If you are a fan of video game adaptations, this year, especially this April, is going to be real fun for you. You will get to watch the Super Mario Bros. movie is actually less than a month. The movie, made in collaboration with Nintendo, hits the theaters on April 5, 2023.
Super Mario Bros. Movie Trailer
Super Mario Bros. movie final trailer is out now, which is enough to blow your mind away. However, the fans are optimistic about the recurrence of the joy Nintendo could bring. The new and final trailer is even more exciting than the previous one.
Super Mario Bros. Cast Controversy
Well, how can it be possible not to talk about the Super Mario Bros. movie cast? Apart from the controversy of the voice cast, the list is quite glittering with all A-grade stars.
Nintendo announced the cast back in September 2021, when creator Shigeru Miyamoto revealed the news at a Nintendo event. Since 1992, Charles Martinet has voiced Mario, who doesn’t speak much in the game. But how could the entire feature-length adaptation only have the dialogue “It’s-a a me, Mario?” Therefore, the movie needed a voice actor.
When Miyamoto took the name of Chris Pratt as the voice actor, there were controversies and outcry. It’s not that the Guardians of the Galaxy star didn’t have prior experience in voice work. In fact, he was impressive in the Onward and The LEGO Movie. But critics called him an overexposed actor and feared he might sound much like Chris Pratt instead of Mario. Indeed, it happened. When the Super Mario Bros. movie trailers came out, the voice actually sounded like Chris Pratt. Meanwhile, there is a buzz that Martinet has surprise cameos in the film.
Super Mario Bros. Movie Cast
However, there is no controversy as such with the other Super Mario Bros. movie cast. You will see Charlie Day as Luigi and Anya Taylor-Joy as princess Peach. Anya is the star of Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit and movies like The Witch and The Northman. Keeping a resemblance with the recent Mario series games, Peach is a capable Mushroom leader in the movie too. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The LEGO Movie and Pacific Rim star Charlie play the green-clad younger brother of Mario. The shades of the character suit Charlie’s screen appearance. Jack Black will voice Peach’s frequent kidnapper and Mario’s archenemy Bowser. The Super Mario Bros. movie trailer shows that Black’s voice is a perfect blend of menace, comedy, and bluster to voice the character. The cast also includes:-
- Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Peach’s loyal assistant.
- Donkey Kong, Mario’s first villain in the 1981 arcade game, which later became his alley, is voiced by Seth Rogen.
- Fred Armisen will voice Cranky Kong, Donkey Kong’s family member.
- Veteran voice actor Kevin Michael Richardson plays Bowser’s right-hand, Kamek.
- Foreman Spike, the boss of Mario and Luigi in the 1985 Wrecking Crew game, is voiced by comedian Sebastian Maniscalco.
The Plot
Like the Paper Mario series, Super Mario game plots are never complex, with barely one or two exceptions. The simplest theory is that Mario has to defeat Bowser and find Peach. However, there are more add-ons to the plots in the spin-off games. The movie, as evident from the trailer, adds further context to the story.
Bowser tries to conquer the world and gets the power needed for it. Mario, the newcomer in the Mushroom Kingdom, is his only constraint. While the game doesn’t reveal much about Mario’s background, the Super Mario Bros. movie projects him as an Italian plumber. The movie has given a more realistic character to Mario, unlike the game where he only plays tennis and golf. However, it’s not clear where he actually belongs to.
Mario meets Toad and then Peach after entering the Mushroom Kingdom. Peach trains Mario to fight against Bowser.
Previous Mario Movies
Anime film Super Mario Bros: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach opened in Japan in 1986. It was remarkably the first movie adaptation of a video game, along with Running Boy: Star Soldier’s Secret. The two first adaptations of any video game came out on the same day.
There was a live-action Super Mario Bros in 1993 starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo. The film had Dennis Hopper as Bowser. It altered the original Mario story drastically. Inevitably, the movie got mixed reactions from the audience.
The new Super Mario Bros. movie streaming was in talks since the mid-2010s.
Just the Beginning?
Nintendo’s live-action adaptation of the Pokemon spin-off got some success on the big screens in 2019. While Super Mario’s success is awaited, there are anticipations about a Donkey Kong spin-off from illumination already.
Nintendo has several gems in its box to make a movie, like Star Fox, Metroid, The Legend of Zelda, and Fire Emblem. Well, how about a crossover like Avengers? Will there be a series of adaptations? Not impossible.
Final words
So, are you ready for the Super Mario Bros. movie? The fans will be curious to see if the movie is as entertaining as the video games. Actually, there’s a lot more to keep an eye on. The story, the characters, Mario Kart and the Smash Bros, and many more are to watch for. As of now, we can say that the movie has enough of the game’s flavor in its looks and detailing. The makers have taken utmost care in keeping the Mushroom Kingdom similar to the game. They have also ensured no massive change in the iconic characters with whom the audience can’t connect. The rest depends much on the script and the acting.
