Donkey Kong the movie? Nintendo plans to release own films within 3 years

Japanese video game maker Nintendo Co. is eyeing the movie business for growth. Company spokesman Makoto Wakae said details are undecided but the work might be a theatre release or a DVD. Nintendo, which makes the Wii U home console and Nintendo 3DS hand-held machine, has licensed its game characters in the past, such as with its Pokemon movies, but it is now thinking about make its own film content. The Japanese daily newspaper Asahi reported Monday that Nintendo’s work might be 3-D animation. It said Nintendo is in talks with various film companies on a possible partnership.

We will be providing the funds, and we’ll be included more in the decision-making.

Nintendo spokesman Makoto Wakae

It won’t become a full-fledged film studio, but filmmaking is an area it has chosen for future investment of proceeds from selling its stake in the major league Seattle Mariners, planned for later this year, according to Kyoto-based Nintendo. Nintendo has seen its growth stagnate in recent eyes amid competition from smartphones and other devices, and films could revive interest in its franchise, which also includes The Legend of Zelda. Recent Wii U sales have lagged rivals Sony’s PlayStation 4 console and Microsoft’s Xbox One. After years of scoffing at the threat from smartphones, Nintendo did an about face last year and entered an alliance with Japanese mobile game company DeNA Co. to develop games for mobile devices.

Nintendo movies