Let's-a go! The first trailer for Nintendo and Illumination’s upcoming animated adaptation of Super Mario Bros. has arrived. Released courtesy of Universal Studios, the Super Mario Bros. Movie stars Guardians of the Galaxy’s Chris Pratt and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia star Charlie Day as the titular brothers, Mario and Luigi. Check out the first trailer for Super Mario Bros. below!
Based on the hugely popular video game franchise and featuring the beloved Nintendo characters, Super Mario Bros. will follow the iconic plumber as he travels to Toad town and embarks on an adventure through an underground labyrinth with his brother, Luigi, trying to save a captured princess.
Directed by Aaron Horvath (The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!) and Michael Jelenic (Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League), who together brought audiences the acclaimed animated outing Teen Titans Go! To the Movies back in 2018, and from a screenplay by Matthew Fogel, the Super Mario Bros. movie is all set to feature a stellar ensemble cast of voices.
Leading the gang is Guardians of the Galaxy and The Lego Movie star Chris Pratt as Mario, with It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and fellow The Lego Movie star Charlie Day as his plumber brother, Luigi. The rest of the cast includes the likes of Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek, and Sebastian Maniscalco as Foreman Spike. Additionally, Charles Martinet, who has provided the voice of Mario throughout the franchise for many years, has been confirmed to feature in an undisclosed cameo.
Chris Pratt Will Provide the Voice of Mario
The casting of Chris Pratt as the voice of Mario has been met with some backlash from fans, with many wondering why Charles Martinet, who has voiced the character in the video game series since 1992, did not win the role.
For his part, Pratt has described bringing Mario to life on the big screen as a dream come true.
"So when I was a kid I lived in Lake Stevens, Washington. And there is this coin-operated laundromat near my house, and it had Super Mario Bros., the original arcade game,” Pratt said back in September last year when his casting was announced. “Oh, I loved that game. I never had a quarter, it felt like. I'd either steal them from the wishing well... that's wild. It just dawned on me right now. The quarter I stole out of the wishing well to play Super Mario Bros. has come true, that I get to be the voice of Mario. But, I clearly stole someone else's wish, so, just waiting for that row of karma dominoes to come crashing down on me."
Despite the early criticism, Pratt’s performance has the backing of producer Chris Meledandri. "Chris was cast because we felt he could give a great performance as Mario,” he said earlier this year. “And now that we've done about 15 recording sessions, and the movie is three-quarters done, I sit here and say that I love his performance as Mario."
Super Mario Bros. is scheduled to be released in the United States on April 7, 2023, by Universal Pictures.