While Nintendo is exploring different avenues to increase the presence of its portfolio of characters across various mediums, it looks like the Big N is taking this new “Mario movie” seriously in that Shigeru Miyamoto told Famitsu why Chris Meledandri is a great candidate to help with said adaptation.

That’s right, another video game movie is in the works, adding on to the growing list that currently consists of Borderlands, Monster Hunter, and Crossfire — to name a few.

Although I have my doubts that this will be yet another propaganda machine to spread current year tropes and talking points, it is said by website nintendoeverything.com that Miyamoto is heavily involved with the upcoming movie adaptation.

In other words, Miyamoto will have assistance from Despicable Me producer, Meledandri, and Illumination on this new Mario movie.

We know this thanks to the above website translating what Miyamoto had to say to Famitsu about his new cinema partner via the 12-page interview:

Miyamoto: When we started our partnership with Universal, I heard that the CEO of Illumination, Chris Meledandri, wanted to meet with me – he was also signed with Universal. So I met with him and talked. He brought things with him that I had mentioned in interviews in the past to say that our ways of thinking and doing things are one in the same.

Miyamoto continues:

Miyamoto: I didn’t know what kind of angle he was getting at, but I’ll never forget when he talked to me about why he had failed before. That’s when I thought, “I think I can trust this guy.” That was right around the time I was considering movies, so we decided to have him do the animation for us when he said, “What do you say? Let’s make something together.” It took a really long time for things to come together, but we finally found our way.

The website translated Famitsu questioning Miyamoto on Meledandri’s failure, as seen below:

Famitsu: What was [Meledandri’s] “failure” that he mentioned?

To which Miyamoto seems to have enough respect for Meledandri in that he won’t tell:

Miyamoto: Can’t say, (laughs).

With all of that said, we now know that Miyamoto trusts Meledandri due to the latter’s past failure in that it has strengthened the two’s bond. We also know from the interview that Nintendo is overseeing the movie and that Miyamoto is “heavily” involved.

Lastly, Nintendo and Illumination will release this new Mario movie sometime in 2022.