Chris Pratt has addressed questions about his accent in the upcoming animated Super Mario Bros. movie, saying he's doing something "updated" and "unlike anything you've heard before." His casting in the role of the Italian plumber received some criticism when it was announced, as Pratt himself is not Italian.
"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," Pratt told Variety. "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."
The currently untitled movie's voice cast also includes Charlie Day as Luigi, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, and Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong.
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"All I can tell you is the voice that he's doing for us, and Mario, is phenomenal," producer Chris Meledandri said last year. Nintendo game director Shigeru Miyamoto is also producing the movie, while Minions: The Rise of Gru screenwriter Matthew Fogel is penning the script.
Mario isn't Pratt's only upcoming foray into voice acting, either – he's also set to voice Garfield, the iconic orange cat, in a new movie alongside Samuel L. Jackson. The actor can next be seen in The Terminal List on Prime Video on July 1, while his next big-screen role is in Thor: Love and Thunder, which arrives on July 8.
The Super Mario Bros. movie is due to hit theaters on April 7, 2023. In the meantime, check out our guide to the other upcoming movies that we think should be on your radar.
