Press Play to Start: ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ could change the game

If you’ve been keeping up with this column, you know that I usually use my intros for long-winded descriptions of something that is only tangentially related to the column’s actual topic. And, while I love to have what effectively boils down to a soliloquy about my failing grades, this time it’s different. 

I am writing this column on Thursday, Oct. 6. And today, for better or for worse, the world got its first glimpse of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (2023). 

While I am sure some dedicated fans were brimming with excitement for the movie trailer, most of the internet already wrote it off as a huge flaming disaster since the main cast was announced.

But I am getting ahead of myself. For those of you who don’t know, back in 2018, Nintendo announced a partnership with animation studio Illumination, famous for the “Despicable Me” series. This, while unexpected, wasn’t necessarily a surprise. Nintendo has been venturing into other forms of entertainment for a while now. I even wrote a column about another Nintendo collaboration with Universal Studios, a park called “Super Nintendo World,” back in 2021. With a company as family-friendly and famous as Nintendo , it makes sense for them to eventually break into the film industry. 

Problem is, that decision doesn’t come in a vacuum. Video game movie adaptations have been notoriously bad, and that expectation hung around every new announcement for “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” However, the biggest blow to whatever hype this movie could’ve gotten wasn’t even born from its historical context. No, most of the internet blames it on one sole factor: the cast.

Much like many other Hollywood animated movies, the cast is filled with A-list actors. However, since the characters in the game already have pretty recognizable voices, many fans were hesitant, if not outright disappointed, when casting choices were announced, worried they may not do the characters justice. Still, many cast members actually have experience in either voice acting or humor, and even those with a particularly unique voice (i.e. Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong) offered a possible funny twist on the character. So, in that sense, the internet was divided on what could come from “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” with half expecting a dumpster fire, and another expecting a lesser, perhaps even more entertaining dumpster fire. 

However, if there is one thing everyone seems to have in common, it is their absolute distaste, confusion and genuine astonishment at the movie’s crown jewel: Chris Pratt as Mario. 

Yes, yes, I know, Chris Pratt technically has experience in voice acting, but most of the internet seemed to agree that his work as Emmett in “The Lego Movie” (2014)  was less voice acting and more…his normal voice? Add that to the fact that Mario’s usual voice actor, Charles Martinet, has crafted such a unique and easily recognizable voice for the character, and you can start to understand why the internet was so vehemently against the casting.

So, adding all of these elements together, many felt that  “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” was, effectively, a perfect storm for the gaming community. Still, without a trailer, the movie became sort of a Schrodinger’s Cat; it was at the same time horrible and great. 

This sort of nuance came crashing down today (or last Thursday for all of you) when Nintendo finally released a teaser for the movie. And I have to say, it…wasn’t as bad as I expected?

To be fair, Nintendo knew what they were doing, focusing the teaser on Jack Black’s performance as Bowser, which virtually no one was against from the start. Still, there were some pleasant surprises. The jokes, originally expected to be corny, weren’t that bad. And even Keegan-Michael Key’s performance as Toad was true to the character. 

Sadly, it seems like the internet’s expectations about Chris Pratt proved to be correct. In the total 35 seconds that he appeared in the trailer, anyone could tell that his “Mario voice” was just his regular voice. But contrary to the disaster everyone was expecting, the teaser ended up getting more people excited for the movie. And if it turns out to genuinely be a fun experience, this could have severe consequences in the industry.

Having a video game company like Nintendo succeed in bridging into movies sets up a precedent. The conversation before the teaser revealed that Nintendo and Illumination began talks on this movie seven years ago. This proves that this isn’t a project born out of desperation, but rather careful planning on both sides. 

Thanks to Nintendo’s careful process, this venture has taken the proportions of a blockbuster. And unlike other studios, who make rushed movies simply because their video games have been described as “cinematic” (cough cough Sony and Naughty Dog with “Uncharted” (2022)), Nintendo understands that making films is a completely different thing than making video games. So, by working together, both companies have managed to create something unique that appeals to both newcomers and hardcore fans alike. This might change if the movie turns out to be a complete mess, but as of right now, I’m looking forward to seeing it in April 2023. Just…don’t expect me to ever warm up to Chris Pratt. If I have to hear him saying “here we go” or any other sort of catchphrase, I might genuinely need an extra life.

Guilherme Guerreiro is a senior writing about esports. His column “Press Play to Start” runs every other Monday.