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Nintendo Unveils The Super Mario Bros. Movie Animated Film's Trailer
posted on by Alex Mateo
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Nintendo unveiled on Thursday during New York Comic Con and in a Nintendo Direct livestream the world premiere trailer for it and Illumination's The Super Mario Bros. Movie animated film (presentation starts at 34:40 below, trailer starts at 39:19 below):
The Nintendo Direct also included video messages from Super Mario Bros. creator Shigeru Miyamoto, Illumination founder Chris Meledandri, and cast members Chris Pratt (Mario) and Jack Black (Bowser).
The film will open on April 7 in North America and April 28 in Japan, after a delay. The film was previously slated to open on December 21.
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.
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 had 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.
Images via Variety, AP, Michael Buckner
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