Here are the most important Super Mario movie updates for those anticipating the big-budget, CGI, feature-length adventure. First announced in 2018, the Super Mario Bros. movie is a collaboration between Nintendo, Illumination, and Universal. Mario and his brother, Luigi, have long been staples of video games. Created by Shigeru Miyamoto, Mario debuted in 1981’s Donkey Kong, before starring in 1983’s Mario Bros. The Super Mario franchise is now a worldwide phenomenon thanks to games such as Mario Kart and Super Mario Bros. A live-action Super Mario movie released in 1993 that starred Bob Hoskins as Mario, but was infamously a critical and box-office flop.
Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic from a screenplay by Matthew Fogel, the new Super Mario movie will star Chris Pratt, best known as Star-Lord in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Guardians of the Galaxy and the TV series Parks and Recreation, voicing the titular character. When the news broke, there was some backlash regarding Pratt’s casting, while others were in support of it or were only interested in making fun memes about the news. However, despite the mild casting controversy, anticipation remains high. The Super Mario movie is just around the corner now, so there's finally more information for patient fans.
The Latest Super Mario Bros. Movie News
As the April release date for the Super Mario Bros. movie creeps closer, Nintendo fans have been interested in whatever updates will give them a clearer picture of what to expect. After already giving fans a Super Mario plumbing commercial in the Super Bowl, Nintendo's latest move was to release the final trailer. This could be the last significant Super Mario Bros. movie update before the actual release date in April.
There's been plenty of tie-in promotions and cast interviews though, and will of course be more with each week that passes in the interim. A particularly notable piece of Super Mario Bros. movie promo came on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon in early March. Chris Pratt, Jack Black, Anya-Taylor Joy, and the rest of the Super Mario Bros. cast took part in an ensemble acapella rendition of the classic Mario Bros. theme song — and the Mario cast Jimmy Fallon singalong skit was just as nostalgia-full and chuckle-worthy as to be expected.
Super Mario Movie Release Date
Super Mario Bros. was originally scheduled to release on December 21, 2022, which Universal later moved to April 7, 2023, until finally settling on April 5, 2023. In addition to releasing in theaters in the spring of 2023, Super Mario Bros. will be available to stream on Peacock 45 days after its theatrical run. Meanwhile, the movie's release date in Japan is slated for April 28, 2023. Hopefully, for the sake of fans as well as the studio, these Super Mario movie updates regarding its release won't be changed at the last minute.
Super Mario Movie Cast: Who Else Is In It Alongside Chris Pratt?
Chris Pratt is the lead as Mario, but he’s joined by other well-known actors in the Super Mario movie. In fact, Fred Armisen plays Cranky Kong with Seth Rogan as Donkey Kong, uniting Nintendo franchises Donkey Kong and Super Mario in the new movie. Meanwhile, Anya Taylor-Joy will voice Princess Peach, who is the princess Mario and Luigi fight to save in the video game. Moreover, Charlie Day is set to voice Mario’s brother Luigi, with Jack Black portraying the villain Bowser, the primary antagonist of Mario. Joining these actors are Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, a humanoid character with a mushroom resting on his head.
In addition, Kevin Michael Richardson is Kamek and Sebastian Maniscalco is Spike. The Walking Dead's Khary Payton also lends his voice to the King of the Penguins. And while Charles Martinet, who has voiced Mario for a long time in video games, mentioned it would be a dream to reprise the role of Mario for the computer-animated film, he will instead appear in a cameo role.
Super Mario Movie Story: What's The Actual Plot?
The plot of the Super Mario movie was kept largely under wraps. The film is so secretive that plot details were even kept from the voice cast, with Charlie Day noting that he had to record his lines in various ways because he didn’t know what was happening in the story. Day even compared the film’s plot secrecy to that of the secrecy of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The original video games involved Mario and Luigi fighting through the Mushroom Kingdom to save Princess Peach. There look to be some deviations from that original idea as Luigi ends up a prisoner and Princess Peach has a more active role in the storyline. What the audience can know for sure is that Bowser is set to be the villain of the movie - with Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and even Donkey Kong as the heroes.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie First & Final Trailers
The first full-length trailer for Super Mario Bros. movie was released in November 2022. It's clear that Bowser is intent on invading as many kingdoms as he can, and Mario and Princess Peach seem to be the only ones standing in his way. Princess Peach looks to have an active role in this movie instead of simply being the princess who needs to be rescued by the video game’s hero. She has a suit, a motorcycle, and her own weapons in this movie. In March 2023, Nintendo fulfilled their promise of more Super Mario movie updates in the form of the final trailer.
The Super Mario Bros. movie's final trailer revealed a curious character from the video game spinoff, Super Mario Galaxy: Lumalee. Though the character's surprisingly morbid musings surprised viewers, Super Mario Bros. nihilistic Luma is no stranger to those who played the only successful Super Mario franchise video game spinoff — implying that the movie is aiming towards building a movie franchise in the long-term. While Super Mario movie updates have been overshadowed by the adorable Luma, it's notable how the final trailer also finally shows Mario and Donkey Kong teaming up.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie Will Be Full Of Easter Eggs
One thing that appeals to a modern audience, whether it be a superhero movie or a video game adaptation, is looking for Easter eggs. When fans were updated with the full-length Super Mario Bros. movie trailer, they were quick to point out familiar sound effects and video game locations (like Rainbow Road from Mario Kart). At one point, Mario even dons a catsuit to become Cat Marion from Super Mario 3D World. There’s no doubt that the movie will be chock-full of more Easter eggs for long-time fans of the franchise to spot.