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Nintendo’s iconic character, Mario, has been brought to life by various actors over the years. The most well-known voice behind Mario is Charles Martinet, who has voiced the character in most video games. However, in other adaptations, Mario has been portrayed by the late wrestler Captain Lou Albano in the animated series “The Super Mario Bros. Super Show” and by the late actor Bob Hoskins in the 1993 live-action film. Now, a new face has been revealed as the voice of Mario, and it’s quite surprising.
During Nintendo’s recent Direct presentation, Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Super Mario, announced the premiere date of the animated film “Super Mario Bros.” produced by Illumination, known for “Despicable Me.” The film is set to hit theaters on December 21, 2022, just in time for the holiday season. Miyamoto also unveiled the primary cast for the movie.
Chris Pratt, known for “Guardians of the Galaxy,” will voice Mario in the film. Pratt expressed his childhood dream of playing Mario, dating back to his arcade gaming days. Joining Pratt is Anya Taylor-Joy from “The Queen’s Gambit” as Princess Peach, Charlie Day from “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” as Luigi, and the well-suited Jack Black as King Bowser. Other notable cast members include Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, and Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong. While Charles Martinet won’t be the voice of Mario in this movie, he will make cameo appearances.
The Super Mario Bros. Animated Film will be in theaters in North America on 12/21/22!
Check out the voice cast for the upcoming movie below ? pic.com/Xj31P6hk6y
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) September 23, 2021
The casting choices have sparked some debate as neither Pratt nor Day have Italian roots. However, historically, only Lou Albano, an Italian, has played Mario or Luigi on-screen; Charles Martinet, though the iconic voice of Mario, is of French descent. So, while the new casting is stirring discussions, inconsistencies in character ethnicity have not been a significant issue in the past.
