The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) is a colorful, fast-paced, family-friendly adventure that brings Nintendo’s most iconic characters to the big screen through Illumination’s signature animation style. Below is a complete, spoiler-filled guide to the story, production details, cast, secrets, and more.
Detailed Summary
Mario and Luigi in Brooklyn
The film opens in Brooklyn, where Mario and Luigi are starting their own plumbing business. They’re inexperienced but determined, and the movie uses this early section to highlight their brotherly bond. During a major water crisis underground, the brothers suddenly get sucked into the mysterious warp pipe that changes everything.
Entering the Mushroom Kingdom
Mario lands in the vibrant and whimsical Mushroom Kingdom, where he immediately meets Toad and eventually Princess Peach. Luigi, however, falls into the Dark Lands, ruled by Bowser. This creates the movie’s central tension: Mario must navigate a world he doesn’t understand to rescue his brother.
Bowser’s Threat and Peach’s Quest
Bowser, newly empowered after obtaining a Super Star, plans to force Princess Peach to marry him and then conquer the entire Mushroom World. Peach teams up with Mario and Toad to recruit the Kong Army, leading to set pieces inspired by Mario Kart, Smash Bros., and Donkey Kong.
The Kong Kingdom and Mario’s Trial
Mario must prove himself in a chaotic arena fight against Donkey Kong. Through a mixture of luck and persistence, he wins, earning the respect of King Cranky Kong and the Kong Army.
Movie Ending
In the final act, Bowser attacks the Mushroom Kingdom earlier than expected and captures Peach. During the battle, Peach tries to escape but Bowser forces the wedding to begin. Meanwhile, Mario and Donkey Kong team up after being stranded and blast their way back using a rocket-barrel from the Kong Kingdom.
The wedding collapses into chaos when Peach uses an Ice Flower to freeze Bowser. But Bowser’s army accidentally triggers a massive explosion, causing a warp pipe to suck Bowser, Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, and much of the battlefield into Brooklyn.
The final showdown takes place on familiar streets. Bowser threatens the civilians, and Mario is nearly defeated until he and Luigi work together to grab the Super Star. They activate it together, becoming invincible, and defeat Bowser in a sequence directly inspired by classic Mario boss fights. Bowser is shrunk using a Mini Mushroom and put into a glass jar for good measure.
The world now sees Mario and Luigi as heroes. By the film’s close, they officially move to the Mushroom Kingdom, starting their new life there. The ending is clear, satisfying, and paves the way for future installments.
Are There Post-Credits Scenes?
Yes.
There are two scenes:
- Mid-credits scene: Bowser, still tiny and imprisoned, performs another dramatic musical outburst before guards silence him.
- Post-credits scene: A lone Yoshi egg hatches in the New York sewers, hinting that Yoshi will appear in a sequel.
Type of Movie
The film is a family-friendly animated adventure-comedy with strong fantasy elements. It blends nostalgia with modern humor and references to 40 years of Mario gaming history.
Cast
- Chris Pratt as Mario
- Charlie Day as Luigi
- Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach
- Jack Black as Bowser
- Keegan-Michael Key as Toad
- Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong
- Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong
- Charles Martinet (the original Mario voice actor) as Mario’s Dad and Giuseppe
Film Music and Composer
The soundtrack is composed by Brian Tyler, integrating classic Mario melodies created by Koji Kondo. The score mixes orchestral arrangements with updated versions of iconic Nintendo themes, creating a blend of nostalgia and cinematic energy.
Filming Locations
As an animated film, it wasn’t shot on physical sets. Instead, Illumination Studios Paris handled the animation, while Nintendo supervised world design to ensure accuracy.
The significance here lies in Nintendo’s unusually close involvement, ensuring that backgrounds, architecture, character movement, and item physics stayed authentic to the Mario universe.
Awards and Nominations
While the movie didn’t sweep major awards, it received widespread recognition, such as:
- Nominated for Golden Globe: Best Animated Feature
- Multiple Annie Award nominations (animation industry awards)
- Won several Kids’ and Family Choice awards
- Became one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time, which is arguably its biggest “award”
Behind the Scenes Insights
- Jack Black improvised much of Bowser’s performance, including parts of the now-famous song Peaches.
- Nintendo required Illumination to submit every script page, character model, and environment render for approval.
- Chris Pratt studied Brooklyn accents but scaled it back because the directors wanted something more subtle.
- The animation team inserted over 600 gaming references, many only visible for a few frames.
- An early draft had Luigi rescuing Mario, but this was reversed to keep Mario as the lead hero.
Inspirations and References
The film draws heavily from:
- Super Mario Bros. (1985) and its sequels
- Mario Kart, especially Rainbow Road
- Super Smash Bros., influencing fight choreography
- Donkey Kong (1981) arcade game
- Super Mario Galaxy, shaping Peach’s more adventurous role
- Nintendo’s storyline notes for how Mario and Luigi’s personalities should contrast
The film is not based on a single Mario game but rather a curated selection of iconic moments.
Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes
- A longer version of the wedding sequence included a musical duel between Bowser and Kamek.
- Early concept art showed Yoshi’s Island as part of the main plot instead of the post-credits tease.
- A deleted scene had Mario and Luigi meeting Wario and Waluigi in a dream sequence Mario experiences after being knocked unconscious.
Book Adaptations and Differences
There is no novel that the film directly adapts. However, a junior novelization was released afterward, which includes:
- Additional dialogue between Mario and Luigi
- Expanded scenes of life in Brooklyn
- More internal thoughts from Princess Peach
The core plot, however, remains unchanged.
Memorable Scenes and Quotes
Key Scenes
- Mario’s first platformer-style obstacle course with Peach, a direct homage to classic side-scrolling mechanics
- The Rainbow Road chase, complete with drifting and weapon pickups
- Luigi’s capture, featuring references to Luigi’s Mansion
- Mario and Donkey Kong escaping inside a rocket-barrel from the Kong Jungle
- The final Superstar transformation in Brooklyn
Iconic Quotes
- Bowser: “Do you have any idea how much I love you?” (dramatic pause) “No? Well, I’m gonna show you!”
- Mario: “Nothing can hurt us as long as we’re together.”
- Luigi: “Mario! You came for me?”
- Peach: “Let’s-a go!” (a respectful nod to the games)
Easter Eggs and Hidden Details
- The pizzeria in Brooklyn is named Punch-Out!!, referencing Nintendo’s classic boxing game.
- Mario’s original jump sound effect can be faintly heard during his training montage.
- A shop in the Mushroom Kingdom sells antiques, and all the items make 8-bit sound effects when touched.
- Foreman Spike, Mario’s boss from Wrecking Crew (1984), makes a rare appearance.
- The map Peach uses shows locations from Galaxy, Odyssey, and 64.
Trivia
- This is the first Mario movie since 1993, and Nintendo personally ensured history would not repeat itself.
- Jack Black’s “Peaches” song charted on Billboard’s Hot 100.
- The film was Illumination’s highest-opening movie ever.
- Charles Martinet’s cameo was added late in production.
Why Watch?
Because it’s fun, fast, nostalgic, and packed with details that both longtime fans and newcomers can appreciate. The animation is polished, the humor lands, and its worldbuilding is full of subtle nods that reward attentive viewers. If you ever played a Mario game, this film feels like watching those memories come to life.
Director’s Other Works
- Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (2018)
- Batman vs. Dracula (2005) (writer)
- Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (2018)
Recommended Films for Fans
- Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)
- Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
- Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)
- Detective Pikachu (2019)
