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Nintendo Reveals Super Mario Bros. Film's Cast, Staff, December 2022 Debut (Updated)
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Nintendo revealed the voice cast, staff, and opening date for Illumination's animated film of Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. game franchise during its Nintendo Direct stream on Wednesday. The voice cast includes Chris Pratt and Charlie Day as Mario and Luigi, respectively. Anya Taylor-Joy will play Princess Peach. Jack Black will voice Bowser.
Other cast members include Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek, and Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike. Charles Martinet, who has voiced Mario and many other Nintendo characters in games, will also voice "surprise cameos" in the film.
The film will open on December 21, 2022. Universal Pictures will distribute the film. Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic are directing the film, with a script by Matthew Fogel.
Illumination founder Chris Meledandri told entertainment news source Variety in November 2018 that the film was in “priority development” for a possible theatrical debut by 2022. Meledandri is co-producing the film with Super Mario Bros. creator Shigeru Miyamoto. Meledandri stated that Miyamoto is "front and center in the creation of this film" and noted that the "original creative voice" is often absent from Hollywood film adaptations.
Nintendo announced in February 2018 that Universal Studios' subsidiary Illumination Entertainment (Despicable Me, Minions, Sing) had begun planning the animated film. Both Nintendo and Universal Pictures are funding the project, and Universal Pictures will distribute the film worldwide.
Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima said in an interview with The Asahi Shimbun newspaper in May 2016 that Nintendo was in talks with production companies to make films based on its games.
The Buzzfeed website reported in 2014 that Nintendo was in talks with Sony Pictures for film rights to the Super Mario Bros. franchise. The live-action Ghost in the Shell film's producer Avi Arad was linked to the production.
Nintendo is already collaborating with Universal Studios to produce Nintendo attractions for its Universal Studios Japan, Universal Orlando Resort, and Universal Studios Hollywood theme parks. Osaka's Universal Studios Japan began construction of its "Super Nintendo World" attractions in June 2017.
Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel directed the 1993 live-action Super Mario Bros. film starring Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo, and Dennis Hopper.
Update: Typo fixed. Thanks, Ming Yi.
Update 2: Charles Martinet, who has voiced Mario and many other Nintendo characters in games, will also voice "surprise cameos" in the film.
Images via Variety, AP, Michael Buckner
Sources: Nintendo Direct, Variety (Matt Donnelly)
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