Chris Pratt's April Fool's Day joke this year is nightmare fuel for Disney fans and also sweet revenge on those who criticized his recent voice-acting work. Pratt is best known for starring in the Jurassic World and Guardians of the Galaxy trilogies. He also sporadically voice acts, including The Lego Movie and Onward. However, when he was cast as the voice of Mario in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, he received a lot of backlash from fans who didn't believe he was a good fit for the role.

Pratt took to Instagram and pranked fans with an April Fool's Day joke post claiming that he had been cast as the voice of Mickey in an upcoming film adaptation of Mickey Mouse.

Of course, most of his followers were able to quickly see through the prank, as it isn't likely he would've revealed his role in the film before the actual film was announced by Disney, especially considering there hasn't been a feature-length Mickey Mouse film in nearly a decade. However, he likely still managed to get a few people with the joke and unlocked a new fear in Disney fans.

Why Chris Pratt's April Fool's Day Prank Is Brilliant

Chris Pratt 2023 Box Office Guardians of the Galaxy 3 and Super Mario Bros

Pratt's little prank was actually pretty clever as it allowed him to get in on the April Fool's Day fun and poke fun at the backlash he has received over his voice acting. As mentioned above, Pratt has faced some pretty heavy backlash over his role in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Given that Mario has been around for 42 years, the character has gained a devoted fan base and, as a result, fans want to see him portrayed accurately, and one of his prominent characteristics is an Italian accent.

Many viewers have called for an Italian actor to take on the role of Mario in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, or even that of original game actor Charles Martinet. The problem goes deeper than the fact that Pratt doesn't sound like Mario as it brings up issues of star power being placed over authenticity, as well as talented voice actors often being overlooked in preference of recognizable live-action Hollywood stars. However, both Pratt and The Super Mario Bros. Movie directors have defended the casting.

Related: Is Chris Pratt's Mario Voice...Bad? Does It Work For The Movie?Recently, Pratt finally addressed the controversy by acknowledging and validating fans' concerns, but encouraging them to watch the film before they formed an opinion, and promised that the film would do justice to Mario. While Pratt understands the controversy, he may also alleviate some of it with his humorous prank, by pointing out what an actually terrible casting would be. Suddenly, Pratt voicing Mario in The Super Mario Bros. Movie doesn't look that bad, as long as he stays away from the legacy of Walt Disney, Wayne Allwine, and the many greats who have voiced Mickey.

Source: Chris Pratt/Instagram