Super Mario Bros. has the potential to be the biggest video game adaptation yet, but to get there it needs to learn a lesson from Sonic the Hedgehog. Nearly 30 years after the regrettable, but unforgettable, live-action Super Mario Bros. movie, Nintendo is partnering with the animation studio Illumination to make a 3D animated movie featuring the iconic plumber. With many details still unknown, Super Mario Bros. has already gained notoriety for its unexpected voice cast starring Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, and Jack Black as Bowser.
Sonic, the blue blur himself and long-time Mario rival, made a box-office splash with 2020’s Sonic the Hedgehog, starring Jim Carrey and James Marsden, with Ben Schwartz voicing Sonic. The movie follows the title character hiding out in a small town in Montana until his presence is uncovered by the mustache-twirling Dr. Robotnik. It grossed over $300 million worldwide and at the time of this writing remains the highest-grossing video game adaptation of all time. So, what can Super Mario Bros. do to replicate that kind of success?
Sonic the Hedgehog kept things simple. Looking at its characters, story, and structure, Sonic the Hedgehog was about as straightforward and conventional as possible. Avoiding an overly complex or lore-heavy plot assured Sonic the Hedgehog was accessible to all audiences, and if it’s to have the same kind of success, Super Mario Bros. needs to do the same.
Sonic the Hedgehog was different from the games and avoided the game's baggage. The Sonic games have a huge cast of fan-favorite characters, but there were no appearances by Big the Cat or Vector the Crocodile. Similarly, Sonic’s surprisingly extensive and esoteric lore is nowhere to be found. For a general audience, it’s all about the hedgehog, and that’s where the movie kept its focus. Super Mario Bros. needs to do the same. While the games are very simple, there is a wide array of material to draw from. It’s already been announced that Super Mario Bros. will feature Foreman Spike, an incredibly obscure character from one of Mario’s earliest outings. While these kinds of appearances are fun, the movie needs to follow Sonic the Hedgehog’s lead and avoid wallowing in self-reference.
Sonic the Hedgehog knew its plot wasn’t the draw. The movie is a full-on Sonic origin story, but it’s rarely discussed in that way because the emphasis is on the present. The search for Sonic’s missing rings is a classic MacGuffin. The objective puts Sonic and his partner-in-crime, sheriff Tom Wachowski, together, but only as an excuse for a number of charming set-pieces. Sonic and Wachowski spending the night in a hotel couldn’t be less important to the plot, but it’s a fun excuse to show Sonic lounging around in a bath towel. Super Mario Bros. needs to manage a similar feat, crafting a story that is simple enough to move things forward without getting in the way of enjoyable diversions.
Ultimately, Super Mario Bros. needs to give people what they want. It should be a fun adventure that takes advantage of Mario’s iconic imagery, without becoming bogged down by mythology. Sonic the Hedgehog had some easter eggs, but at its center was an adequate plot to make room for the fun that audiences desired, a lesson that Super Mario Bros. should take to heart.