Production and franchise context
Nintendo and Illumination developed the film together. Shigeru Miyamoto and Chris Meledandri are its producers; Universal Pictures and Nintendo co-financed it.
References:www.nintendo.co.jp
Film record
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) is an animated adventure directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, bringing Nintendo’s characters and worlds to the cinema.
- Production countries
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Genres
- comedy film · fantasy film · adventure film
The starting point
Spoiler-free synopsis
Plumber brothers Mario and Luigi are transported from Brooklyn into unfamiliar worlds and become separated. Mario enters the Mushroom Kingdom and seeks help to find his brother.
Before you press play
What to know before watching
Understanding the reception
What people think
A synthesis of the referenced review and comment excerpts. It represents the consulted sources, not a consensus of all critics or viewers.
What critics highlight
Appreciated aspects
Animation quality and cast
Several critics highlight the film's visual spectacle and the quality of the voice performances. The animation's ability to transform the original material into a vibrant cinematic experience is particularly valued, as is the energy the actors bring to interpreting the iconic characters.
Reservations and challenges
Narrative depth and script
Part of the criticism points out that the film lacks character development and presents a very simple script. Some reviewers consider the story predictable and that the film prioritizes spectacle and video game references over dramatic construction or emotional complexity.
Could this be for you?
Target audience
The film is aimed at a family audience and fans of the video game franchise. Its tone is light and its content is designed to be accessible to children and adults, although its main focus is nostalgic entertainment and visual spectacle rather than narrative depth.
Sources for this guide
Prepared with AI assistance and automated evidence and spoiler checks. This is not a first-hand viewing review or a numerical rating. Internal quotations are not reproduced; references provide the original context.
- wikipedia.orgDocumentary excerpt
- rottentomatoes.comSearch excerpt
- ucsdguardian.orgSearch excerpt
- dailycampus.comSearch excerpt
- themovieelite.comSearch excerpt
- commonsensemedia.orgSearch excerpt
- medium.comSearch excerpt
- www.nintendo.co.jpDocumentary excerpt
Credits
Music
Brian Tyler — Music composition
Kōji Kondō — Music composition
Direction
Aaron Horvath — Directing
Michael Jelenic — Directing
Writing
Matthew Fogel — Screenwriting
Cast
Chris Pratt — Voice acting
Charlie Day — Voice acting
Anya Taylor-Joy — Voice acting
Jack Black — Voice acting
Keegan-Michael Key — Voice acting
Seth Rogen — Voice acting
Kevin Michael Richardson — Voice acting
Fred Armisen — Voice acting
Sebastian Maniscalco — Voice acting
Charles Martinet — Voice acting (Giuseppe)
Khary Payton — Voice acting (Penguin King)
Eric Bauza — Voice acting (Toad General)
Rino Romano — Voice acting (Uncle Tony)
John DiMaggio — Voice acting (Uncle Arthur)
Jessica DiCicco — Voice acting (Mario's Mom)
Scott Menville — Voice acting (Koopa General)
Carlos Alazraqui — Voice acting
Juliet Jelenic — Voice acting
Glen Powell — Voice acting
Brie Larson — Voice acting
Luis Guzmán — Voice acting
Donald Glover — Voice acting
Héctor Estrada — Voice acting
Production
Chris Meledandri — Production
Shigeru Miyamoto — Production
Versions and cuts
No versions have been documented yet.
Releases by territory
United States · Original release
Related reading
From Playable Icon to Filmed Space: Two Models of Adaptation in The Super Mario Bros. Movie and A Minecraft Movie
The Super Mario Bros. Movie and A Minecraft Movie begin with worlds players learn by traversing, testing and altering them. In bringing them to the screen, they cannot retain that agency: they must replace it with framing, duration, sound and a fixed narrative route. The comparison makes it possible to distinguish between reproducing references and translating a game logic into audiovisual form.
Film connections
Connected films
Non-personalised suggestions built from visible relationships, not popularity.
The Wild Robot
- Shares the adventure film genre
- Shares the United States cinema
- Released in a similar period
- Similar runtime
Encanto
- Shares the fantasy film genre
- Shares the United States cinema
- Released in a similar period
- Similar runtime
Elio
- Shares the fantasy film genre
- Shares the United States cinema
- Released in a similar period
- Similar runtime
