Nintendo Fans Conflicted over Mario Movie Cast

The internet just about broke when Nintendo threw a curveball during their latest Nintendo Direct when they revealed the cast of the upcoming Mario animated movie. To say it set the internet on fire would be an understatement, and while the cast is stacked with talent, the reactions to the castings haven’t been all positive. That’s not to say there isn’t any positive, but it’s a bit conflicted, as the fandom either seems all hyped for it or completely against it, and you can check out some of the reactions coming in starting on the next slide.

The cast didn’t skimp on big names, as it features Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek, Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike, and a surprise cameo from Charles Martinet.

“Mario and Luigi are two of the most beloved heroes in all of popular culture, and we are honored 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,” said Chris Meledandri, Illumination’s Founder and CEO, and outside director of Nintendo.

“We are collaborating with Chris and his experienced team to not just create a character licensed film, 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. The production so far is constructive and going very well, and both parties are learning a lot from each other. We humbly ask that fans wait just a little longer for the premiere, and we hope they look forward to seeing the unique characters from Super Mario Bros. on the big screen,” said Shigeru Miyamoto, Representative Director, Fellow of Nintendo.

The film is set to hit during the 2022 holiday season, and we’ll have to wait and see if the final product delivers, but in the meantime let us know what you think in thE comments and as always you can talk all things gaming with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!