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Super Mario Bros. Film Delayed to April 2023 Globally
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Super Mario Bros. creator Shigeru Miyamoto announced on Nintendo of America's official Twitter account on Monday that Nintendo and Illumination have delayed the global opening of their Super Mario Bros. animated film to spring 2023. Specifically, the film will now open on April 7 in North America and April 28 in Japan. Illumination also announced the delay on its Twitter account.
The film was previously slated to open on December 21 of this year.
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
Sources: Nintendo of America's Twitter account, Illumination's Twitter account via Gematsu
