Nintendo to make movies of their properties

[Sledgstone 8,672]

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Japanese video game maker Nintendo has revealed plans to make films and videos based on its library of characters, Variety is reporting.

The information was revealed by Nintendo company president Tatsumi Kimishima in an interview with the Asahi Shimbun. Kimishima said the company will fund the proposed films with revenue from the sale of its share in the Seattle Mariners. “As soon as the sale of the team is finalized we will use part for our new visual contents business,” Kimishima said.  

Options under consideration include feature films (with a preference for animation over live action), and direct-to-video productions, Kimishima said in the interview (as translated by Kotaku).

 

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Here’s how the rest of that conversation played out:

Asahi News: “Is the picture (or image) business the movie business?”

Kimishima: “Movies are representative, but it’s also making videos and releasing them in various countries and whatnot. It’s various businesses. Now, we’re talking to various partners. In the not too distant future, I’d like to get some sort of form ironed out.”

Asahi News: “In the past, there was that Super Mario movie.”

Kimishima: “The box office receipts on that weren’t so good. But this time, rather than licensing, our current thinking is that we’d like to do as much as we can ourselves.”

Asahi News: “As for your partner, is that a Hollywood movie company?”

Kimishima: “Something like that. It doesn’t necessarily need to be Hollywood and once it’s been decided where it will be, then at that time, we can talk about it. However, I want to do this thing together with a partner who is able to take things globally.” (Note: This isn’t a confirmation , but Nintendo does have a partnership to bring its characters to Universal Studios Japan.)

Asahi News: “So, will you do another live-action movie?”

Kimishima: “We’ve done that before, so probably not a live-action one.” (Note: Recently, there have been rumors of a live-action Pokémon movie.)

Asahi News: “Will it be something like Disney or Pixar, then?”

Kimishima: “Because we have IPs, we’re thinking we could also do something like that. It is something to keep in mind as we make all this concrete.”

If Nintendo had Pixar make their movies while maintaining control of the property so another "Super Mario Bros." live action fiasco never happens again, they could make some really awesome movies. But if Nintendo teams up with some companies in Japan that did the live action death note or attack on titan movies, this could lead to some huge flops.

Sources:

http://icv2.com/articles/news/view/34515/nintendo-plans-self-fund-movies-videos

http://kotaku.com/nintendo-wants-to-make-movies-1777033924

 

[Strider Hiryu 2,704]

Based on how well live-action adaptations of anime and games have been in the past I don't think Nintendo will go down the live-action route with their properties ever again (Mario Brothers anyone, I actually liked the movie but I was a kid when I first saw it so yea).

It should be noted that Nintendo gave up majority control of the Seattle Mariners to do this (something I didn't know until I watched the Inside Gaming episode on this yesterday, funny to think Nintendo owned an American Baseball Team). Goes to show you Nintendo is financially hurting so I think this is there way of trying to come out of the red and recoup some losses after the Wii-U debacle. 

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

Super Mario Bros. is a cinematic masterpiece. I'm stillooking waiting for the sequel promised by the cliffhanger ending.

[Myk JL 1,731]

Nintendo really need to focus on live action plausible characters like Samus Aron. And make new characters that could fit into a live action PG-13 setting. But I doubt that will happen as long Mario is Nintendo's Main Mascot.