MOVIE NEWS – Fans of the Super Mario Bros.: The Movie strongly criticized Chris Pratt’s portrayal of Mario’s voice in the new animated film, but the director insists that the actor is the perfect choice for the role of a blue-collar hero like Mario.

The iconic Mario franchise from Nintendo is set to hit the big screen in an animated film, with famous actors lending their voices to the characters. However, the first trailer for Super Mario Bros.: The Movie drew criticism from fans who were concerned about Chris Pratt’s voice for the mustached plumber. Earlier reports indicated that Pratt had developed a special Italian accent for the role, but Mario speaks with Pratt’s familiar accent in the trailer.

One of the film’s directors, Aaron Horvath, reassured fans that there’s nothing odd about Pratt’s voice for Mario. Horvath explained that Mario and Luigi are Italian-American Brooklynites, so Pratt perfectly captured what was expected of him. Horvath also noted that the whole film will provide an authentic Nintendo Super Mario experience with the gaming company’s involvement.

Since the games are not particularly story- or character-driven, the film’s creators had to approach the characters and the story differently. According to Horvath, Mario’s decades-long adventures were inspired by the player experience that if someone doesn’t give up during the game, Mario wins. This player experience was transferred to the film’s character as well.

Finally, Horvath defended Pratt’s casting, saying that the actor is excellent for the role of a blue-collar hero like Mario, having come from a working-class background himself.

Super Mario Bros.: The Movie will hit theaters in Hungary on April 6th. Charlie Day voices Luigi in the film’s dubbed version, while Anya Taylor-Joy provides the voice of Princess Peach. The dubbing cast also includes Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, and Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, so fans will hear many well-known voices in the film.

Source: Total Film