Nintendo is actively pitching a Metroid movie to Hollywood, and two of the biggest studios in the industry are going head-to-head to land the deal. According to movie insider V Scooper, listed as a Tier 2 reliable source in the Marvel Studios subreddit, both Universal Pictures and Sony Pictures are currently competing for the rights to bring Samus Aran to the big screen.
Both studios are leaning toward a live-action adaptation, and Universal has already revealed a very specific creative direction: a film that leans fully into the horror elements of the franchise, without crossing into R-rated territory.
The rumor was first teased by insider Daniel Richtman, also known as DanielRPK, who indicated months ago that a Metroid film was being developed internally at Nintendo, and that the adaptation should be based on the Metroid Prime storyline, which recently got its latest chapter with Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, released on December 4, 2025 for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2.
V Scooper later confirmed and expanded on the details, adding that Sony is currently considered the stronger contender, though Universal is not backing down. There is no word yet on how Sony’s pitch differs creatively from Universal’s horror-focused approach.
The news comes at a time when Nintendo’s presence in Hollywood is stronger than ever. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, released on April 1, has already crossed $831 million at the global box office, making it the highest-grossing film of 2026 so far.
The live-action Legend of Zelda movie, produced in partnership with Sony and directed by Wes Ball, wrapped filming earlier this month and is set for release on May 7, 2027. With Mario and Zelda already secured, it makes sense that Nintendo’s next major IP push would be Metroid.
Universal’s horror vision is the one fans have always wanted
The idea of a horror-leaning Metroid film is not as surprising as it might seem. The franchise was born from the atmosphere of isolation and dread that defined science fiction horror in the late 1980s, think dark corridors, alien creatures, and a lone warrior navigating a hostile planet with no backup.
The Metroid Prime trilogy on GameCube and Wii pushed that formula even further, creating environments that felt genuinely unsettling, with ambient sound design and creature encounters that stuck with players long after they put the controller down.
Universal’s decision to lean into that DNA, while keeping the film within a PG-13 range, suggests the studio understands what makes Metroid different from other Nintendo properties. This is not Mario. It is not Zelda. Metroid has always occupied a darker, more atmospheric corner of Nintendo’s catalog, and a horror-influenced blockbuster could set it apart from every other video game adaptation currently in theaters.
Both Universal and Sony have established relationships with Nintendo that add weight to their respective pitches. Universal, through its Illumination subsidiary, produced both Super Mario Bros. films. Sony is co-producing the live-action Zelda movie.
Whoever wins the Metroid rights will be stepping into a franchise that just saw a major gaming comeback, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond ended an 18-year wait since Metroid Prime 3: Corruption launched in 2007, and the franchise is back in the cultural conversation in a meaningful way.
This is not Hollywood’s first attempt at a Metroid movie
A Metroid movie has been in the works before, and failed. In January 2003, producers Warren Zide and Craig Perry of Zide/Perry Entertainment optioned the film rights to Metroid, but those rights expired before any real progress was made.
In 2004, director John Woo stepped in through his company Lion Rock Productions, with producers Brad Foxhoven, Suzanne Zizzi, and Terence Chang attached. The film was planned as a live-action origin story centered on Samus and her early battles against the Metroids and Mother Brain, with a projected release around 2006.
The project never made it to production. According to former Nintendo of America marketing manager Gail Tilden, who discussed the film in a Video Game History Foundation interview, John Woo’s company put together a full pitch kit but could not make a sale.
The budget required for the film was significant, and at the time, the only major female-led action film in the market was Halle Berry’s Catwoman, which had just bombed critically and commercially. That failure made studios unwilling to invest in another large-budget film with a female lead, effectively killing the Metroid pitch before cameras ever rolled.
Creative control issues also played a role. Producer Brad Foxhoven confirmed in a 2012 IGN interview that Nintendo was extremely protective of the IP, and that the entire development period was spent figuring out what the team could and could not do within the Metroid universe.
Nintendo walked away from the process, and the rights expired. Metroid co-creator Yoshio Sakamoto, who had been supportive of the idea, expressed hope in a 2021 interview that a film adaptation would eventually happen.
Could Brie Larson finally play Samus Aran?
No conversation about a Metroid movie exists without Brie Larson entering the picture. Since 2018, the Oscar-winning actress has made no secret of her desire to play Samus Aran in a live-action film.
That year she dressed up as Zero Suit Samus for Halloween, the post went viral, and she publicly responded that she wanted to make that movie. She later starred in a Nintendo-sponsored advertisement for Metroid Dread in 2021, and has asked Nintendo directly to cast her in the role on multiple occasions.
Her relationship with Nintendo deepened recently when she voiced Rosalina in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, making her an official part of the Nintendo family in Hollywood. Whether that translates to a future role as Samus remains to be seen, but her proximity to the studio and her long-standing campaign for the character make her the most discussed name for the role.
In terms of physical fit, Samus Aran is described in official Metroid lore as a tall, blonde woman with blue eyes, standing at 6’3″. Australian actress Elizabeth Debicki, who stands at just over 6’2″, is frequently mentioned alongside Larson as a strong physical match for the character.
Nintendo has not officially confirmed any Metroid movie is in development. As of April 2026, the project remains at the pitching stage, with the studio decision still pending. With Mario dominating the box office and Zelda on the way, the timing for Samus has never been better.
So, who do you think should win the rights, Universal with its horror vision or Sony? And who’s your pick to play Samus? Drop your take in the comments!