District 9 creator Neil Blomkamp desperately wants a Metroid Movie

An image of Samus Aran from Metroid Other M next to an image of the main character of Neill Blomkamp’s district 9
Credit: Stealth Optional

An image of Samus Aran from Metroid Other M next to an image of the main character of Neill Blomkamp’s district 9
Credit: Stealth Optional

Neill Blomkamp, the legendary director of District 9, has revealed that he wants to create a live-action Metroid movie for Nintendo.

Following the success of Illumination’s Super Mario Bros. Movie, Nintendo and Universal are planning a number of other video game movies based on the Japanese developer’s IP.

Currently, it’s not been revealed whether or not all of the upcoming movies will be animated. However, with cinematic universes still being the main moneymaker of Hollywood, the myriad video game movies will likely be designed with crossover potential in mind.

Nevertheless, District 9 director Neill Blomkamp has expressed a desire to spearhead any Metroid movie Nintendo wants made. Typically known for mature stories, Blomkamp may not be the obvious pick for a Metroid animated film, but he could be a great choice.

When asked on Twitter if he would be interested in working on any upcoming film based on the sci-fi IP, the director simply responded: “Yes.”

Blomkamp has a long history of involvement with video game movies. Prior to the creation of District 9, the film director worked on live-action shorts for Halo 3. Lauded for their stellar direction, these shorts led to an unfortunately unreleased feature for the series.

After the shorts, Blomkamp attempted to create a live-action Halo movie for a number of years, but plans and funding fell through. Currently, the director is working on a live-action Gran Turismo movie based on the iconic PlayStation racing game series.

The District 9 director has often shown a deep dedication to adapting video games for the screen, despite plans often falling through. Furthermore, fans have been clamouring for a live-action Metroid movie for the better part of a decade.

In recent discussions, many fans have expressed a desire to see Captain Marvel actress Brie Larson play the leading role of Samus Aran. At StealthOptional, we can’t think of a better casting choice for the movie’s central character.

Even if a Metroid movie does get greenlit, it doesn’t seem like Nintendo would be willing to make the project a live-action affair. After the dismal live-action Mario movie in 1993, the Japanese gaming giant has kept itself distant from the movie industry.

However, if Metroid does manage to make its way to the big screen, live-action does make sense. A mature, Alien-for-teens move would be a fantastic fit for Nintendo’s most underrated property.