A new report has revealed the anticipated release date window for the Donkey Kong movie, signaling a major expansion of Nintendo’s box office ambitions following the staggering success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
The Donkey Kong movie to come out in less than three years
MyTimeToShineHello recently claimed on X (formerly Twitter) that “The Donkey Kong movie is already in the works and will release in 2028!” This exciting news builds upon a copyright filing from July, discovered by Video Game Chronicle, for an “Untitled Donkey Kong Project; Motion Picture.” The filing officially lists Nintendo Studios and Universal Pictures as co-producers, signaling the long-rumored project.
If the 2028 date holds, fans have less than three years to wait before seeing Donkey Kong swing onto the big screen in his own solo adventure. The character, memorably voiced by Seth Rogen, was a breakout star in the 2023 Super Mario Bros. Movie, which grossed over $1 billion worldwide. Since then, fans have wanted a spinoff focusing on the powerful primate, but the partnership with Universal has been particularly surprising for many, given their contentious history.
In 1983, Universal sued Nintendo, claiming the Donkey Kong arcade game infringed on its King Kong trademark. However, the court ruled that Universal had no rights to King Kong, having previously argued the character was public domain, and that there was no consumer confusion between the two apes.
Hence, the copyright filing strongly suggests this Donkey Kong film is a separate project from the next mainline Mario movie, which is reportedly titled Super Mario World and set for an April 3, 2026, release. This has reportedly led to fan speculation that Nintendo is laying the groundwork for its own cinematic universe, where various characters get solo films while existing in a shared world.
For now, Nintendo remains silent on details like voice casting or plot direction. But with Nintendo’s recent gaming slate and more, it could be a precursor to the awaited Donkey Kong movie.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on SuperHeroHype.
