Crash Bandicoot could one day boast its own theatrical release as the main developer behind more recent games in the series expresses its interest in bringing the franchise to the silver screen. Meanwhile, fans are looking ahead to the release of Crash Team Rumble, a 4v4 multiplayer party game that will feature a roster of heroes and villains from the long-running Crash Bandicoot series.
The Crash Bandicoot franchise has changed hands several times since its debut on the original Sony PlayStation, where the main character Crash became thought of as an unofficial mascot for Sony's platform in opposition to Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog and Nintendo's Mario. Crash Bandicoot remained a PlayStation exclusive until 2001 which saw the multi-platform release of Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex. This was the first of two mainline game developed by Traveller's Tales, after which the franchise was given to Radical Entertainment. Radical went on to develop three Crash Bandicoot titles which all received a mixed critical reception. Following this, the franchise entered a six-year hiatus that ended in 2016 with the announcement of Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy.
Toys for Bob, the developer behind Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and the upcoming Crash Team Rumble, has expressed interest in a theatrical release for the franchise after the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Toys for Bob tagged Sony Pictures Animation in the tweet, and some commenters found this ironic since the Crash Bandicoot franchise is owned by Activision which is in the process of being acquired by Microsoft.
One can only guess at the likelihood of a Crash Bandicoot movie materializing, especially in the wake of Microsoft's hotly contested acquisition of Activision. Toys for Bob likely would have little say in the matter, especially once Crash Bandicoot becomes a Microsoft property, but has planted the seed in the hearts and minds of fans. The cinematic intro for Crash Team Rumble gives an enticing taste of what a theatrical release would look like.
As a testament to the franchise's enduring popularity, fans are still creating new levels for the original Crash Bandicoot game 27 years after it was first released. Hopefully Activision and Microsoft are taking note of how excited fans are at the idea; the colorful world and characters of Crash Bandicoot are potentially strong candidates for a fun and family-friendly theatrical release, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie has certainly made a strong case for the success of such ventures.