Are You Ready to Get Excited About the Super Mario Bros. Movie?
When news of the release date for the upcoming Super Mario Bros. film dropped, there was a buzz of excitement in the World of Kidz office. Yes, on April 7th 2023, we'll all be finding the nearest big screen and grabbing our popcorn to jump into the Super Mario world anew.
We're pretty certain that we won't be alone in this adventure. In fact, for franchise followers everywhere, it's impossible not to be giddy about this release. After all, Mario has been with many of us since his first appearance in Donkey Kong back in 1981—a lifetime for plenty of mushroom power-up-seeking Nintendo fans!
As we count down to the big day, what do we know so far about The Super Mario Bros. Movie? It's time to set your Nintendo Switch aside and join us as we level up with the latest news about Super Mario characters and details—including who will voice Donkey Kong, Bowser, Mario and Luigi—and so much more.
What's the Word on the Brand New Mario Movie?
Whether you first fell in love with retro games like the iconic Super Mario World or started by rescuing Princess Peach on your Nintendo Switch in Super Mario Odyssey, the time has come to see Mario and Luigi save the day within an entirely new computer-animated medium.
All signs indicate that The Super Mario Bros. Movie is set to give us a little taste of everything we crave, including fantasy, adventure, action, and comedy. Amazingly—considering the hundreds of Mario games in the Nintendo archives—this will only be the franchise's third film adaptation, following a Japanese anime film in 1986 and the live-action Mario movie flunk of 1993 (something that we'll come back to later).
We know that many fans are excited about this cinematic revival as it will surely remind them of childhood and the joy that the Mario franchise brought to many households over the years, along with classic games like Sonic and Street Fighter, and iconic TV shows like Power Rangers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Thunder Cats.
Yep, this movie will surely feel like a blast from the past with a modern twist and in an animated form. Plus, if the phenomenal trailer is anything to go by, we feel utterly confident that the upcoming feature will carry the torch for Nintendo's incredible Mario legacy thanks to its epic aesthetic and a star-studded ensemble cast.
Which Mario Characters Will We See in The Super Mario Bros Movie?
Some were sad to hear that Charles Martinet, who voices Mario in the games, won't be taking the lead for The Super Mario Bros. Movie. However, we were stoked to hear that Chris Pratt will be voicing Mario—a sure win after his work voicing Emmet in The LEGO Movie and Barley Lightfoot in Onward. Not to mention, Super Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto shared that Martinet will still be with us as he voices “surprise cameos” in the movie adaptation.
Building out the amazing Super Mario Bros movie cast, we also have Seth Rogan portraying Donkey Kong, Jack Black voicing Bowser, and Anya Taylor-Joy playing Princess Peach.
According to Luigi actor Charlie Day, much about the Mario movie has been tightly under wraps, with even the cast being kept in the dark about the plot during recording. However, there have been some tempting tidbits along the way, including Jack Black showing off his Bowser voice at last year's New York Comic Con, and Anya Taylor-Joy confessing that playing Princess Peach has finally turned her into a gamer!
Why Was a New Super Mario Bros Film Such a Surprise?
We here at World of Kidz have been following the build-up to this new Super Mario Bros film for quite some time. Our attention was piqued back in 2014 when a Sony Pictures leak revealed that there was a chase for film rights to the Mario franchise underway. But, why did so many find this revelation surprising?
Ultimately, after the commercial and critical failure of the 1993 Super Mario Bros. film, Nintendo wasn't too keen to licence out their beloved intellectual property again. While the live-action adventure starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo as Mario and Luigi respectively was certainly ambitious, it didn't chime well with fans, largely due to deviating from the treasured game world's cheery aesthetic, story arcs, and characters.
However, more recently, after Miyamoto got to know Illumination founder and Despicable Me creator Chris Meledandri—who co-produced the new Mario movie alongside Miyamoto himself—it would seem that the time was finally right to bring Mario and Luigi back to the big screen. This time, they'd be staying true to what fans love so much about the franchise.
While Sony didn't ultimately get the scoop, Illumination, Nintendo, and Universal Pictures have collectively coordinated production, while Matthew Fogel handled the screenplay, and Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic jumped into the directors' seats. With such talent driving this upcoming release, we're satisfied that not even Wario and Waluigi could throw a spanner in the works this time!
The Count Down Is On for The Super Mario Bros. Movie
With a few months to go until the new Mario movie, there's plenty of time to pre-emptively boost your HP with some epic Mario merch from World of Kidz. From remote-controlled karts to cute plush toys, we've got you covered for all things Super Mario—alongside all the other most beloved retro games, movies, and more. If that's right down your racetrack, don't forget to get ahead of upcoming news and exclusive pre-orders by signing up for our newsletter!
