The Super Mario gang is coming back to movie theaters, but thankfully, not in live-action. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Chris Pratt and Anya Taylor-Joy have been chosen to voice Mario and Peach in a new animated film based on the iconic Nintendo games.
Nintendo is developing the Mario movie with Illumination, the animation studio behind Despicable Me and The Secret Life of Pets. Universal Pictures will distribute the Super Mario Bros. film. Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic (Teen Titans Go! To the Movies) are directing the movie from a script by Matthew Fogel, who previously wrote The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part and Minions: The Rise of Gru.
Additionally, the studio has recruited several all-star performers to lend their voices opposite Pratt and Taylor-Joy. That includes Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, with Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek, and Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike.
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Illumination’s Chris Meledandri also shared a statement about the announcement.
Meledandri said “Mario and Luigi are two of the most beloved heroes in all of popular culture. And we are honored to have the unique opportunity to work so closely with [Mario creator] Shigeru Miyamoto and the widely imaginative team at Nintendo to bring these characters to life in an animated movie, unlike any film Illumination has made to date.”
“We are collaborating with Chris and his experienced team to not just create a character licensed film, but a new piece of entertainment which brings Super Mario Bros. to life on the screen, and allows everyone to enjoy whether or not they know about the game,” added Miyamoto. “The production so far is constructive and going very well, and both parties are learning a lot from each other. We humbly ask that fans wait just a little longer for the premiere, and we hope they look forward to seeing the unique characters from Super Mario Bros. on the big screen.”
Super Mario Bros. will hit theaters on December 21, 2022.
Are you excited to watch the movie next year? And what do you think about the cast lined up to portray these iconic roles? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: The NES Encyclopedia: Every Game Released for the Nintendo Entertainment System
