SNAPSHOT
From Nintendo and Illumination comes a new animated film based on the world of Super Mario Bros. It is the third feature film adaptation of Nintendo’s Mario video game franchise, following the anime film Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach! (1986) and the Hollywood live-action film Super Mario Bros. (1993). Illumination’s new The Super Mario Bros. Movie is co-directed by filmmakers Aaron Horvath (director of Teen Titans GO! To the Movies) and Michael Jelenic (a producer on Teen Titans Go!, ThunderCats Roar and other animated series). The screenplay is written by Matthew Fogel (The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, Minions: The Rise of Gru). Based on the video game series from Nintendo, originally created by Shigeru Miyamoto and Gunpei Yokoi in 1983 as an arcade game. Produced by Chris Meledandri and Shigeru Miyamoto. Made by Illumination Animation. (courtesy First Showing)
I’ll be honest – even though Mario Bros. have long transcended video games to become pop culture staples, I have never really played the game/s and don’t really know the characters or settings beyond the most rudimentary of common knowledge touchstones.
But the trailer makes the franchise look like an amazing world to disappear into and the characters so humourously compelling that it makes me want to go and see the film and become more than passingly familiar with this world.
Job well done Nintendo and Ilumination!
While we have to wait until 30 March 2023 to see the film in Australia – 31 March in UK and 7 April in USA – I suspect it’s going to be well worth seeing, especially with a gaggle of my eager nieces and nephews along for the ride!
