The new animated film, Super Mario Bros.: The Movie, has been the subject of controversy, mainly due to actor Chris Pratt lending his voice to the iconic character. However, Pratt has taken the reins of the promotion to reassure fans that the film will not “destroy their childhood.”
“It’s been a great challenge,” Pratt said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “Just because the character already has a run and a fan base is not going to mean that the movie is good. There are plenty of examples of bad movies that have ruined a lot of people’s childhoods. That’s where I was at the pressure, thank goodness it wasn’t like that. I think the film is fantastic and that the childhood of the fans is completely intact.”
“When I was offered the part, I was very nervous. I thought: ‘Let’s not screw her up.’ I think it all comes from the great passion that fans feel for this character, and they have probably seen many other characters screwed up by being transferred to the movies. It’s a bit of a cynical business, many times movies are only made because of the large fan base that certain characters have,” Pratt continued.
In the film, Mario and Luigi are two Brooklyn plumbers who are transported through a pipe to a magical world filled with mushrooms and turtles, where other classic video game characters like Princess Peach or Toad live. “We wanted Mario to look like a real character in this movie, a real guy with a family, we made him real. He’s just a plumber who travels to a magical world and becomes a great hero and Chris Pratt plays him wonderfully,” said director Aaron Hovarth.
