Next year, a movie centered around everyone’s favorite fictional Mario is coming. It stars the notably non-Italian Chris Pratt, a trailer is coming later today and, with a teaser poster out now, legions of Twitter users still do not know what to think about it all.
Nintendo posted the above this morning across its various accounts on the platform. While the piece is notably different to the 1993 live-action work in its style and tone, some still feel uncertain and one user writes Pratt’s part may be unnerving to watch.
For another, the principal concern is the studio involved. Illumination has produced a number of hits, though several find their minions in the Despicable Me franchise grating but, this figure does give them a concession in that their art can look quite nice.
Reactions are ebbing and flowing still as of this story’s filing. Of course, no one can really know what to think until the movie is out and available to watch, but, for the moment, seeing the art has at least silenced concerns from one member of the community.
The Mario film comes out April 7 in the United States before making an April 28 debut in Japan. It also features Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen, and Jack Black as Bowser. Mario’s game actor, Charles Martinet, is involved in a way, too, reportedly, although it hasn’t yet been made explicit how. Meanwhile, the boss behind Illumination has defended Pratt, saying he gives a good performance and any backlash to him not being Italian is overblown as he has Italian heritage and therefore was qualified to make the casting decision without hurting Italian Americans.