Super Mario Bros Movie: who’s in the cast with Chris Pratt, first film trailer - and new 2023 release date

In the first teaser trailer for the upcoming Super Mario Bros Movie, Jack Black and Chris Pratt face off as Bowser and Mario, respectively.

On Thursday (6 October), fans got their first look at the new animated film about the renowned moustachioed Italian plumber, one of video gaming’s most famous characters.

Black’s villainous Bowser attacks the Ice Kingdom in the clip, which was presented at the Nintendo Direct video presentation in conjunction with the Japanese gaming giant’s presence at the New York Comic Con.

Before seizing control of a Mario star power-up, a hallmark of the games franchise, the flaming beast and his army of Koopa Troopas face snowball resistance from an army of adorable penguin warriors.

Meanwhile, Mario, voiced by Pratt, finds himself in the Mushroom Kingdom, slightly bemused, as if it’s his first time there...

Here is everything you need to know about it.

Who is in the cast?

Strangely, Charles Martinet - who has provided the iconic voices to Super Mario and a whole host of the series’ other characters - won’t be starring, although he is said to be making a “surprise” cameo.

Mario will be played by Chris Pratt, Princess Peach by The Queen’s Gambit’s Anya Taylor-Joy, and Luigi by Charlie Day, known for his leading role in long-running hit comedy It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

The villain of the piece, Bowser will be played by Jack Black, Toad by Keegan-Michael Key, Donkey Kong will have the voice of Seth Rogen, while Cranky Kong will be portrayed by Portlandia’s Fred Armisen.

The producers say: “Each voice actor was cast for their ability to capture the unique spirit of their character.”

What does Chris Pratt’s Mario sound like?

Fans had been speculating ever since Pratt’s casting announcement as to what the actor would sound like in the film.

Would he be trying to emulate the famous voice of original Mario voice actor Charles Martinet? Would he be putting on a cartoonish Italian accent, as in the games?

So viewers were left a little surprised when the big-screen version of the portly plumber finally opened his mouth and sounded... just like Chris Pratt.

No accent. No voice. It’s just Chris Pratt coming out of Mario’s mouth. It’s jarring to say the least, and with Pratt having appeared in or voiced characters in all manner of blockbuster movies in recent years, it’s even harder to separate his voice from his real life face.

Given that Jack Black’s Bowser sounds a lot more like the video game version of the character, as does Keegan-Michael Key’s Toad, it’s a bit of an odd choice.

Having an A-list Hollywood star do an exaggerated Italian accent may also not have gone down too well either, but at least Pratt could have changed up his delivery slightly?

Who’s directing it?

The new animated film is directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, who previously collaborated on the animated series Teen Titans Go! and the film Teen Titans Go! To the Movies.

It will be produced by Chris Meledandri of Illumination, and Shigeru Miyamoto, Nintendo’s legendary games designer who has helped create some of the most recognisable franchises and characters in video gaming history.

The screenplay of the film will be written by Matthew Fogel, whose writing credits include The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part and the upcoming Illumination film Minions: The Rise of Gru.

What is it about?

No plot details have yet been given for the new film, and speculation is rife as to what fans can release when it finally comes to cinemas.

Chris Meledandri, Illumination’s Founder and CEO, said: “Mario and Luigi are two of the most beloved heroes in all of popular culture, and we are honoured to have the unique opportunity to work so closely with Shigeru Miyamoto and the widely imaginative team at Nintendo to bring these characters to life in an animated movie, unlike any film Illumination has made to date.”

“We are collaborating with Chris and his experienced team to not just create a character licensed film,” said Miyamoto, “but a new piece of entertainment which brings Super Mario Bros. to life on the screen, and allows everyone to enjoy whether or not they know about the game.”

When can I watch it?

The Super Mario Bros. Movie film was announced in September 2021 with an original December 2022 release date, but has since been delayed to April 2023.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is scheduled to be released on 7 April 023 in the United States (and presumably the UK), followed by a Japan release on 28 April.

That seems a little unfair to Japanese audiences, given the character’s Nintendo origins in the country.