Nintendo and Universal Pictures have jointly filed a copyright for an untitled project related to the Donkey Kong franchise. According to the copyright listing, the project is classified as a motion picture, which suggests that both companies are interested in developing a new Donkey Kong film.
This filing follows Universal‘s previous work on The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which was released in 2023 under its Illumination Entertainment division. The film was well-received, and its success has led to speculation about potential expansions of other properties within the Nintendo universe.
There have been no formal announcements from either Nintendo or Universal Pictures regarding a Donkey Kong movie.
At the moment, Nintendo is developing two officially announced film projects: a direct sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie from Universal’s Illumination Entertainment, slated for release on April 3, 2026, and a live-action movie based on The Legend of Zelda, which will be distributed by Sony Pictures and is scheduled to release on May 7, 2027.
