movie where characters from other game series and franchises could be brought together for a single battle royale.
Does “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” actually set up a Super Smash Bros. movie?
No.
Really?
Not in the slightest.
Explain.
The audience that we saw “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” with was clearly primed to see Super Smash Bros. wherever they could. When a minion had a mallet in the little Illumination logo, a guy sitting next to me breathlessly whispered, “Oh, here comes the ‘Super Smash Bros.’ movie.” Only that never materialized. There is no indication, like less than zero, that they are setting up a Super Smash Bros. movie. Even if that movie is in the plans, you certainly don’t get that impression from watching the movie that is in theaters this weekend.
Are there any hints of a Super Smash Bros. movie in “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie?”
Not really. The Fox McCloud cameo is explained away as him falling through a dimensional rift and winding up in Mario’s (Chris Pratt) existence. There’s a brief appearance from Mr. Game & Watch, a character associated with Nintendo’s Game & Watch pocket electronics devices but more closely linked to the Super Smash Bros. games. But his appearance is just another “Super Mario Galaxy Movie” cameo non sequitur – it doesn’t really amount to anything beyond a quick Hey, I remember that guy. Characters from various franchises don’t face off, there are no indications that they ever will and the whole idea that this movie was “building” towards a Super Smash Bros. movie is completely off base.
Oh.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news — or non-news. Or whatever!
Anything else?
There will certainly be more “Super Mario” movies, though. This movie, after all, is supposed to make more than $180 million domestically this weekend alone. And there was a conspicuous absence of some key characters in the lore (most bafflingly Donkey Kong, who was a major part of the first film and has only a brief cameo here). Of course, we have no doubt that, at some point, there will likely be a Super Smash Bros. movie. But the groundwork certainly wasn’t laid in “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.”
“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” is in theaters now.
