Super Mario Bros Movie directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenich spoke about the controversy surrounding Chris Pratt’s casting as the main character. This film is based on the classic video game Mario. Mario is canonically an Italian plumber, and many fans of the franchise were surprised when an American actor voiced the role. Speaking to Total Film, Horvath said it “made perfect sense” to go with Pratt. “It made so much sense to us. He’s so good at playing a worker character with a big heart. For Mario in our movie, he’s perfect for that,” he said.
Mario is the protagonist of the Mario story and embarks on various adventures to save Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy in the film) from the clutches of the evil Bowser (Jack Black).
Last year, Pratt promised his Mario sound was “unlike anything you’ve ever heard.” He said to Variety, “I’ve worked very closely with the directors and tried a number of things and came up with something that I’m proud of and can’t wait for people to see and hear. This is an animated spoken narrative. It’s not a live-action film. I will not wear a pipe suit leaking all over the place. I provided the voice of an animated character, and it’s updated and different from anything you’ve heard before in the world of Mario.”
The film also features the voices of Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen, Sebastian Maniscalco, Charles Martinet, and Kevin Michael Richardson.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie was released in the United States on April 7, 2023, and in Japan on April 28.
