Actor Chris Pratt reacts to a new poster for the upcoming animated adaptation of Super Mario Bros. from Illumination and Nintendo.
Chris Pratt reacts to the new Super Mario Bros. movie after the poster release. The famous video game plumber first came onto the scene in 1981 as Jumpman following the release of the classic arcade game Donkey Kong. After this, he was renamed Mario and became the hero of the popular video game series Super Mario Bros. This character became famous due to his versatility: in different games he turned from the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom to a racer, karting driver, tennis player and Olympic medalist. The one thing that Mario hasn't mastered that most video game franchises struggle with is the feature films.
In 1993, Hollywood Pictures released the film version of Super Mario Bros. with Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo and Dennis Hopper, which flopped at the box office and received negative reviews, including from the actors. This led to Nintendo no longer venturing into film adaptations of their gaming franchises. Years later, Nintendo re-entered the film world, teaming up with Illumination to create an animated feature-length adaptation of the beloved character and casting Chris Pratt in his role, which caused some controversy.
Ahead of the film's release, Pratt made it clear that he was excited about the film. He took to Twitter to comment on the poster and get viewers excited for the trailer: “This movie is VERY special. Can not wait!!! Prepare to be shocked!” and then reminded you that you need to attend the Nintendo Direct on October 6, 2022 to view the new trailer. Check out the tweet above.
Will Pratt's performance in Mario win over skeptical fans?
Following the announcement that Pratt would be playing the character, opinions online were divided, with some finding the casting unique and original, while others found it controversial. People's negativity is largely due to the fact that they think Pratt simply isn't right for the role. Others found it strange that Pratt was chosen over the original voice of Mario, Charles Martinet, even though he would have several cameo roles in the film. Some fans have even gone so far as to attack personal aspects of Pratt's life, which has led to other directors like James Gunn coming to his defense. Pratt is not without his supporters, as some viewers are patient enough to wait and see what Pratt's performance will be like.
It took years before video games received a positive response to film adaptations. Movies like Detective Pikachu and Sonic the Hedgehog showed that it was possible to take these characters and tell compelling stories. Pratt's portrayal of Mario, while strange, is no different from Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu or Ben Schwartz as Sonic. Viewers have yet to hear how Pratt will portray the character, although he has stated that he will be using a different voice than the one he uses naturally. Regardless, there's no denying that the Super Mario Bros. movie. will have significant hype ahead of its release.
