Last night saw the grand opening of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood in California. This is the second Nintendo theme park to open, with the original Japanese location quickly becoming a mecca for Mario fans in particular. The opening ceremony was suitably grand, with legendary game designer and creator Shigeru Miyamoto on hand for a firework-fueled extravaganza.
Along for the ride was Chris Pratt, who’s voicing Mario in The Super Mario Bros Movie. Since that casting was unveiled, the star has faced a wave of negativity from fans saying he’s wrong for the part, but perhaps the tide may be turning. Pratt was on hand at the opening ceremony last night, and seems to have received a warm reception from those in attendance.
The Super Mario Bros Movie is now just a month and a half away, and some of the initial skepticism has begun to clear. Doubts remain about Pratt’s suitability, but the rest of the voice cast (particularly Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong and Jack Black as Bowser) are killing it. Beyond that, this is definitely the most vibrant the Mushroom Kingdom has ever looked, and with Miyamoto’s careful hand on the tiller, we’re hopeful for a good time.
Whether it’ll be as memorable as the insane 1993 cyberpunk dystopia Super Mario Bros. remains to be seen, though at least this time we’re getting something that’s vaguely recognizable as an adaptation of the game rather than Blade Runner with fungus.
The Super Mario Bros Movie hits theaters on Apr 7.
