Two dedicated superfans just released an extended cut that adds 20 minutes of unseen footage to the first-ever (and only) live-action Super Mario Bros. movie. The 1993 cyberpunk fantasy, directed by Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel, was based on the beloved video game franchise. However, the film was a complete critical and commercial box office disaster. The film version of Super Mario Bros. strayed so much from the source material, that Nintendo has not allowed for another live-action movie based on any of its franchises since its release.
Despite its bad reputation, the Super Mario Bros. film has garnered a bit of a cult following, whether serious or ironic, similar to films like The Room. John Leguizamo as Luigi and Bob Hoskins as Mario were a pretty hilarious pair with a lot of chemistry, whether intentional or not. But that's about the extent of positive points from the film, considering the messy dialogue and overcompensated plot points throughout the movie's entire 104 minutes.
But any fans of Super Mario Bros. are in luck, as an extended cut featuring 20 minutes of unseen footage has just been released on the film's online archive database, Collider reports. Super-fans Ryan Hoss and Steven Applebaum, who moderate Super Mario Bros. The Movie Archive, collaborated with the film editor, Garrett Gilchrist, to release the updated version. The "rough" cut now runs for 125 minutes and is dubbed, Super Mario Bros: The Morton Jankel Cut. Gilchrist announced its release to the world via Twitter. Check out the tweet below:
According to the archive, the sole surviving copies of the never-before-seen scenes exist only on an old VHS, which Gilchrist edited and inserted into the original film. The release is considered an extended rough cut, but the archive description teases a potential official release once the footage can be completely restored. The new version shows never-before-seen moments, such as Hoskins and Leguizamo arguing in prison about familial pride. It also includes a rap performance by two Koopa kids.
The extended cut is certainly a treat for the most loyal of fans to the Nintendo franchise, who are now gifted with original scenes that weren't rediscovered until 2019. Those who have never seen the '90s film might be shocked to see how different the Super Mario Bros. movie is from the old-school game that they know and love. However, those who are loyal to the cult fandom will be delighted to see even more kooky and over-the-top scenes from a bigger, and potentially better, Super Mario Bros. film.
Source: Collider