It was expected for Christmas 2022, the film dedicated to the mustachioed plumber Super Mario misses the mark and shifts its release date. When can we see it in the cinema?
Among a plethora of video game adaptation projects for the cinema in recent years, Nintendo’s licenses are relatively discreet on the big screen. The great return of the brands of the Japanese giant in dark rooms was however to take place this year in December with the film Super Mario, dedicated as its name suggests to the famous plumber in blue overalls and a red cap. However, the animated feature will be a little longer.
It was on Twitter that Shigeru Miyamoto, famous creator of Super Mario, announced it on the official accounts of the Japanese publisher. “After consultation with Chris [Meledandri, ndlr] my partner at Illumination for the Super Mario Bros. movie, we have decided to shift the worldwide release of the movie to Spring 2023, April 28 in Japan and April 7 in North America. My deepest apologies but I promise you the wait will be worth it.” Honestly, we can expect the movie to be released around the US release date, probably early April 2023.
This is Miyamoto. After consulting with Chris-san, my partner at Illumination on the Super Mario Bros. film, we decided to move the global release to Spring 2023April 28 in Japan and April 7 in North America. My deepest apologies but I promise it will be well worth the wait.
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) April 26, 2022
The animated feature film was entrusted by Nintendo to Illumination Entertainment, an animation studio subsidiary of Universal Pictures to which we owe the saga Me, Despicable and Mean but also its spin-off The Minions. The Super Mario Bros film is directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic and should feature a Super Mario adventure, dubbed for the occasion by Chris Pratt (Jurassic World, Guardians of the Galaxy). Alongside him, many well-known actors are planned in the credits, including Anya Taylor-Joy (Mad Max Fury Road, Split) as Princess Peach, Seth Rogen (Supergrave) as Donkey Kong and finally Jack Black (Rock Academy, Jumanji) in the role by Bowser.
Note that this is not the first attempt to adapt Super Mario on the big screen. In 1993, a first live action adaptation had already been attempted by Annabel Jankel and Rocky Morton. We discovered Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo in the roles of Mario and Luigi. The feature film did not break even and, above all, was burned at the stake of the worst adaptations of video games into films. We understand better why Nintendo will have taken thirty years to bring out its plumber from the small screens of its consoles to the big screen!