10 Biggest Smash Bros. Characters Still Missing From Nintendo’s Cinematic Universe After Super Mario Galaxy Movie

Nintendo and Illumination are taking their time making a Super Smash Bros. movie, even as more fighters have been introduced to the blossoming cinematic universe. The Super Mario Bros. Movie brought regular participants in the brawling video games to the screen, thanks to Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Bowser, and Donkey Kong’s major roles.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is now responsible for increasing the number of Smash Bros. characters in Nintendo’s shared universe. The introductions of Yoshi, Rosalina, Bowser Jr., and Fox McCloud are front and center, while the movie even includes cameos from Mr. Game & Watch, R.O.B., Little Mac, and Falco Lombardi.

Yet, there are still some massive characters from the Smash Bros. games who haven’t appeared or been teased to exist in this universe. Considering there have been 89 fighters across all the games, Nintendo’s animated movies have barely scratched the surface at including them all, or even a majority of them.

That said, the Super Mario movies have introduced a good portion of the characters who have been part of Smash Bros. since the early years. In addition to the likes of Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Bowser, Donkey Kong, Fox McCloud, Falco Lombardi, Yoshi, and Mr. Game & Watch, who have been in practically every game, there have been Easter eggs for Samus Aran, Captain Falcon, and the Ice Climbers.

This leaves some big fighters still missing from the cinematic universe, even if Nintendo is downplaying the inevitability of a Smash Bros. movie.

Link

Nintendo

The hero of Hyrule is one of the biggest Smash Bros. characters absent from this universe, for now. Link has been a staple of Nintendo’s fighting franchise, appearing in all five video games. The Legend of Zelda‘s protagonist has even been featured repeatedly in additional forms: Toon Link and Young Link.

Toon Link has been in every game since Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Meanwhile, Young Link debuted in Super Smash Bros. Melee but was absent from the next two installments before being included in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

While Link hasn’t been featured in Illumination’s Super Mario movies, he is heading to the big screen in 2027 as part of Nintendo and Sony’s live-action The Legend of Zelda. With The Super Mario Galaxy Movie establishing a multiverse, perhaps Benjamin Evan Ainsworth’s Link could join a future Smash Bros. feature.

Pikachu

The world’s most recognizable Pokémon is still waiting to leap into Nintendo’s universe. While Legendary and Warner Bros. made a live-action Detective Pikachu in 2019, Ryan Reynolds’ version of the lightning-powered Pokémon is not firmly part of this franchise.

As the icon of the Pokémon franchise, Pikachu has appeared in every single Smash Bros. video game. Melee and Ultimate even included his baby form, Pichu, as a playable character. So long as movie rights don’t get in the way, there’s every expectation that Pikachu would be part of a Smash Bros. movie.

Ness

The protagonist of Mother/Earthbound is another mainstay of the Smash Bros. franchise. Ness has brought his psychic abilities and baseball bat to every installment, as he was one of the original 12 fighters in N64’s Super Smash Bros.

There are no immediate plans for Ness to make his movie debut, but that could change in future Nintendo movies. It would not be that far-fetched for him to be introduced as another human from Mario and Luigi’s world if the universe wanted to avoid using the multiverse to include him.

Kirby

Nintendo’s floating pink hero, Kirby, is another massive character the shared universe still needs to introduce ahead of a Smash Bros. movie. Kirby has been included in every game and remains one of the most popular characters across Nintendo’s video game empire. It’d be a shock if he were absent from movies much longer.

While The Super Mario Galaxy Movie includes a cheeky Kirby reference, it’s not enough to confirm that the kingdom of Dream Land or Planet Popstar exists in this universe. There is an entire galaxy still worth exploring, though, which could help pave the way for Kirby’s introduction in a future Super Mario film or standalone adventure to set the stage more for the epic crossover.

Jigglypuff

The pink, lullaby-singing creature has long been one of the most popular Pokémon characters over the years, which is why it is no surprise that Jigglypuff is another Pokémon who has been with Smash Bros. since the beginning. The Balloon Pokémon was in Detective Pikachu, but that’s not confirmed as canon to Nintendo’s shared universe.

If the Pokémon franchise is featured in a future Smash Bros. movie, an appearance by Jigglypuff would be expected. Given the history the character has with the fighting games and the love from fans, it’d upset many if Jigglypuff was left out of the event film.

Mewtwo

Continuing the Pokémon line of thinking, Mewtwo is also a major character in the Smash Bros. franchise. The incredibly powerful Legendary Pokémon was introduced in Melee, left out of Brawl, returned as DLC for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, and back in full for Ultimate.

Like the other Pokémon, Mewtwo’s role in Detective Pikachu probably has no bearing on Smash Bros. It will be up to Nintendo to introduce a new version of the rare creature ahead of any role in the crossover movie.

Zelda

Nintendo

The Legend of Zelda‘s princess is another Nintendo icon gamers have long associated with the Smash Bros. franchise. She didn’t join Link in the original game, but Zelda was brought aboard for Melee and has appeared in every installment since then.

Melee also gave gamers a chance to play as Zelda’s alias, Sheik. The ninja warrior persona has been featured in all other games, giving the franchise two versions of Hyrule’s princess to participate in the fights.

Zelda might not be in the Super Mario movies, but, like Link, she’s poised to make her big-screen debut in next year’s live-action The Legend of Zelda. Bo Bragason is playing Zelda for the feature. If the live-action interpretations are part of a Smash Bros. movie, even as Toon versions, then 2027 could lay more groundwork for the brawl.

Ganondorf

Similarly, The Legend of Zelda‘s main villain, Ganondorf, has been a featured fighter in Smash Bros. since Melee. With his black magic sorcery, Ganon is a formidable fighter and could enter a Smash Bros. movie as one of the primary antagonists or be forced to team up with his usual adversaries.

It’s currently not confirmed if Ganondorf is in The Legend of Zelda‘s live-action movie, making it unclear if the demon king is poised to have any connections to Nintendo’s cinematic universe in the near future. While Ganon has been part of Smash Bros. for a long time, he is one character who could sit out the first movie depending on the story that’s constructed.

Marth

Marth is one of Smash Bros.‘s longest tenured characters. The prince of Altea was one of the first playable characters from the Fire Emblem series, as he and Roy debuted in Melee. But, while Roy was left out of Brawl and was only a DLC for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, Marth has been featured in all the games after Melee.

There are no known plans for a Fire Emblem movie, but Marth and others from this world could still be included in a future Smash Bros. film. Then again, they could also be saved for a second crossover event to help limit the number of properties that collide.

Pit

Lastly, it’s worth mentioning someone absent from the first two games: Kid Icarus‘ protagonist, Pit. A member of Palutena’s army, he was introduced in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. But as of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Pit has not been formally introduced in the franchise or teased to be an existing character.

Interestingly, there is a connection to Pit in Illumination’s first animated Nintendo movie. One of The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s Easter eggs is of Mario playing the original Kid Icarus video game. Should Pit be part of any Smash Bros. movie plans, it’ll be quite a surprise for Mario to meet someone he’s played as in a video game.

Release Date

April 1, 2026

Runtime

98 Minutes

Director

Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Pierre Leduc, Fabien Polack

Writers

Matthew Fogel

Producers

Chris Meledandri, Shigeru Miyamoto