Fox McCloud in Super Mario Galaxy Movie: Is a Smash Bros. Crossover Coming?

Fox McCloud, the protagonist of Nintendo’s “Star Fox” series, will appear in “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” set to release April 1, Nintendo announced Thursday. The inclusion of the character has fueled speculation that Nintendo is laying the groundwork for a potential “Super Smash Bros.” crossover film.

The announcement, made via the movie’s official Twitter account, included a poster featuring McCloud. No voice actor for the character has been revealed. Fans had previously noticed a possible, fleeting appearance of McCloud in a trailer for the film, prompting theories about his inclusion.

“Let’s rock and roll!” the official movie account tweeted alongside the poster.

Fox McCloud first appeared in the 1993 game “Star Fox” on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and has since starred in multiple titles including “Star Fox 64,” “Star Fox Adventures,” and “Star Fox: Assault.” Though, McCloud is also a prominent figure in the “Super Smash Bros.” fighting game series, where he has been a playable character since the original game released in 1999.

The “Super Smash Bros.” series brings together characters from various Nintendo franchises, as well as third-party properties, for competitive battles. Characters like Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong, and Yoshi, all featured in the “Mario” films, have also appeared in “Super Smash Bros.” alongside McCloud. Other “Star Fox” characters, Falco Lombardi and Wolf O’Donnell, have also been included in the fighting game series.

The inclusion of Fox McCloud follows a previously teased appearance of a Pikmin character in promotional material for “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” further suggesting a potential connection to the “Super Smash Bros.” universe. Fans have speculated that the film could serve as a precursor to a larger crossover event, similar to the “Avengers” films, featuring a wider range of Nintendo characters.

Since the success of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” in 2023, discussions about a “Super Smash Bros.” movie have gained traction among fans. The possibility of such a film would allow Nintendo to showcase a diverse roster of its iconic characters on the big screen.

Nintendo and Universal previously kept the casting of Donald Glover as the voice of Yoshi secret until shortly before the film’s debut, leading some to believe that further surprise cameos may be in store for audiences when “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” is released.