During the latest Nintendo Direct, the company took a break from video game news to announce the celebrity-studded cast of the upcoming Super Mario Bros. animated movie.
A new Super Mario Bros. movie is coming to theaters on December 21, 2022. While the idea of a Nintendo-themed movie starring Mario is definitely exciting for fans of the classic series, many fans are concerned about the film being made by Illumination Entertainment.
Super Mario Bros. voice cast
Instead of using voice actors known for their work in animation, Super Mario Bros. is going the route of other Illumination films by casting well-known celebrities. This is a controversial choice due to the star-studded cast not having a lot of experience with voice acting in an animated film. But like most Illumination films before, including Ice Age and Minions, pop culture references and popular celebrity cameos are likely to be emphasized more heavily than quality voice acting.
Here is the cast for the Super Mario Bros. movie:
Chris Pratt as Mario
Anya Taylor-Joy as Peach
Charlie Day as Luigi
Jack Black as Bowser
Keegan-Michael Key as Toad
Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong
Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong
Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek
Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike
And then “surprise cameos” from Charles Martinet, the voice of Mario from the video games.
There will at least be a “surprise cameo” from Charles Martinet, the voice of Mario in the video games. A lot of fans questioned why they wouldn’t just use Martinet as the main voice of Mario since he’s still alive and well. But others questioned whether people would truly watch a film with Mario’s traditional exaggerated voice used throughout, since the new role reportedly has a lot of dialogue.
Mario fans react to celebrity voices in Super Marios Bros. movie
Fans of the beloved Mario series had a mixed response to Super Mario Bros. using popular celebrities instead of voice actors that would emulate the characters’ usual voices. Some questioned whether real gamers were even present during the casting conversations.
Like most Illumination films, the focus will be the celebrities behind the characters rather than the actual Mario characters themselves, taking some fans out of the fantasy world and reminding them that, yes, this is a film full of celebrities they recognize by voice and in-movie references.
Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamato, the creator of Mario, will also be involved with the Super Mario Bros. movie. The film is sure to be a fun representation of the classic video game world fans all know and love. While its new cast may make it more appealing to newer generations, it will still include some of the most iconic characters Mario fans adore.
And let’s be real, can people really listen to 1.5 hours of Toad talking in his high-pitched video game voice?
Olivia Richman
About Olivia Richman
Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.
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