Nintendo's Metroid Movie Reportedly in the Works as Universal and Sony Compete for Rights
- Sagar Mankar
- 6 minutes ago
- 2 min read
A Metroid film adaptation is reportedly in development, with major studios eyeing the rights to bring Samus Aran to the big screen.
Nintendo has been on quite a roll when it comes to turning its beloved game franchises into movies. The Super Mario Bros. Movie crossed $1 billion at the box office in 2023, and its follow-up, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, launched earlier this month and has already pulled in over $800 million worldwide, making it 2026's biggest hit so far.
A Legend of Zelda film is also locked in for a 2027 release. So it makes sense that other Nintendo properties are now getting attention from Hollywood.
Back in October 2025, industry insider Daniel Richtman first reported that a Metroid film was being pitched within Nintendo. Now, more details are coming to light. According to a recent report by V Scopper on April 25, both Universal and Sony are actively competing to secure the rights for Metroid. Sony is currently considered the stronger contender, but Universal is not backing down.
The Metroid franchise just made a big gaming comeback. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond launched on December 4, 2025, developed by Retro Studios for both the original Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch 2. That ended an 18-year wait since Metroid Prime 3: Corruption was released back in 2007.
The game is a first-person action-adventure, staying true to the classic Prime formula with exploration, scanning, puzzle-solving, boss fights, and ability upgrades spread across a non-linear world. Samus returns as the main character, though some new NPC and AI companion elements drew mixed reactions from fans.
Review scores landed in a generally favorable range. Metacritic placed it around 78. Praise was directed at the visuals, world design, and atmosphere, particularly on Switch 2. Criticism pointed to uneven pacing, longer loading times, and some sections that felt underdeveloped. It ended up being the lowest-scoring mainline Prime title, though player scores told a warmer story, sitting around 8.3 on some platforms.
On the sales front, Nintendo confirmed by early February 2026 that combined copies sold across both Switch platforms had crossed 1 million.
The Nintendo Cinematic Universe Is Getting Bigger
The Metroid news is just one piece of a much larger picture. As per the same report, Nintendo's film slate is shaping up to be surprisingly expansive. Here is what is reportedly in the pipeline:
The Donkey Kong movie is already deep in development, with a target release of 2028
Mario 3 is in the works, aiming for a 2029 release
Star Fox movie is in development, eyeing a 2030 release
The Kirby movie is in early development
Luigi's Mansion is in the pitching stage, with writers currently being sought
Yoshi's Island is at a similar early stage
Super Smash Bros. movie is being planned, though it will not release until after Star Fox
Bowser's, and a Princess Peach and Rosalina film are also being explored
That is a serious lineup. Nintendo is clearly thinking long-term here, building out what could genuinely become a cinematic universe.