Chris Pratt has said his voice in the Super Mario movie will be “unlike anything” ever heard in a Super Mario product.
Speaking to Variety, Pratt explained that his voice won’t be an exact imitation of Charles Martinet typical Mario voice, but will instead be “updated”.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
Pratt’s comments come a few days after the film’s co-producer, Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri, also defended his lead actor’s performance as Mario.
“Chris was cast because we felt he could give a great performance as Mario,” Meledandri said, according to Variety. “And now that we’ve done about 15 recording sessions, and the movie is three-quarters done, I sit here and say that I love his performance as Mario.”
Deadline reported that Meledandri also said: “When people hear Chris Pratt’s performance, the criticism will evaporate. Maybe not entirely – people love to voice opinions, as they should.”
The film’s cast was confirmed last year, before it was delayed to April 2023
Meledandri had previously defended Pratt’s casting as Mario when approached by a reporter at LAX airport in November last year.
“All I can tell you is the voice that he’s doing for us and Mario is phenomenal,” he replied. “I can’t wait for people to hear it.”
Nintendo revealed during a Nintendo Direct presentation in September 2021 that The Lego Movie and Jurassic World star Pratt would be playing Mario in the upcoming CGI Super Mario movie, which is being co-produced by both Meledandri and Shigeru Miyamoto.
In addition to Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy (Queen’s Gambit) has been cast as Princess Peach, Charlie Day (Horrible Bosses) as Luigi and Jack Black as Bowser. Seth Rogen will also play Donkey Kong in the movie.
The movie was originally planned to be released on December 21 in North America, but has now been delayed to April 7, 2023.
