With less than six months to go until The Super Mario Bros. Movie is released, Illumination's controversial adaptation of the iconic Nintendo video game series has a rating.
Unsurprisingly, it's been given a PG rating due to the inclusion of "action and mild violence."
A PG-13 rating might have given The Super Mario Bros. Movie a bit of an edge, but it would also potentially limit its mass appeal. Sonic the Hedgehog was actually PG-13, though Paramount Pictures later decided to dial that back for the sequel (which then ended up being PG). Despite that, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 didn't suffer and was another hit for the studio.
The first trailer for Mario's long-overdue big screen return received a mostly positive response. However, Chris Pratt's take on the character has been predictably divisive, with many arguing that he basically just sounds like...Chris Pratt.
That's a departure from the video game Mario, though what little we heard did suggest he's added a little flair to the hero. Charlie Day, meanwhile, is going to lend his voice to Luigi, and Anya Taylor-Joy has been cast as Princess Peach. Most interesting is the fact that Seth Rogen has been tapped to star as Donkey Kong, so it's a star-studded ensemble.
Whether these actors are the right choice to play these iconic characters is hard to say, though we couldn't have expected Illumination to bring in those who lend their voices to the games. Many fans might have preferred that, but it's not really how big budget adaptations like this one work.
Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic (Teen Titans Go!, Teen Titans Go! To the Movies) from a screenplay by Matthew Fogel (Minions: The Rise of Gru), the film also stars Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek, and Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is set to be released in theaters on April 7, 2023.