Nintendo’s new Mario movie appears to be repeating a pattern of franchise building over story quality that has plagued the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This article examines the potential pitfalls of prioritizing a shared universe over a compelling standalone narrative.

A Familiar Pattern Emerges

Mario (Chris Pratt), Luigi (Charlie Day), Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) all encounter new friends and foes, all pulled from Nintendo lore. It’s a fun event for diehard fans, but also an all-too-familiar problem that we’ve seen before. Nintendo seems to be falling into the same trap that Marvel Studios did early in its Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

The Iron Man 2 Precedent

When Iron Man hit theaters in 2010, many fans were slightly disappointed. The first film was a tight, focused character piece about Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) evolution into the hero Iron Man. However, the sequel arrived when Marvel Studios was rapidly expanding its universe.

Thor and Captain America both had solo franchise films in development, which, along with Iron Man and Hulk’s films, would lead to a bigger collaborative project. Iron Man 2 carried a significant weight, and the film suffered for it.

The sequel focused on Tony Stark’s history and character growth, but a significant portion of the film was dedicated to building the universe, with Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and SHIELD’s “Avengers Initiative” all shoehorned into the narrative. Fans began to question whether building a shared universe while still providing satisfying solo film experiences was a mutually achievable goal.

Echoes in the Mushroom Kingdom

The Mario film sacrifices the cohesive story, character arcs, and thematic depth for a series of colorful set pieces, all pulled directly from the Mario and other Nintendo games. There is very little in the way of true character arcs for any of the principal returning characters, and there is no real thematic core to the film.

Instead, the film features cameos and Easter eggs that suggest these are more than just a standalone adventure, an attempt to connect the film to a larger shared universe.

Expanding the Nintendo Universe

Mario is one of Nintendo’s most successful brands, with the game series pulling characters from more than a dozen different Nintendo brands, while also incorporating characters from other game developers. One such inclusion is Fox, a character from Street Fighter, voiced by Glenn Powell.

To say that Fox is an extraneous addition to the film would be an understatement. The character, who has never been part of the Mario universe before, feels completely out of place and serves only to broaden the scope of the film’s potential franchise opportunities.

Lessons from Marvel

This kind of universe building is something that Marvel Studios has stumbled over repeatedly, especially after The Avengers. This expansion has weakened the MCU brand and called the entire shared universe franchise approach into question.

Nintendo should learn from Marvel's mistakes, especially after achieving success with a satisfying standalone film. Abandoning the standalone focus so quickly gives fans reason to be cynical about Nintendo’s jump to the movies.

A Cautionary Tale

This rush to build a shared universe feels premature, particularly if the studio never delivers a truly compelling narrative outside of the main franchise. This pattern of placing franchise building ahead of narrative quality has often hurt the superhero genre, and Nintendo should be careful to avoid a similar fate.

The early signs suggest a prioritization of long-term franchise potential over the immediate creation of a well-crafted and engaging film experience. Nintendo would be wise to focus on strong standalone stories and character development first, building the shared universe organically if and when the time is right.