With the popularity of the MCU, people are constantly vying for more cinematic universes for their favorite fictional characters. From DC heroes in the DCEU and Xenomorphs in the Alien franchise to Barbie and Harry Potter, massive fictional worlds with stories rooted in deep lore are all the rage. With video game adaptations finally getting the treatment they deserve, some fans are even theorizing that a new cinematic universe is already in the works: the SmashVerse.
Based on the Super Smash Bros. video game franchise, the SmashVerse is a proposed cinematic universe that would connect almost every Nintendo character as well as other fighters on the roster. It wouldn't necessarily be a surprise, considering the Marvel-level secrecy surrounding the upcoming animated movie Super Mario Bros. starring Chris Pratt and Charlie Day. Indeed, with other Nintendo-inspired movies already out there, the question remains: are we getting a Super Smash Bros. Cinematic Universe?
The Idea Behind the Universe
Super Smash Bros. is a franchise that brings the various characters of Nintendo into the same world. The series started humbly in 1999 with the original Super Smash Bros. title — 12 of gaming's most famous characters united to duke it out across iconic stages. As the series grew, more fighters joined the lineup and each new installment came with more gameplay modes and stories. The Smash roster now includes 89 characters from over 40 different game franchises! It's come a long way, but the principle of uniting beloved heroes from fan-favorite fictional worlds remains the same.
It's the spirit of colliding worlds that sparked the theory of the SmashVerse. Similar to the Smash Bros. game series, the Smash Cinematic Universe (or SCU) would serve as a platform to bring characters together through film. The SCU would follow in the footsteps of the MCU by introducing each Smash alum in their own respective movie; as more characters are introduced, crossover films would ultimately get them in the same place.
Current Films That Support the Theory
So far, several films already support the existence of the SmashVerse: Detective Pikachu gave us a gateway into the world of Pokémon, and the developing Sonic the Hedgehog series officially brought the Blue Blur into cinema. The upcoming Super Mario Bros. movie adds the entire Mushroom Kingdom to the mix, and films centered on Minecraft and Metal Gear Solid with Oscar Isaac are slated for release in the next few years. This selection alone already accounts for at least 30 characters in the official Smash roster.
There are technically a few older films that star more recent additions to the games (most notably Street Fighter, Tekken and Final Fantasy), although it would be a stretch to include them in this brand new cinematic universe. This also applies to Japanese releases, which feature titles like Fatal Fury, Bayonetta and Dragon Quest.
Films That Still Need to Be Made
The current video game adaptations only cover 1/3 of the entire Smash lineup, so more would need to be made for a full-on SmashVerse to happen. A few movies could bring us several characters from the same franchises; at the very least, we need films that introduce the remaining original 12 fighters. Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Pikachu, and Jigglypuff are all part of existing or upcoming film worlds, so they're already canon.
The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Star Fox, Kirby, F-Zero and Earthbound still haven't gotten the silver screen treatment. The Donkey Kong and Yoshi's Island games are technically part of the Super Mario universe, but the star characters should still get their own feature films. If each of these games gets a theatrical release, we'll have a complete portfolio of Nintendo's veteran fighters. If these worlds become canon in the SCU, they would also open doors for additional characters without the need for more separate universes (the various forms of Link, Princess Zelda and Ganondorf, for example).
However, that still doesn't cover the remaining third of the roster. Most of what's left consists of recent additions to the lineup, including the Ice Climbers, Pit, the Fire Emblem warriors and Namco characters like Pac-Man. The SmashVerse is huge, especially since it now encompasses games beyond Nintendo's scope — if we're hoping for total coverage, we've got a long way to go. Counting all characters that haven't made major cinematic appearances and aren't scheduled to any time soon, the SCU would need a minimum of 33 more movies to accurately represent its lineup of fighters.
Evidence Why It Might Not Be Happening
The most telling evidence against the SmashVerse is the lack of confirmation by anyone at Nintendo or the various production companies involved in video game movies. It's entirely based on fan speculation, and while there are tons of theories circulating the Internet, none of them have factual grounding at the moment. Not a single statement has been released to even suggest the creation of the SCU, and current Wiki pages on the matter are fan-driven.
Furthermore, most of these game adaptations are being made by different companies. The Sonic series is owned by Paramount Pictures, and Detective Pikachu is a Warner Bros. film. The new Mario movie will be made by Universal Pictures, and Metal Gear Solid will come from Sony Pictures. Even if all the Smash alums make it to film, the SmashVerse probably won't be canon if the movies aren't coming from the same companies. Buying and selling the rights to these characters is expensive enough, and the producers might not be interested in collaborating or giving up creative liberties to one another.
Without enough official backing, it doesn't look like the SmashVerse is anything more than a fan theory... for now! Just because it hasn't been confirmed doesn't mean it will never happen, and there's always a chance Nintendo will want to jump on the cinematic multiverse train. For now, we'll just have to wait and see what comes next.