Nintendo drawn into big-screen animation
Gaming giant to develop animated films in-house; first due in 2006.

TOKYO--According to the Nikkei Journal, Nintendo has announced that it will enter the movie business and produce its own animated motion pictures. Its first movie is slated for release in theaters in 2006.

While companies usually coestablish a production subsidiary with an animation studio for a new project like this, Nintendo will be launching its own in-house production group from scratch, which will handle the entire creative process of the films, from initial planning all the way to production.

Talks about Nintendo going into the animated movie business first came up in late September, when former president Hiroshi Yamauchi--who still has a strong voice in the company--commented to the press that he planned to propose a move into animation. Up until now, all of Nintendo' s animated movies, such as the Pokemon series, were being produced by external studios under licensing agreements.

Although going into the animation business on its own will be a challenge for Nintendo, it will give the company more control over its content and allow for better synergy with its games. In the future, the company may also make games that are based on characters that debut from its anime movies.

Details on Nintendo' s first animated motion picture are still to be revealed, but it' s most likely to be based on one of Nintendo' s games, or as suggested by Yamauchi, a movie about Japanese poetry. Additional details on Nintendo' s first movie should be revealed early next year.

By Hirohiko Niizumi -- GameSpot
POSTED: 11/30/04 02:11 PM PST

Oh my god... I think this has been posted already but my goodness... I can' t waitt o see a Nintendo motion picture! Hahah I hope they do a Mario movie or a Link movie Oh I don' t know... I should just wait.

It has been noted before but this is a more confirmed responce sort of a for sure thing now insteaqd of a possibilty.

Daroosh' s orgional post here
POST

It' s nice to know that Nintendo is still talking about going into the movie biz.

Thanks for remembering, Mass X...

Here' s a little something I found on that would be good for those that like both movies and videogames... (note the bold type below)

ACTION! NINTENDO' S MAKING MOVIES

First animated feature penned in for 2006 release, more to follow

16:14 Back in September former Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi mentioned that he' d love it if Nintendo moved into the movie industry. Well he' ll be chuffed today because according to Japanese newspaper The Nikkei Journal, Nintendo is officially beginning production on animated movies, with the first to hit the big screen in 2006.

The movies will be produced at a new internal studio within Nintendo. It actually makes a fair bit of sense: Nintendo has had huge success with the Pokémon TV series and movies (which were produced by external studios) and loads of its other game franchises are perfect for the animated movie treatment.

With the projects being handled internally it' s much easier for the company to retain full control - and keep all the profits for itself.

Nintendo also recently discussed the possibility of cinemagoers being able to download exclusive content - like rare Pokémon creatures - to their DS handhelds when they see flicks. Making their own movies is the perfect way for Nintendo to implement this.

Yamauchi-san himself fancied making animated films about a bunch of classical Japanese poetry. At the risk of sounding like dreadfully uncultured Philistines, this sounds rubbish. We really hope they do another Mario movie instead, and for God' s sake don' t get Bob Hoskins involved.

More news on Nintendo' s movie movements as we get it.


Graeme Boyd

Oh my gosh.... I feel like celebrating Hah

Here' s hoping they do better than squaresoft did in there initial effort.