The Super Mario Bros. Movie is swiftly approaching its release date of April 7, 2023. Despite some critical reactions to Chris Pratt’s voice acting of the titular character, Mario, responses to the recently unveiled trailer have generated a lot of excitement and anticipation for the forthcoming computer-generated foray into the Mushroom Kingdom.
As a testament to the success of the series, the iconic music of the Super Mario Bros. game franchise has transcended into popular culture. Even those who are unfamiliar with Mario’s games (now tallying in the hundreds) often find themselves humming Mario’s classic opening theme song in addition to other well-known tracks. The importance of the upcoming Mario film nailing the music and offering a strong soundtrack cannot be overstated.
Composer Brian Tyler Shares a Musical Peek at the Film’s Score
The composer for The Super Mario Bros. Movie has given fans another reason to be excited after a recent tweet teased a look at some of the sheet music for the film. One of the shared images highlights a piece of music called “Mario Suite Part 3.” While there isn’t an audio sample included, fans with a musical background will be able to pluck out the short series of notes to gain a behind-the-scenes audio look at what fans can expect with the film’s release.
Tyler captioned the post:
"An amazing day recording The Super Mario Bros. Movie orchestra and choir! So excited for everyone to see this unbelievably amazing!"
Brian Tyler is well-known for his cinematic compositions and has worked on big-name titles such as Fast & Furious, Iron Man, Avengers, and Star Trek. Additionally, Tyler has composed over half a dozen video game scores, giving him a leg-up in understanding the different techniques and styles required to generate the highly engaging and interactive music necessary to give players the most immersive experience. His game scores include Lego Universe, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, and Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.
Longtime Mario Composer Koji Kondo Is Helping with the Music
Koji Kondo is no stranger to fans of Nintendo and the studio's eclectic offering of games. A skilled composer, pianist, and music director, Konjo was hired by Nintendo in 1984 with the responsibility of creating memorable music for the studio’s upcoming releases that included both Mario and the equally iconic The Legend of Zelda. Kondo ‘got the assignment’ and would go on to compose some of the most memorable music in video game history.
Chief among Kondo’s musical successes is Mario’s “Overworld Theme.” Before players even had a chance to practice their Mario jumps, Kondo’s energetic music took off, establishing a magical world of rhythm, balance, and interactivity. A version of the timeless theme was even used in the recent trailer for The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
What’s more, the film seems to be leaning into the musical style of Mario and his cooky, wide-ranging cast of supporting characters. Jack Black is set to take on the insidious role of Bowser, the large and intimidating king of the Koopas. Black made a special appearance at New York Comic Con, where he shared that fans might be surprised to see that Bowser possesses a softer, musical side to his otherwise dark and brooding personality.
Jack Black stated:
"Well, you know, I did bring some of my heavy metal roots because — in a way — Bowser is kind of like a heavy metal rockstar. 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 well-known comedic actor rarely takes on a role that doesn’t shine some light on his love for music and rock. However, the notion that fans might witness Bowser shredding has generated new levels of anticipation for The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Later, Jack Black followed up by saying:
"I had a lot of fun, I must admit. We had a ball. A little improv, a little magic, a little music. Good times."
Further testifying to Nintendo’s commitment to a solid musical presence in the film, Keegan Michael Key has recently divulged that his character, Toad, also gets a moment to show off his singing chops. It appears the star-studded cast may have needed to bring their musical talents into their roles.
Key told Variety:
“I got to improvise a song in ‘Super Mario Bros.,’ which was an absolute blast. That was just a stick of fun, that whole thing.”
Given Brian Tyler’s film credits for composition and the experienced guidance of Koji Kondo, Nintendo seems to be putting its best foot forward in creating a musical texture fitting for Mario, the undisputed king of video games, both retro and modern. The film certainly owes the classic video game series the utmost respect.