Nintendo and Universal Pictures have quietly taken the first legal steps toward bringing Donkey Kong to the big screen. In May of 2025, both companies filed a joint copyright application in the United States for a project officially titled “Untitled Donkey Kong Project; Motion picture.” Although the filing itself provides no cast or crew details, it explicitly lists Nintendo Studios and Universal Pictures as co-producers, suggesting that the two have greenlit early development on a standalone Donkey Kong film.
Official public records reveal that the copyright was recorded on June 6, 2025, with execution dates noted as May 9 and May 17, 2025. While no production timeline has been announced, the classification as a “motion picture” confirms that Donkey Kong’s cinematic journey is moving beyond speculation and into formal planning stages.
Donkey Kong’s rising profile in Nintendo’s recent media slate makes this move far from surprising. After starring alongside Mario, voiced by Seth Rogen, in the 2023 Super Mario Bros. Movie, which grossed $1.36 billion worldwide, a spin-off centering on the iconic ape seems a natural next step. Industry insiders expect that Illumination Entertainment, the animation studio behind the first Mario film, will once again handle production, maintaining the franchise’s consistent animated style.
The partnership carries a historical echo. Back in 1982, Universal Pictures famously sued Nintendo, claiming that Donkey Kong unlawfully borrowed from King Kong. That legal battle ended in Nintendo’s favor, and over four decades later, the companies have come full circle, this time collaborating rather than litigating, to expand Nintendo’s cinematic universe beyond its flagship plumber’s adventures.
Nintendo’s broader strategy appears to be a transmedia push that ties film projects to its gaming releases. Donkey Kong Bananza, the character’s first major console title in eleven years, is due out on July 17, 2025, for the Nintendo Switch 2. The timing of the movie’s filing dovetails neatly with this launch, hinting that Nintendo may leverage the game’s marketing momentum to build early buzz for the film.
Looking ahead, Donkey Kong’s film could join a slate that already includes a Super Mario sequel set for April 2026 and a Legend of Zelda live-action movie targeting May 2027. While an official release date and voice cast remain under wraps, fans are hopeful that familiar talents, such as Seth Rogen returning as Donkey Kong, will reprise their roles, cementing what many are calling the beginning of a true Nintendo Cinematic Universe.
