Oh No, The Chris Pratt Mario Movie Has Been Delayed
You know that moment when Mario tumbles into lava and makes that "waaaaah" noise, we imagine that's what Chris Pratt is doing right now. Illumination Entertainment's currently untitled Mario movie has just been pushed to 2023. Well, we wouldn't fancy going up against the might of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in 2022 either.
Once upon a time, Who Framed Roger Rabbit's Bob Hoskins squeezed into a pair of overalls as the portly plumber for Super Mario Bros. - delivering what's held as one of the worst video game movies of all time. Tough competition when you've got 2005's DOOM to rival you. Now, it's over to Chris Pratt to (hopefully) deliver something better.
What's Going On With The Mario Movie?
Nintendo of America confirmed that Illumination has decided to shift the Mario movie to next summer. It was previously scheduled to release on December 21 for a Christmas release. Now, it's coming to the USA on April 7, followed by Japan on April 28.
Nintendo boss Shigeru Miyamoto said he'd spoken with Illumination's Chris Meledandri and decided to push the Mario movie to next year. You might remember that Meledandri was the one who confirmed Pratt won't be voicing Mario with his signature Italian accent - leading to a fierce debate about whether this is the right thing to do and a wave of #NotmyMario supporters.
Don't worry though, the Mario movie's grave won't be cold for long. DreamWorks has filled that slot with Shrek spin-off, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. The Mario movie has been in the works since 2018, with Universal and Illumination partnering. The studio is adding Mario to a bow that already has Minions, Despicable Me, and Sing.
What's Next For The Mario Movie?
Despite the delay, the Mario movie is shaping up nicely with an all-star cast that includes Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, and Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong. We already know this is the start of a supposed Mario Cinematic Universe, with word that Rogen is already gearing up to lead his own DK spin-off.
Cinematic universes are all the rage right now, and after Sonic 2 went on to become the highest-grossing video game movie of all time in the USA, the curse of the genre could be well and truly trounced. It's clear to see Universal is hoping to take a leaf out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's book by creating a whole franchise of movies based around the Mushroom Kingdom and its offshoots, but remembering how the studio did with The Mummy and the Dark Universe, we're right to be a little cautious.
