Metroid Deserves To Be The Next Big Video Game Movie Franchise

While the other Nintendo franchises are all entertaining, Metroid is the one that feels the most historically significant because of its influence beyond video games. It has greatly influenced the sci-fi genre, going from initially being inspired by the Alien movies to now contributing some iconic space creatures of its own in the form of the Metroids themselves and Samus’ nemesis, Ridley.

There is also the fact that Samus as a character is iconic for being one of the first central female protagonists in video games. Considering that the first Metroid came out in 1986, and female characters are still underrepresented in entertainment, having Samus in her own movie would be a great way to introduce moviegoers to another highly influential female lead. Female action movies are still a rarity, so this would be a natural way to bring another female-led franchise to the screen.

Metroid also deserves its own movie since other franchises are already taking inspiration from the games. I am certainly not the only one who noticed that The Mandalorian seemed to borrow a lot from Metroid. A sci-fi story about a stoic, masked bounty hunter who winds up becoming the caretaker for a child-like alien? That is pretty much the plot of “Super Metroid” from back on the Super Nintendo. Star Wars did it well, but Metroid deserves credit for doing it first.

A Metroid movie would also be a great way to show that Nintendo can do more than just movies aimed at kids. With its hideous aliens, dark atmosphere, and fights to the death with vicious creatures, you would have to assume a Metroid film would be at least PG if not PG-13. The more serious tone of the games could lend well to a story with a more dramatic focus. I would like to see a Metroid movie that is serious enough to stand alongside other sci-fi greats that initially inspired it.

And with how many Metroid games there are, there would be enough content to build a franchise. I love the Mario games as much as the next person who grew up with them, but let’s face it, the plot will always boil down to stopping Bowser from kidnapping Peach or trying to take over the Mushroom Kingdom. In contrast, each Metroid game is unique in the stories that it explores.

If you have never played a Metroid game, they have deep lore, such as the history behind the Chozo race that raised Samus. Each game deals with incredible new threats, ranging from space pirates to a sentient parasite that infects Samus and mimics her appearance to attempt to blow up entire planets. There is no lack of high-stakes stories to tell with the franchise.

I’m okay with seeing Nintendo make movies out of their classic, more cartoonish franchises. I am looking forward to the Legend of Zelda movie as much as anyone. But when Nintendo is ready to go ambitious and show what they can do as serious storytellers, it is time to make a Metroid movie happen.