Last year,Chris Pratt’s casting as Mario in Illumination’s newThe Super Mario Bros. Moviewas the subject of a huge controversy. Now to ring in 2023, Pratt has drawn a new comparison to his big voice role by debuting a new mustache in a New Year photograph. While fans will not see Pratt’s Mario hit cinemas until April, the photograph shared by Pratt, which also features his wife Katherine Schwarzenegger, has certainly startedpeople discussing the upcoming movie.In the post, Pratt commented, “New year, new stache, same us. Wishing all of you a healthy, happy, and blessed [New Year]”
Chris Pratt had a busy 2022, with appearances inJurassic World: Dominion, Thor: Love and Thunder, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special,and the Prime Video seriesThe Terminal List, and it seems that this year is not going to be any different. Pratt will once again reprise his role as Peter “Starlord” Quill inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol.3, which comes out a couple of months afterThe Super Mario Bros. Movieis released.
Related:First Super Mario Bros. Movie Clip Finds the Video Game Icon Touring the Mushroom Kingdom
Why Are So Many People Unhappy With Chris Pratt Voicing Mario?
The casting of iconic characters is always a minefield, and Chris Pratt being announced as the new voice of Mario was no exception. Almost as soon as the announcement was made, fans of the character and other actors blasted the decision to cast high-profile American Pratt as the Italian plumber. While some believed that the role should have been given tolong-term Mario voiceover artist Charles Martinet, others simply were not happy with how Pratt sounded in the initial trailer for the movie.
However, no matter how much noise is made on social media, it is clear that Pratt’s performance is going to go ahead, and both the actor and Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri promised fans that they would love the movie and the performance when it comes out. Pratt said:
“I worked really closely with the directors and trying out a few things and landed on something that I’m really proud of and can’t wait for people to see and hear. It’s an animated voiceover narrative. It’s not a live-action movie. I’m not gonna be wearing a plumber suit running all over. I’m providing a voice for an animated character, and it is updated and unlike anything you’ve heard in the Mario world before.”
In support of Pratt against the backlash, Meledandri defended the casting decision, and doubled down on the belief that the online hate for Pratt’s Mario will be forgotten when the movie is released. He commented:
“When people hear Chris Pratt’s performance, the criticism will evaporate, maybe not entirely — people love to voice opinions, as they should. I’m not sure this is the smartest defense, but as a person who has Italian-American heritage, I feel I can make that decision without worrying about offending Italians or Italian-Americans…I think we’re going to be just fine.”
The Super Mario Bros. Movieis scheduled for release in the United States on June 03, 2025, and in Japan on April 28.
