The Super Mario Bros. Movie has finally hit theaters, and though it’s had something of a rocky start on the critical side, it’s also safe to say that it was never going to be a movie for the critics. By all accounts, the loosely plotted sugar rush of a video game adaptation is packed to the brim with references that should make all of our inner plumbers smile.
Just as well, because the film has some awfully ambitious box office hopes; it’s expected to gross $125 million over the course of its five-day opening weekend, with an additional $100 million from international markets. And if it goes on to pull that sort of cash for Illumination, then that rumored Donkey Kong spin-off film should follow closely behind.
All of this to say, between critical achievements like Arcane and The Last of Us and wannabe box office heavyweights like The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the climate of video game adaptations for film and television is in the best place it’s ever been, and according to star and avid gamer Jack Black, who portrays Bowser, this is only the beginning of a trend that’s likely to continue in the entertainment industry.
In an interview with the BBC, Black ruminated on the fluctuation that both the gaming and film and television markets have seen over the years, and identified video games as the next prime real estate for film adaptations.
“In the future, film and television are going to keep going towards using the stories told in video games, because that market seems to be growing and growing exponentially. The TV and film industries seem to be seeing a little bit of shrinkage. It will be interesting to see what happens to the entertainment industry over the next 20 to 30 years but I think we will be seeing more storytelling from the gaming universe.”
The actor is wise to make such a prediction; beyond the fact that a multitude of colorful and engaging IPs happen to call the gaming medium home, the rise of storytelling in games practically sells itself as adaptation material. It’s no wonder that The Last of Us made such a good show when the game itself is chiefly highlighted for its plot, or how Netflix’s The Witcher dwarfed the game in quality. As it turns out, adapting a book into a television show goes more smoothly than adapting a book into a video game.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is now playing in theaters.