When it was revealed that Illumination, the studio responsible for the Minions franchise, was making The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the response from fans was a little mixed.
However, that negativity was taken to the next level when Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt was cast as the title character. He's a great actor but, with the best will in the world, doesn't sound like the Mario from the games. In recent months, the trailers have helped turn the tide and it's clear Pratt has put a lot of work into bringing the iconic plumber to life.
In a new interview (via Toonado.com), he was asked outright about fans who believe Mario should sound more Italian. "Come watch the movie," he started. "Go watch the movie and then we can talk. You know what, in all honesty, I think you need to watch it twice."
The actor then got serious, adding: "This is a passionate fanbase and it makes sense. I understand. I'm part of it. This is the soundtrack to your youth. You don't want someone to come along and destroy it as a cash grab with a movie. I fully understand you don't want that to happen."
"There are so many hearts and souls and minds dedicated to making sure that didn't happen. It honours the video game and honours the world of Mario," Pratt continued. "It's very promising as to what we can expect from the next 10 years with an entire universe of these types of movies."
We'd say it's time to move on from the negativity, especially as early word on The Super Mario Bros. is extremely positive. There's not long to go before we find out whether Pratt is the right actor to play the video game icon, but it does sound like he might prove his doubters wrong.
From Nintendo and Illumination comes a new animated film based on the world of Super Mario Bros.
Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic (Teen Titans Go!, Teen Titans Go! To the Movies) from a screenplay by Matthew Fogel (Minions: The Rise of Gru), the film stars Chris Pratt as Mario, Charlie Day as Luigi, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Jack Black as Bowser, as Toad, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek, and Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is set to be released in theaters on April 5, 2023.