A Super Mario Bros film is coming to the big screen but the announcement of the cast has been ridiculed for its complete lack of Italian actors.
The Super Mario Bros film will follow the lives of the two Italian characters, plumber Mario and his brother Luigi, from the famous video games.
30 years after the game was first released, the animated film adaptation has received a less than positive reaction for its bizarre casting.
A surprise announcement by Nintendo revealed that American actor Chris Pratt will voice Mario, while his brother Luigi will be voiced by comedian Charlie Day.
Chris Pratt as Mario
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) September 23, 2021
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
Surprise cameos from Charles Martinet
Other cast members will include The Queen’s Gambit’s Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad and Seth Rogan as Donkey Kong.
One pretty significant fact that didn’t get past the internet is that none of the voice actors cast are Italian, leading to countless memes and jokes about Italian discrimination.
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chris pratt is playing mario pic.twitter.com/KiWVoVkY5z
— Vincent Martella (@VinMan17) September 23, 2021
"It's me, Mario" - Chris Pratt
— jacksfilms (@jacksfilms) September 23, 2021
chris pratt playing mario is italiaphobia and i'm tired of acting like it isn't
— hasanabi (@hasanthehun) September 23, 2021
Imagine surviving two recessions and a pandemic only to have to endure Chris Pratt as Mario
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) September 24, 2021
modern italixn stories are told so rarely and even when they are we're not the ones telling them
— giabuchi (incensed italixn) (@jaboukie) September 24, 2021
— Tom Sansome (@tomsansome) September 24, 2021
Not sure what’s funnier: the thought of Chris Pratt spending the whole film doing ‘the Mario voice’, or the thought of him not.
— Robbie Collin (@robbiereviews) September 24, 2021
the mario movie looks so good!!! pic.twitter.com/KYyAypXoqi
— jewish space laser (@goulcher) September 24, 2021
Hear me out, Daniel Day-Lewis as Waluigi pic.twitter.com/61VaothOpy
— Parker (@panoparker) September 24, 2021
Others put forward their suggestions for who they want to play the two famous brothers. Some fan picks included Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci.
Al Pacino as Mario. Robert DeNiro as Luigi. Tons of screaming the whole time
— WILL (@willdinola) September 24, 2021
why is chris pratt mario when robert deniro and joe pesci are right there
— Gwen (@Clowndolyn) September 23, 2021
Mario/Luigi should have gone to DeNiro/Pacino. Just imagine it. Hear it in your mind.
— Pseudo, medium humanoid, 1d2 appearing (@pseudo310) September 24, 2021
Imagine if they got DeNiro and Pesci to do Mario and Luigi. Pacino as Bowser. And Scorsese to direct.
— Michael Zhang (@mzhangclan) September 24, 2021
Chris Pratt as Mario when we still have Robert Deniro walking gods green Earth? https://t.co/wrHIEyfThY
— Everything's Coming Up Trilhouse (@JoshLinnard) September 23, 2021
Others were disappointed with Pratt’s casting due to his affiliation with the megachurch Hillsong.
Actor Elliott Page has previously accused the church of being “anti-LGBTQ”, but Pratt said that he personally “believes that everyone is entitled to love who they want”.
The church’s founder Brian Houston has previously said that the church welcomes gay members, “but we are not a church that affirms a gay lifestyle”.
One person on Twitter wrote: “Chris Pratt as Mario is such a goddamn pitch-perfect representation of Nintendo's relationship—both historical and current—with its queer fans.”
Chris Pratt as Mario is such a goddamn pitch-perfect representation of Nintendo's relationship—both historical and current—with its queer fans
— Vapor Weyve (@Nymphomachy) September 24, 2021
For the record, I was a fan of Chris Pratt for a long time up until he became openly homophobic and now he's gross, so yeah, as a queer person, I'm disappointed Mario is being played by a homophobe.
— Mattea 🌈 (@illuMattea) September 24, 2021
Nintendo is really leaning into this "So long gay Bowser" thing by casting Chris Pratt as Mario.
— ToothlessGrin (@ToothlessGrinin) September 23, 2021
This will not be the first Super Mario Bros movie to be made. Back in 1993, a dark and dystopian live-action version of the game was brought to the big screen starring Bob Hoskins and Dennis Hopper. The film had a mostly negative reception at the time but has since become a minor cult favourite amongst fans.
