Nearly 30 years after Super Mario Bros. hit theaters and set a very low bar for video game adaptations, the titular Italian plumber is getting another shot at cinematic glory. Universal and Illumination have been developing a new big-screen take on the long-running Nintendo franchise for years. But during today’s Nintendo Direct livestream, the studios finally treated fans to their very first look at the upcoming animated film, which is now called The Super Mario Bros. Movie. You can watch the new teaser trailer below.
Mario doesn’t appear in the trailer right away. Instead, it opens by showing us the might of Bowser, voiced by Jack Black in the film. Leading his army of Koopas against the Snow Kingdom’s penguin military, Bowser makes short work of his pint-sized enemies. Once he destroys their castle, he recovers an Invincibility Star among the remains. Presumably, there are other stars just like this scattered throughout the universe, and Bowser will stop at nothing until he finds them all.
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Black actually does a respectable job of bringing Bowser to life. Unfortunately, longtime Nintendo gamers may be less impressed with Chris Pratt’s take on Mario, which doesn’t sound all that different from his regular speaking voice. If there’s any hint of an Italian accent in there, it’s very faint. But at least the Mushroom Kingdom is pretty to look at.
Mario creator and Nintendo game director Shigeru Miyamoto introduced the movie’s trailer alongside producer Chris Meledandri, with Pratt and Black chiming in via their own video messages. Meledandri also shared a few key updates regarding the film’s production. By next week, the animation process will be completed. Additionally, composer Brian Tyler is about to start work on the score, which will incorporate themes from the original video games as well.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie will hit theaters on April 7, 2023.
What do you think of the film’s first trailer? Let us know in the comment section below!
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