Super Mario Bros. directors defend choosing Chris Pratt to voice Italian plumber
Fans were left confused after Mario was heard with a Brooklyn accent
The directors of the Super Mario Bros. movie are doubling down on their decision to star Chris Pratt as Mario.
Fans were confused by Pratt's casting as the Italian plumber, but the film's directors Jelenic and Aaron Horvath spoke to Total Film about Pratt's casting and why it made sense to have a non-Italian.
In the trailer many fans were left in shock when it was revealed in the October that Mario had Pratt's Brooklyn-heavy voice.
"It’s a bit of an origin tale. It’s the story of Mario becoming Super Mario," Horvath said of the film, elaborating that finding a Mario voice meant finding someone who could believably showcase Brooklyn-based plumber who is "a blue-collar guy from a family of Italian immigrants."
"For us, it made total sense," the director insisted.
"He’s really good at playing a blue-collar hero with a ton of heart. For the way that Mario is characterised in our film, he’s perfect for it."
Pratt also gave his two cents on the matter and spoke to Variety last year.
"I tried out a few things and landed on something that I’m really proud of and can’t wait for people to see and hear," Pratt said.
"It’s an animated voice-over 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."
Super Mario Bros. is set to release in theatres on April 5, 2023.