Featured Image Credit: MediaPunch Inc / Alamy / Universal Pictures
Topics: Film and TV, Super Mario, Seth Rogen
Gregory Robinson
Topics: Film and TV, Super Mario, Seth Rogen
A new teaser for the upcoming The Super Mario Bros. Movie has divided fans after hearing Donkey Kong's voice for the first time.
Check it out here:
The new 30-second spot includes footage that has already been seen in the second trailer, including Mario’s confrontation with Donkey Kong.
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However, the fresh look includes some new easter eggs, including a special cat suit power-up for the world’s favourite plumber, as well as Donkey Kong’s voice.
Superbad actor and comedian Seth Rogen provides the voice for Mario’s gorilla nemesis, who chuckles after seeing his cat-suit upgrade during their battle.
But fans of the video game franchise who are eagerly anticipating the upcoming animated film were left divided by Donkey Kong’s voice.
Rogen obviously has a very familiar voice and laugh, you can recognise it anywhere even without seeing his face.
But this familiarity is one of the biggest reasons why fans online are a little bit disappointed.
Basically, they think Donkey Kong sounds way too much like Seth Rogen.
“Seth Rogen voicing Donkey Kong? The least Seth Rogen could’ve done was not sound like Seth Rogen voicing Donkey Kong,” one fan laughed. “What were they thinking with this.”
However, another Twitter user came to Rogen’s defence. “It sounds fine to me,” they wrote. “Also, if you’re gonna complain about this, then you should complain about his Pumba voice in The Lion King 2019 too.”
Another agreed, saying: "I've always imagined Donkey Kong would sound like Seth Rogen and it's better than I could've hoped."
One disappointed enthusiast replied: “Well this sucks.”
While someone else wrote: “Should have got John Goodman.”
And one Super Mario Bros. fan penned: "seems like Jack Black is the only reason I’m seeing this movie.”
Similarly, another fan wrote: “Only voice that’s good so far is Jack Black.”
The School of Rock star voices Bowser, Mario’s turtle-like arch nemesis. Fans have praised the little snippets of Black’s performance so far, claiming he is ‘carrying’ the film.
“Maybe a hot take but none of the voice actors fit in Mario other than Jack Black,” one viewer quipped after watching the trailer released in November.
Another fan had a similar opinion. “Jack Black as Bowser is unexpectedly the best voice in the entire cast,” they said on Twitter.
“Everyone else just feels out of place to me.”
Super Mario Bros. Movie is set for release in April 2023, and will also showcase the voice acting skills of Chris Pratt as Mario and The Menu’s Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach.
As per the film’s synopsis: “A plumber named Mario travels through an underground labyrinth with his brother, Luigi, trying to save a captured princess. Feature film adaptation of the popular video game.”
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is set for release 7 April in the UK and USA.