The Super Mario Bros. Movie
This article is about an upcoming game. Content of a speculative nature is allowed, and whenever the game is released, major changes to the article may occur.
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Warning! Not to be confused with the 1993 Super Mario Bros. Movie.
The Super Mario Movie is a upcoming 2022 Movie about Mario, and the others. This film is rated PG for brief action and mild rude humor. The movie will be released in December 2022.
In December 2014, information leaked that Sony Pictures had made a deal with Nintendo to create an animated film based on the Mario franchise, but it never materialized. In November 2017, it was reported that Nintendo would be teaming up with Universal Pictures and Illumination to make an animated Mario film.
However on January 31, 2018 during a financial briefing, Nintendo announced that Illumination would be producing an animated Mario film, co-produced by Chris Meledandri and Shigeru Miyamoto. The title is currently unknown, but the film is scheduled for theatrical release on December 21, 2022 in North America and on an unspecified day in the holiday season of 2022 in the rest of the world. It is the third theatrical film based on the Mario series, following Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen! (1986) and Super Mario Bros. (1993).
Plot
As of now, not much is known about the Movie's plot. What is known is that it will involve Mario and Luigi going down into an underground labyrinth to save Peach. It's unknown who Peach's kidnapper is this time however it is most likely Bowser as he is usually the perpetrator. Foreman Spike also appears to be making a return in the movie after decades of absence. He will most likely try to hinder Mario and Luigi during their mission. Aditionally, Donkey Kong, Cranky Kong, and Kamek have been confirmed to appear in the film with undisclosed roles. It is unclear what their adventure is going to be about but it is known that the adventure will most likely be one of the biggest yet.
Production
Several days after the deal was made, Miyamoto explained why Illumination was chosen for the project over other animation companies, saying he has been interested in producing an animated film for quite some time, and contrary to popular belief, making a movie and making a game are completely different procedures. Miyamoto wanted someone with experience in the film industry to co-produce the film, and after talking with numerous directors and producers, he was introduced to Illumination through Universal Parks & Resorts, with whom Nintendo was making a theme park. Miyamoto also stated that when he begun talks with Meledandri, the latter read numerous interviews about him and felt that they had a similar approach in creation. Miyamoto describes Meledandri as having experience in the field of animation beyond Illumination, being executive producer of Ice Age and other animated projects for 20th Century Fox, as well as Meledandri being "extremely cost-conscious and time-conscious in his quest to make successful movies." Miyamoto also mentioned that Nintendo and Illumination have mutually agreed to call the deal off if neither company could think of an interesting premise, but also noted that the screenplay has been hashed out a number of times and talks are in progression, hoping to provide more information once the schedule has been ironed out.
On November 6, 2018, Meledandri said that he was glad the 1993 film was not well-received, citing the primary reason being that the producers did not involve Nintendo, whereas Illumination is "embracing" Miyamoto and keeping him "front and center" in the film's creation. He said that Illumination's Mario film is in "priority development," and is hoping to release the film by 2022. Meledandri also noted that developing a Mario film is "an ambitious task", citing the challenge of adding depth to Mario that would simultaneously compromise generations of fans and feel organic to his iconography along with supporting a three-act structure.
Before details on the cast list were formally announced, actor Sebastian Maniscalco offhandedly mentioned in a YouTube podcast uploaded on August 5, 2021 that he would be playing "Spike, [the brothers'] boss," in the movie. The September 23, 2021 Nintendo Direct presentation featured a message from Shigeru Miyamoto announcing the movie as being scheduled for the 2022 holiday season and the cast list. On the same day, the press release also announced that Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic will be directing, while Matthew Fogel will be writing the screenplay.
Cast List
- 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
- Charles Martinet has also been confirmed to make cameos in the film.
Trivia
- It was originally going to be called "Super Mario Bros.: The Movie", but it was cancelled. Fans give it names like "Super Mario: The Movie", "The Mario Bros. Movie", or just "Super Mario".
