Everything We Know About ‘The Super Mario Bros Movie’: Thirty years after the release of the live-action Super Mario Bros. (1993) film ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ is the first cinematic outing of the beloved and fan favorite gaming character of all time Mario. Created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto for the Japanese gaming company Nintendo, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games, and in over 40 years since its release, it has continued to be immensely popular globally.
So much is its popularity that it was a key character at the handover ceremony at Rio Olympics (2016), announcing the next country hosting the Olympics; the franchise has expanded to puzzles, board games, Anime, Manga, and comics, among other art forms. Considering the sustained admiration and love for Mario, it is not surprising that another Mario Brothers film is eagerly awaited by fans, especially since it has been thirty years after the release of a universally panned adaptation that wasn’t able to match the colorful aesthetic, visuality and the joyous thrill of the game.
Nintendo and the creator Shigeru Miyamoto have finally come along with Chris Meledandri to grant fans what they have been waiting for: a film that will do justice to the iconic game. A collaboration between Universal Pictures and Nintendo, the film is produced by Illumination and directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
What is ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ About?
The classic 1985 Super Mario Bros game follows Mario on his adventures in the Mushroom Kingdom to rescue Princess Peach from King Koopa, later known as Bowser. The characters of Donkey Kong, Kranky Kong, and Kamek from the Kong universe also are a part of the film, thereby suggesting that Mario’s adventures will transcend the Mushroom kingdom and embrace the larger Mario universe. Chris Meledandri, the producer of the film, shared that the film involves the creator of Mario Shigeru Miyamoto, in an important position, and the film has been made under his close guidance.
In an interview with Variety, Meledandri said, “We are keeping him front and center in creating this film.” The film is expected to stay loyal to the original vision and feel of Mario but also explore newer stories as Meledandri states, “The challenge is taking things that are so thin in their original form and finding depth that doesn’t compromise what generations of fans love about Mario, but also feels organic to the iconography and can support a three-act structure.”
Who is in ‘The Super Mario Bros Movie’ Cast?
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ has a stellar cast that lends voice to some of the most iconic gaming characters of the twentieth century. Chris Pratt is cast as the voice of the main protagonist Mario, an Italian Plumber on a quest. This is not Pratt’s first voice role; he was cast in the main role Emmet in the much-appreciated Lego Movie (2014). Anya Taylor-Joy voices Princess Peach, the ruler of Mushroom Kingdom. Taylor-Joy has voiced Marla’s Playmobil form in Playmobil: The Movie (2019). She is known to audiences for playing the protagonist in Netflix’s acclaimed drama miniseries ‘The Queen’s Gambit.’ Actor Charlie Day voices the role of the second Mario brother Luigi; Day is known for his voice roles in popular films like Monsters University (2013) and the Lego Movie series.
American actor and comedian Jack Black who has given voice to a fan-favorite character of Po in the Kung Fu Panda series of films, is returning to voice acting. He voices the character of the primary antagonist in the film and Mario’s nemesis Bowser. Another Kung Fu Panda alumnus, actor, and comedian Seth Rogen who voices the Mantis of the famous five in the film series is giving voice to the antagonist Donkey Kong in the film. Rogan also voiced the character of Pumbaa in Jon Favreau’s remake of Disney’s classic Lion King (2019).
Actor Keegan-Michael Key voices Toad, a native of the mushroom kingdom, a friendly humanoid creature with a mushroom-like head. Key is no alien to the world of voice acting and has previously been associated with the hit animated film franchise Hotel Transylvania, voicing the character of Murray the mummy; most recently, he voiced Honest John in Robert Zemeckis’s Pinocchio (2022). Actor, comedian and Saturday Night Live veteran Fred Armisen voices Cranky Kong.
Also cast in important roles are Sebastian Maniscalco, who voices Foreman Spike, and Kevin Michael Richardson, who is cast as Kamek. American actor and voice actor Charles Martinet, who is the original voice of both the Mario brothers, Mario and Luigi, in the Super Mario video game series since 1992 in further game editions, will also appear in the film though the character/s he will voice are still to be disclosed.
The Release Date of ‘The Super Mario Bros Movie’ and Where will it Stream?
The much-awaited outing of Super Mario Bros in the cinemas happens in the first half of 2023. The film has been delayed from its initial December 2022 release due to competition from DreamWorks Animation’s film Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. This Universal Pictures adaptation of the classic video game characters created by Shigeru Miyamoto releases theatrically in the United States of America on 7th April 2023, followed by its release in Japan later in the same month.
Is there a trailer for the film?
Illumination released the Teaser Trailer for the film on its official YouTube channel on 7th October 2022. The teaser trailer introduced the big baddie King Koopa or Bowser in style and our beloved unassuming hero Mario. Watch the teaser trailer here:
The trailer for the film was released on YouTube on 30th November 2022 and showed Mario fighting Donkey Kong in a stadium-like arena in the presence of the natives of the Mushroom Kingdom and Princess Peach, sadly getting badly thrashed. The trailer also gives a glimpse of the big baddie Bowser as he shares his plans to rule the world and his quest to find Mario, who incidentally has a very similar mustache to Luigi, as he tortures him; Princess Peach is in warrior mode to save her kingdom.
Also, as an additional goody, the studio has also shared an exclusive Sneak peek to the Mushroom Kingdom that will have all Mario fans go on a nostalgia trip to their childhood. You can watch it here:
