Nintendo might be about to make a serious move into the movie business.
Nintendo CEO Tatsumi Kimishima said that the game maker is considering the possibility of moving into filmmaking, Japanese newspaper Asahi reports, but it's not yet decided if this will be a theater or DVD/Blu-Ray type of deal. The news was also confirmed to the Associated Press.
The report states that Nintendo's movies might be 3D animation, with the company said to be in talks with "various film companies" about a partnership.
Nintendo has licensed its characters for movies before, albeit sparingly. The 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie, featuring Bob Hoskins, remains the best known example, although not for all the right reasons.
What kind of overalls does Mario wear? Denim denim denim
There have also been a handful of Pokemon movies, and an Animal Crossing movie that was released only in Japan.
Nintendo's latest move, however, signals a more serious push into the film business. Kimishima said that he wants to use the company's popular IPs but wouldn't comment on which characters we might see first.
The announcement comes as another round of video game movies are set to hit screens. Assassin's Creed's first trailer landed last week, Lara Croft has a new lead actress, and let's not forget that the Angry Birds movie has just been unleashed upon the world.
Don't expect to see anything on screens soon, but Kimishima said the first movie won't take five years to arrive.
