As the franchises associated with both Ben Schwartz and his colleagues continue to flourish, Schwartz has shared his thoughts on a potential collaboration between Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Smash Bros. for a movie crossover. The iconic video game series by Nintendo is well-known for integrating its diverse characters into an electrifying gameplay experience, with Sonic making his debut in Super Smash Bros. Brawl back in 2008. Schwartz has taken the lead role in voicing Sonic for the film adaptations, a journey that commenced just before the equally popular Super Mario franchise made its mark on the big screen with Chris Pratt at the helm.
In a recent interview with Variety regarding the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Schwartz was questioned about the possibility of a crossover featuring his character. While he praised Pratt’s performance in the animated Super Mario film, he hinted at greater aspirations for a traditional crossover beyond the Olympic Games-themed titles previously released.
“There’s two things I would love. I love Chris Pratt. I think he’s amazing, and he plays Mario — which we probably shouldn’t talk about in this interview — but the Olympic Games is great. What I really think could be bananas is if we get a Super Smash Bros. spinoff, but that would take so many different studios being kind to each other at the same time.”
Despite expressing enthusiasm for a potential crossover, Schwartz emphasized his current focus on expanding the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, sharing his hopes for creating as many as six films. He acknowledged that the previous success of films like Detective Pikachu suggests that bringing a Super Smash Bros. movie to life is becoming more feasible.
“But the idea that we get to build our own franchise that lives on its own, and we have so many characters within this franchise, that we can do three, four, five, six — that’s what I’m concentrating on and that’s what I love. If you want to have a battle royale with a bunch of people we all love in video games, because I’m a video game nerd, I would not be against it. I would see if Paramount would let me go play. But I think that right now, it’s Sonic 3, and if we can get to Sonic 4, we have so much stuff we want to explore. We’re getting closer. There’s a Pikachu movie that already exists. So if you can get all these studios that oftentimes compete with each other to make the same movie and somehow split the profits, that would be wonderful.”
Implications for a Super Smash Bros. Movie
Navigating Multiple Hurdles
As Schwartz highlights, one of the primary challenges for a potential Super Smash Bros. movie is the ownership of the characters across different studios. Currently, Sonic the Hedgehog adaptations are produced by Paramount, while Detective Pikachu falls under the purview of Legendary Entertainment and Warner Bros. In contrast, the upcoming Super Mario sequel and its predecessor are produced by Universal Pictures, and the live-action adaptation of The Legend of Zelda is in the works at Sony Pictures. Although Nintendo retains the rights to its characters like Mario and Zelda, the distribution hurdles complicate collaboration.
Another potential obstacle includes developing a cohesive storyline that logically weaves together the diverse franchises for a battle royale format. Although both Brawl and Ultimate featured story modes, they failed to adequately explain the rationale behind the crossovers. While the multiverse concept has gained traction in contemporary cinema—thanks to successful franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe and acclaimed films such as Everything Everywhere All at Once—there’s a risk that it might not resonate with fans across the various franchises involved.
Ultimately, the favorable scenario for a Super Smash Bros. movie lies in the current successes of the adaptations connected to the franchises. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has earned its highest reviews to date, boasting an impressive 86% “Certified Fresh”rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while also setting record numbers for Thursday night previews. Similarly, the Super Mario Bros. Movie surpassed initial mixed reactions to emerge as the second-highest-grossing film of 2023, just behind Barbie. Initially, Detective Pikachu ranked as the highest-grossing video game adaptation until eclipsed by Mario.
Our Perspective on a Super Smash Bros. Movie
While Early, the Appeal is There
At this moment, the prospects of a Super Smash Bros. movie crossover appear to be low due to the fragmented rights associated with Nintendo’s franchises being distributed among various film studios. Additionally, the animated universe of The Super Mario Bros. Movie creates tonal challenges when comparing it with the live-action narratives of the Sonic the Hedgehog, Detective Pikachu, and Legend of Zelda films. With only one exiting film for each of these properties, substantial world-building would be required to facilitate a crossover.
However, as the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise is ahead with a fourth installment already confirmed for a release in Spring 2027, the future may hold possibilities for a collaborative film.
In conclusion, a Super Smash Bros. movie could prove to be an exhilarating concept for filmmakers to consider in the years ahead. The potential to portray the interaction between the richly constructed worlds of Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog, akin to a playful twist on childhood favorites, would not only delight longtime fans but also allow for visually captivating action sequences.
Source: Variety
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