We can say for certain that The Super Mario Bros. Movie pays homage to almost everyone's childhood, so any attempt to adapt it into a movie comes with, of course, criticisms from every fan who wants to protect their core childhood memory. Following the controversy regarding Chris Pratt being cast as the voice for the iconic video game character, the actor spoke with The Hollywood Reporter to assure moviegoers that the movie is nothing short of "fantastic" and that everyone's childhood is still "firmly intact."
The iconic Italian plumber, Super Mario, has been the face of Nintendo for the longest time, from the 1980s Donkey Kong up to the latest Super Mario Odyssey in 2017. Not only is he the face of the video game company, but the character has also become an ambassador of the entire gaming world. So when the first trailer was released with Pratt sounding different from the Mario fans grew to love, it was met with an intense backlash. Fortunately, the critics who got to watch the animated feature during an early exclusive screening have described the movie as a "love letter to the games" it was based on. And Pratt, on the other hand, assured fans that the movie wouldn't ruin people's childhoods. He told THR:
“It makes sense, I was pretty nervous when they offered it to me. I thought, ‘Wow, let’s not screw this up.' That’s where it all comes from, I think. People are passionate about this character and they’ve probably seen some of their favorite IP getting screwed up. It’s kind of a cynical business. People make movies just because a title has reach. I saw it with the Lego Movie. I was like, ‘How are you going to make a movie about Legos? What is that?’ And then Chris [Miller] and Phil [Lord] made this incredible movie, I was part of it, I loved it. So it’s a big challenge. Just because something has reach doesn’t mean it’s going to be a good movie and there’s instances of people making bad movies and ruining people’s childhoods. So the pressure was on to not do that and, thankfully, we didn’t. I think the movie is fantastic and I think your childhood is firmly intact.”
Film Adaptations of Iconic Video Games Have Been Hit-Or-Miss
The big-screen adaptation of several iconic video games has proven to be hit-or-miss for several decades, with Alone in the Dark, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Postal, and the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie failing to meet expectations. It's understandable, moreover, how protective fans are of their beloved childhood characters, especially given how some film adaptations have straight-out ruined their childhoods. But 2023 is shaping up to be a good year for movie adaptations—particularly the adaptation of beloved games—with Dungeons and Dragons performing positively at the box office, receiving mostly favorable reviews from critics and audiences alike. And with The Super Mario Bros. Movie providing easter eggs here and there, which could fill viewers with nostalgia, the animated feature could make it to the list of several film adaptations that didn't miss the mark. But that could only be determined when the film hits theaters on April 5.
The Super Mario Bros. will follow the usual game formula, with Super Mario fighting against the powerful Bowser. However, contrary to the games, Princess Peach will be helping Super Mario save the film's damsel in distress: his brother Luigi. Alongside Pratt, the rest of the cast includes Charlie Day as Luigi, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, and Jack Black as Bowser, among others.
You can watch the final trailer below.