The Super Mario Bros. Much has been made about just how prolific the cast is until Movie. really I play video games. That might be too much when you consider that Chris Pratt was able to fight dinosaurs and aliens on screen with little (and probably no) experience of either of them. Mario is one of the most famous video game characters ever, and with just the most casual interest in gaming, everyone on the planet has heard of him. Nonetheless, when Pratt and his brother Charlie Day were talking about Easter eggs, both jumped out of their chairs and shouted “Kid Icarus!” When referring to my favorite references in the movie.
In gaming, we sometimes confuse lack of encyclopedic knowledge with lack of enthusiasm. If people can’t remember the exact date every character was introduced, unlock button commands for a dozen combos, and know all the behind-the-scenes details, they’re not ‘real’ fans. But to love The Lord of the Rings you don’t need to know that Viggo Mortensen broke his toe. For most people, having a passion for video games means feeling the joy of them, having fond memories of them, or continuing to experience all that today has to offer.
It is this passion that becomes evident as the two calm down from Kid Icarus’s excitement to talk about his favorite moment in the film. “I would have missed half of them.” Day laughs.
Updated on 14 April 2023: Updated this article to include video interview footage with Chris Pratt and Charlie Day!
However, Pratt seems to be keeping a note. “I want to go back and see you again. I’m going to bring them all,” he said. “There is a punch out!! There’s an easter egg, and something about the Ikari Warriors. Zelda may be there. Is there a Zelda movie coming out? It will be the Nintendo Cinematic Universe. We’re talking 10 years, 20 years, 80 years of content here.”
With the two planning production of the Super Smash Bros. universe, it seems like the way the IP movie is no longer just setting up a sequel, but setting up an entire universe. Nintendo has tons of world-famous characters that offer a canvas as wide as Super Mario, and in a few years Pratt’s Mario will team up with a gang of pixelated protagonists to stop Edelgard von Hresvelg from taking over the world. While Zelda may look like the next natural stop, Day and Pratt think another contender may be lurking.
“I love Zelda as much as I love Mario. “And Metroid was awesome. And it’s kind of creepy.” It’s hard to see the Day role jump right into you given that Samus spends so much time alone throughout the game, but I’m sure Samus can bring some comedy to the various noxious plants and aliens he fights.
“Mother Brain [was very creepy]” Pratt agrees. “And at the end of Metroid, the helmet comes off. Ladies throughout.” At this point, Pratt takes off his helmet and pretends to pull Samus’ hair back, like he’s auditioning for the role, but I’m not sure he should be juggling Mario and Samus. Given Brie Larson’s longstanding interest in the role, there may be competition for him as well.
Super Mario Bros. The Movie cast should be judged mainly on their acting, not their love of video games, judged by strangers on the internet combing through every word for any sign of mistake. But if ratings are determined by the cast’s love for Kid Icarus, then Chris Pratt and Charlie Day make sure the movie is in safe hands.
The Super Mario Bros. movie opens in theaters on April 5th.