Chris Pratt has promised his voice for the upcoming animation Super Mario flick has been 'updated' after he faced backlash for being cast in the role.
The actor was announced as the voice of the moustachioed Italian plumber in September, with comedian Charlie Day as long-suffering brother Luigi, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong and Jack Black as Bowser.
After the casting news was confirmed, many people said they weren't on board with Pratt playing Mario, while others noticed an undeniable lack of Italian talent among the names.
One tweeted: "No I'm sorry why is Chris Pratt Mario they literally could not have picked a worse person to play Mario."
Another added: "Imagine surviving two recessions and a pandemic only to have to endure Chris Pratt as Mario."
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Despite many fans’ reservations, Pratt has insisted that the character’s voice is 'updated' and 'unlike anything you’ve heard' in a Mario world, in a new interview with Variety.
Sharing a small tidbit about the flick, he said: “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.
“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."
Elsewhere in September, the Jurassic Park actor shared his delight to have landed the gig and shared an anecdote from his childhood, insisting dreams really do come true.
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In an Instagram video, he recalled at the time: "So when I was a kid I lived in Lake Stevens, Washington, and there was this coin-operated laundromat near my house, and it had Super Mario Bros – the original arcade game.
"I loved that game. I never had a quarter, it felt like. I'd either steal them from the wishing well..."
He then interrupted his own train of thought, saying: "That's wild! It just dawned on me right now.
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"The quarter I stole out of the wishing well to play Super Mario Bros. has come true that I get to be the voice of Mario. But I clearly stole someone else's wish, so just waiting for that row of karma dominoes to come crashing down on me.
"But as it is right now, it's-a me, Mario..."
"That's not the voice, you'll have to wait to hear the voice, but we've been working hard at it and I'm really excited to announce that I'm gonna be the voice of that video game that I dreamed about playing as a kid.
"Dreams come true!"
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Topics: Chris Pratt, Film and TV, Nintendo
Lisa McLoughlin