Nintendo Has Filed a Copyright Discover for an ‘Untitled Donkey Kong Movement Image’

Nintendo has filed a copyright discover for an unannounced Donkey Kong movie, in collaboration with Common Photos.

The submitting, for a “Untitled Donkey Kong Undertaking; Movement Image” lists Nintendo Studios LLC because the copyright holder, alongside Common Photos.

Nintendo Studios is in fact Nintendo’s personal in-house arm devoted to turning its personal franchises into huge display hits, whereas Common Photos is Nintendo’s animation associate (by means of its Minions-making Illumination studio) behind the field workplace breaking Tremendous Mario Bros. Film.

There have lengthy been rumblings of a Donkey Kong-starring spin-off to Nintendo’s huge display Mario blockbuster, although it is believed that the subsequent Mario movie is extra of a straight sequel — and reportedly titled Tremendous Mario World.

So, what’s this? Followers suppose that the submitting, initially lodged in Might this 12 months, factors to an additional undertaking due out after Nintendo’s subsequent important Mario movie. And a few are even speculating that that is the beginning of a Nintendo Cinematic Universe, with varied stars getting their very own solo motion pictures whereas being a part of the identical franchise.

The information comes simply days earlier than the launch of Nintendo’s huge new Nintendo Swap 2 launch, Donkey Kong Bananaza. With a extra cinematic focus and hints that this recreation may supply extra of a storyline, might the Donkey Kong film hyperlink into components of its narrative?

For now, Nintendo is holding quiet about a lot its huge display plans (which additionally embody a separate, live-action manufacturing to adapt The Legend of Zelda). However we did lately get a quick replace on the subsequent Tremendous Mario Bros. movie, which is about to launch on April 3, 2026.

“We’ve reached a degree the place we’re assured that the brand new film will probably be an entertaining movie, so we now have introduced its theatrical launch for subsequent spring,” Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto stated of the upcoming second Mario Bros. film, throughout final month’s Nintendo traders Q&A.

“We don’t need to set a launch date first after which power the manufacturing schedule to satisfy it. That is much like recreation growth; we need to launch one thing that we’re assured will fulfill our shoppers. I at all times inform our groups to ‘work for the patron, not to your boss’.”

Tom Phillips is IGN’s Information Editor. You may attain Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or discover him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social