Big-budget adaptations of video games have been faring rather well lately and in multiple genres to boot.
Uncharted was a hefty Hollywood action blockbuster that saw Tom Holland in the leading role. At the same time, HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us, starring Pedro Pascal, drew in a record-breaking number of viewers.
Animated projects have also garnered positive buzz, with the Sonic the Hedgehog series coming up on its third installment and Pokemon: Detective Pikachu making waves a few years back.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie was theatrically released in the United States on April 5, 2023, grossing $148 million worldwide (Credit: Universal Pictures / Illumination / Nintendo)
Now, decades after the remarkably bad 1993 Super Mario Bros movie became the laughing stock of the industry, the most iconic gaming character of all time is set to return to the big screen.
This April, a brand new Super Mario Bros Movie has landed in theaters, co-created by Nintendo and the folks at Illumination Entertainment.
Besides the stellar animation studio onboard, the new Super Mario Bros Movie boasts an incredible cast of A-list stars, voicing some of gaming’s most beloved characters.
Let’s get to know some of the faces behind the voices of The Super Mario Bros Movie!
The Iconic Mario Brothers
Hollywood favorite Chris Pratt will be lending his voice to the eponymous Super Mario, an everyday plumber turned hero.
In a classic fish-out-of-water story, Mario must explore the fantastical Mushroom Kingdom to stop the evil King Bowser and rescue his friends.
While some fans have been quick to draw criticism to Pratt’s take on Mario’s distinct voice, the film’s producers recently said they wanted to give Mario a more “blue-collar voice” rather than his one-line video game counterpart.
Chris Pratt provides Super Mario’s voice as he journeys through the Mushroom Kingdom to battle the evil King Bowser and save his friends (Credit: Universal Pictures / Illumination / Nintendo / Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Abaca Press / INSTARimages)
At 43 years old, Chris Pratt has quickly become one of the go-to leading men in Hollywood, popping up in tons of major blockbuster films.
Although he got his start on sitcoms like Parks and Recreation in 2009, Pratt became a mega-star after 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy and 2015’s Jurassic World.
To his credit, Pratt also has loads of experience in voice-acting, as he previously voiced protagonist Emmet in The Lego Movie and Barely Lightfoot in Disney’s Onward.
Chris Pratt’s 6ft 1 ¾ (187.3 cm) height places him significantly above the average height for an American male. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average height for adult males in the United States is approximately 5ft 9in (175.3 cm).
Super Mario and his older brother Luigi in the 2023 computer-animated adventure film based on Nintendo’s Mario video game franchise (Credit: Universal Pictures / Illumination / Nintendo)
47-year-old jokester and lovable goofball Charlie Day will be portraying Luigi, Mario’s older, yet incredibly skittish, brother.
In The Super Mario Bros Movie, it seems like Luigi has gotten himself into a whole bunch of trouble and will likely require a bit of help from Mario and friends.
Most fans will recognize Charlie Day from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but interestingly, he also voiced the rambunctious astronaut Benny in The Lego Movie.
Chris Pratt says his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, is one of the biggest Super Mario Bros Movie fans there is (Credit: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Abaca Press / INSTARimages)
Measuring 5ft 5 ¾ (167 cm), Charlie Day is also known for his appearances in films like Horrible Bosses and Pacific Rim. In a Wired video, he humorously claimed he is “just about a smidge under Five-Seven. I didn’t quite make it to Five-Seven…my dreams were crushed.”
This will make it the second time Pratt and Day have teamed up in the world of animation.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s Charlie Day is portraying Super Mario’s older brother Luigi (Credit: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Abaca Press / INSTARimages / Universal Pictures / Illumination / Nintendo)
Princess Peach is a Damsel No Longer
Voicing the ever-gracious and royal Princess Peach is Anya Taylor-Joy, the 26-year-old phenom who has been taking the acting world by storm.
Known for her many fashionable outfits, Anya Taylor-Joy’s height is tall enough to make her stand out in a crowd, measuring an impressive 5ft 6 ½ (168.9 cm).
Although Princess Peach is commonly depicted as a damsel in mainline Mario video games, she seems far more fierce in The Super Mario Bros Movie. This fun change seems like an excellent fit for Anya Taylor-Joy’s trend of portraying strong-willed characters.
Anya Taylor-Joy, The Queen’s Gambit breakout star, voices Princess Peach in The Super Mario Bros. movie (Credit: Universal Pictures / Illumination / Nintendo / Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Abaca Press / INSTARimages)
Anya Taylor-Joy first splashed onto the scene with indie horror films like 2015’s The Witch. She became an immediate household name after her standout performance as Beth Harmon in the Netflix series, The Queen’s Gambit.
Recently, she’s continued appearing in many great films, including The Northman, Last Night in Soho, and The Menu, with many more to come.
For a special screening of The Super Mario Bros. Movie in Los Angeles, Anya Taylor-Joy chanlleed Peach in a Dior pink leather jumpsuit, gloves, and boots.
Anya Taylor-Joy channeled the iconic video game character Princess Peach in a head-to-toe pinky-peach custom Christian Dior racing suit, complete with the fashion house’s name printed down the arms, elbow pads, a dual-toned pink belt, matching moto gloves, and hot pink chunky platform rubber boots at the Special Screening Of Universal Pictures’ “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” held at Regal LA Live on April 1, 2023, in Los Angeles, California (Credit: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Abaca Press / INSTARimages)
Big Bad Bowser and More
We’re in for a treat, as the villainous Bowser will be voiced by 53-year-old comedic mastermind Jack Black.
Just like in the video games, Bowser is the larger-than-life antagonist to everyman Mario and has stolen a precious Superstar with plans to use it for total domination.
Jack Black has won over audiences with his hit films like School of Rock, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and the ever-risque Tropic Thunder.
While known for his larger-than-life personality and comedic talent, when it comes to his height, he stands at a modest 5ft 6 (167.6 cm). In an interview with The St Louis Post Dispatch, he joked that he’s “5-7, 5-7 1/2 after doing my yoga.”
The main antagonist, Bowser, the King of the Koopas who rules the Dark Lands, is voiced by comedian and musician Jack Black (Credit: Universal Pictures / Illumination / Nintendo / Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Abaca Press / INSTARimages)
The secondary cast is also packed to the gills, with notable cameos popping up throughout the film.
The 40-year-old writer and actor Seth Rogen, most well-known for films like Superbad and Pineapple Express, will voice the wild ape of the arcade, Donkey Kong.
Believed to measure 5ft 11 (180.3 cm), he has stated his height at around 6 feet in interviews.
Canadian actor and filmmaker Seth Rogen lends his voice to Donkey Kong, a powerful anthropomorphic gorilla and heir to the throne of the Jungle Kingdom (Credit: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Abaca Press / INSTARimages / Universal Pictures / Illumination / Nintendo)
Mario will also get some guidance from the wacky and eccentric Toad, voiced by Keegan-Michael Key, co-creator of the hit show Key & Peele.
The American actor and comedian stands tall at 6ft ¼ in (183.5 cm) and is also known for his roles in films like Keanu, Don’t Think Twice, and The Predator.
Keegan-Michael Key provides the voice for Toad, a Mushroom Kingdom resident (Credit: Seth Browarnik / startraksphoto / Cover Images / Universal Pictures / Illumination / Nintendo)
Gamers will be glad to hear that Charles Martinet – the man who has voiced Mario in video games for the better part of 30 years – will also have a cameo in the film. Currently, he is set to voice Mario’s father, which should be a nice nod to Martinet’s legacy with the character.
We can’t wait to see how The Super Mario Bros Movie turns out when it hits theaters on April 5, 2023! With any luck, the film will be a hit, and perhaps we can expect some other classic Nintendo stories to arrive on the big screen sometime soon.