Oh yeah! Mario time! After a widely derided live-action adaptation in 1993, Super Mario is finally hopping back to the big screen for what looks to be a more faithful take on the iconic Italian plumber.
It’s a big-budget affair too, with Minions creators Illumination producing the film with a widely-discussed all-star cast, including Guardians of the Galaxy‘s Chris Pratt voicing the Nintendo mascot.
It’s sure to bring back all sorts of memories of jumping in pipes and chasing mushroom power-ups – here’s everything you need to know about The Super Mario Bros Movie.
The Super Mario Bros Movie release date
The Super Mario Bros Movie will be released on 7th April 2023.
The Super Mario Bros movie cast
The cast for The Super Mario Bros Movie was revealed during a Nintendo Direct in September 2021 and subsequently sent the internet into a frenzy. The big news was, of course, the decision to go for a celebrity voice cast rather than the video game cast, with Chris Pratt headlining as the title character Mario.
He will be joined by It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star Charlie Day as Mario’s brother Luigi, Peaky Blinders actress Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Jumanji‘s Jack Black as the villainous Bowser and Keegan-Michael Key as Toad. Additionally, Seth Rogen will be voicing the iconic gorilla Donkey Kong.
Some fans expressed disappointment that long-time Mario voice Charles Martinet would not be voicing Mario. However, Martinet will appear in the film in an unknown cameo role.
Here is that cast list in full:
- Chris Pratt as Mario
- Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach
- Charlie Day as Luigi
- Jack Black as Bowser
- Keegan-Michael Key as Toad
- Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong
- Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong
- Sebastian Maniscalco as Foreman Spike
- Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek
What is the Super Mario Bros movie plot?
![""]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/10/The-Super-Mario-Bros-Movie-9a63eba.jpg?quality=90&crop=399px%2C0px%2C1207px%2C804px&resize=620%2C413" "\"\"")
The Super Mario Bros video games have traditionally featured Mario on a quest to rescue his beloved Princess Peach from Bowser’s castle after she is kidnapped, though with over 30 years of games and several spin-offs to draw from, Illumination could take this any direction.
Unlike the 1992 live-action effort which was set in New York City, we do know that this adaptation will be set in Mario’s fictional home of the Mushroom Kingdom, which looks to have been faithfully recreated from the games.
The teaser trailer prominently featured Bowser and his army of Koopas attacking a penguin kingdom, which looks to set up the main conflict of the film. We didn’t see much of Mario, but the teaser seems to hint that this will be the origin story of the portly Italian plumber, as he is seen emerging from a warp pipe into the Mushroom Kingdom where he meets Toad for the first time.
As reported by Popverse, Jack Black told fans at New York Comic-Con that Bowser “has a musical side” in the film, though it is unclear if there will actually be a full-fledged musical number for the King Koopa.
“I did bring some of my heavy metal roots because – in a way – Bowser is kind of like a heavy metal rockstar,” Black said. “You know, a big, strong, and scary rock star. And I did a little bit of rocking. I think you’ll be surprised to see that Bowser has a musical side.
“I’m thinking after the movie comes out I’m taking it to Broadway. There might be a one-man show.”
The Super Mario Bros Movie trailer
The much-anticipated teaser trailer was released in October 2022, finally revealing Chris Pratt’s Mario voice as well as Jack Black’s booming Bowser.
The Super Mario Bros Movie will be released on 7th April 2023.
If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Drama hub for all the latest news.
The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe nowand get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.