Super Mario Bros. (2009 film)

Theatrical release poster

***Super Mario Bros.*** is a 2009 computer-animated action-adventure comedy film based on the video game franchise of the same name by Nintendo. Directed by Ash Brannon, it is produced by Neal H. Moritz from a screenplay by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and a story by Shigeru Miyamoto, Joe Stillman and Brian Lynch. Nintendo Films and Original Film, and distributed by Universal Pictures, it is the twelfth film in the Nintendo Cinematic Series (NCS), and features the voices of Zac Efron, Amy Poehler, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Black, Gilbert Gottfried, Keegan-Michael Key and Patrick Warburton. It follows two Brooklyn brothers, Mario and Luigi, as they navigate a colorful and vibrant world full of mushrooms. Among their power is Bowser, the leader of the Dark World, with Bowser Jr. A talking mushroom named Toad helps Mario and Luigi after Princess Peach, the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, was captured by Bowser.

*Super Mario Bros.* had a prior effort in 1993 with Hollywood Pictures, to a critical and commercial failure. Shigeru Miyamoto was so appalled by the disappointment that he declined the production of any further Nintendo film adaptations, leading to a planned *Zelda* movie being cancelled in 1994. Universal Pictures was interested in producing a *Mario* film in 2003, and later approached Shigeru Miyamoto. *Fast & Furious* producer Neal H. Moritz of his Original Film production company purchased the rights to the film the year prior. As the Nintendo GameCube was proven to be a moderate commercial success, Miyamoto was still reluctant in producing a *Mario* film. However, the two companies reached a tentative deal to make the film entirely via computer-animation. The development began in September 2004, with the voice cast being announced in February 2005. Universal Animation Studios was attached to the project in July 2004. The animation was produced at Reel FX Creative Studios. The film's musical score was composed by Christopher Lennertz.

*Super Mario Bros.* premiered on September 12, 2009 at the Regency Village Theater, before it was theatrically released on November 27, 2009 by Universal Pictures, as part of Phase Two of the Nintendo Cinematic Series. Upon release, the film received universal acclaim from critics, audiences and fans of the video games, with praise for the animation, voice cast, screenplay, musical score by Christopher Lennertz, plot, story, Easter eggs and references to the classic games, and faithfulness to the source material. Grossing $1.202 billion worldwide against its $120 million production budget, *Super Mario Bros.* broke numerous box office records, becoming the highest-grossing film of 2009 (until it was surpassed by James Cameron's *Avatar*), the highest-grossing animated film of 2009, and is currently the twenty-sixth-highest-grossing film of all time behind *Iron Man 3*, and the sixth-highest-grossing animated film of all time behind *Incredibles 2*.

The film's success spawned a media franchise alongside the main video game series, which includes two sequels: *Super Mario Bros. 2: The Next Level* in 2013 and *Super Mario Bros. 3: The Wrath of to the Koopas* in 2016; and a spin-off 2D animated television series that aired on Nickelodeon in 2011. The show serves as a reboot to *The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!*, a 2D animated cartoon produced by DIC Entertainment.

## Plot

Set in present day Brooklyn in the United States of America, Mario and Luigi, two Italian American plumbers, have opened their own plumbing business, *Super Mario Bros. Plumbing*. Once they got their first call, which was down the street, they rushed to the leakage right away. It was a pipe blockage in a sewage system. Fixing the blockage, they paid the customer less than most other plumbing companies in the country. Upon their first few calls, they received international attention from multiple news outlets. Pleased, the two plumbers keep doing business around Brooklyn.

One day, while playing on their Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Mario received a call on his cellphone. Answering it, it was a desperate call for help of a pipe leakage in an underground pipe system. That day, while investigating the problem, Mario looked over the pipes and discovered the leak. While fixing it, Luigi discovered a giant green pipe, and then got sucked through it. Mario looked down, and saw that Luigi had disappeared. He jumped down and went up to the pipe. Then, like what happened to Luigi, Mario got sucked through the pipe and landed in a strange world inhabited by anthropomorphic creatures like talking mushrooms, giant turtles, and fire-breathing dragons. Soon after arriving, they meet a mushroom creature, named Toad, who informs them that Bowser, an evil fire-breathing Koopa, and his army, have taken over the Mushroom Kingdom and captured Princess Peach, the ruler of the land.

Toad enlists Mario and Luigi's help to rescue the Princess and restore peace to the Mushroom Kingdom, before Bowser inflicts doom upon. The brothers set out on a journey through the Mushroom Kingdom. They encounter strange creatures and navigate treacherous environments, including deep caves, dark forests, and boiling lava pits. As they travel deeper into the Mushroom Kingdom, they uncover Bowser's evil plan. His plan was to merge the Mushroom Kingdom with his land, the Lava Kingdom, to create a disastrous hellscape.

The brothers realize that they must stop Bowser and his army before the Mushroom Kingdom is annihilated. With the help of their new friends, including Toad and a powerful fire-breathing dinosaur-like creature named Yoshi, Mario and Luigi confront Bowser and his army in an epic final battle. The fate of the Mushroom Kingdom rests in their hands as they fight to save Princess Peach and defeat Bowser once and for all. As they journey through the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario and Luigi encounter various allies and enemies. They encounter a friendly mushroom named Toadette, who provides them with valuable information and assistance throughout their journey. They also meet an energetic princess named Daisy, who is friends with Peach.

In their quest to defeat Bowser and rescue Princess Peach, Mario and Luigi must overcome several challenges. They have to navigate treacherous landscapes, solve intricate puzzles, and combat powerful enemies. Along the way, they acquire various power-ups and upgrades that enhance their abilities, such as the ability to shoot fireballs or fly through the air. Meanwhile, Bowser and his army are preparing for their battle with Mario. They have constructed a massive fortress, complete with traps and defenses designed to keep the Mario brothers and their allies at bay. The fate of the Mushroom Kingdom hangs in the balance as the two sides prepare for the ultimate showdown.

Eventually, Mario and Luigi saw Bowser's Airship, which started shooting cannon balls down to the Mushroom Kingdom. Then, they saw a cannon near a convenience shop. They climb into the cannon, as it aims for the Airship. The two land on the deck, and are confronted by bullet bills. The two head in separate directions, with the bullet bills chasing them. Soon, they encounter Rocky Wrenches, as they throw wrenches at the plumbers. Dodging them, they do a "return to sender" move and sends the wrenches back at them, eliminating them. Then, they discover a pipe, and decide to head down it. They land in a room, confronted by Bowser's kids, the Koopalings, which consist of: Lemmy, Morton, Wendy, Iggy, Roy, Lemmy, and Ludwig. Each Koopaling has their own ability, but those did not stop Mario and Luigi from plummeting through them. As they climb up a dangling ladder, they exit through a pipe. There, they see Princess Peach being carried away by Bowser in his Koopa Clown Car. Mario and Luigi then jump from the Airship, landing back on the ground.

As Mario and Luigi continue their adventures in the Mushroom Kingdom, they were informed by Toad and Toadette that Bowser had a backup plan in case he was defeated. He had hidden a powerful weapon in a secret location, which could be used to merge their world with the Mushroom Kingdom. The brothers must embark on a new quest to find and destroy this weapon before it's too late. Their journey takes them to the Rainbow Road, a colorful and treacherous path in the sky that connects different worlds. As they make their way along the road, they encounter a group of Koopa Troopas who are guarding the entrance to the secret location. Mario and Luigi engage in a fierce battle with the Koopa Troopas, using their power-ups and skills to defeat them.

A blue-shelled Koopa Paratroopa, named the Koopa General by Bowser himself, chases after Mario and Luigi with a giant go-kart with a built-on death machine. In an attempt to get away, Mario retreats to a shortcut on the track, leaving Luigi to go without him for the rest of the track. This shortcut would prove to be a hell zone for Mario, as it was full of twists and sharp turns. The Koopa General's death kart inches closer and closer to Mario. Then, there were an array of mystery boxes up ahead. Grabbing one, Mario received a green shell and tossed it back at the death kart, making it swerve around on the track. Then, a Bob-Omb was sent back at the death kart, blowing it up.

As Mario raced down the twisted track, the General becomes infuriated, and retracts to his shell as it speeds towards Mario, who was only moments from reaching the end of the shortcut. Terrified, Mario floors the gas pedal as it races down the twisted track, spiraling through loops and clearing near-impossible bends on the track. As the blue shell neared closer and closer to him, Mario had a plan to maneuver the shell and trick it into going for another entity. He grabs a mystery box and retrieves a red shell. He shoots it towards another Koopa Troopa's kart, to which the blue shell heads for it. Relieved, Mario raced back onto the main track, meeting up with Luigi and his newfound friends. Upon reaching the entrance to the castle, Mario and Luigi decided to go by themselves, and decided to thank Toad and his friends for helping them out. With a crowd of racers cheering them on, Mario and Luigi head towards the castle.

They both head inside. It was dark at first, due to there being no light down the hall. Soon, they stumble upon a giant lava pit. Across the pit were moving platforms, floating brick blocks, and several question blocks floating with brick blocks around the area. As Mario climbed up onto a moving platform, he jumps towards the floating brick blocks and hits a question block, and a Super Leaf pops out. Grabbing it, Mario transforms into Raccoon Mario, which gives Mario the ability to fly once he got a running start. Luigi hits a question block as well, which pops out an Ice Flower. Much like the Fire Flower, Luigi's colors transform as he's able to shoot ice balls, similar to the Fire Flower power-up, where he can shoot fireballs.

In the battle, Mario and Luigi use the power-ups that they have and the skills that they have learned from his friends to take on Bowser and his army. They navigate through the castle, dodging traps, avoiding lava pits, and defeat various enemies before finally confronting Bowser himself. Mario flew over the lava with his Raccoon power, while Luigi turned the lava into stone with the Ice Flower. In a battle through fire and flames, Mario and Luigi use their strength to defeat the evil Koopa king and rescue Princess Peach. With Bowser defeated and peace restored to the Mushroom Kingdom, Peach offered to take Mario and Luigi back to Brooklyn. But Mario and Luigi realize that they have found a new home in the Mushroom Kingdom, and decide to stay and continue their adventure. As the film ends, we see Mario and Luigi back at their plumbing business, but with a new sign that reads "Super Mario Bros. Plumbing and Adventure Services." The camera pulls back to reveal the Mushroom Kingdom in the background, hinting at the many adventures to come.

In a post-credit scene, a dark, stormy sky reigns over a mysterious island. Lava balls fall from the sky as they cause mayhem on said island. We pan to a sign that says "Welcome to Yoshi's Island", before a lava ball destroys the sign, hinting that a second part was coming.

## Voice cast

*Further information: Characters in the Mario franchise*
* Zac Efron as Mario
* Leonardo DiCaprio as Luigi
* Amy Poehler as Princess Peach
* Grey Griffin as Princess Daisy
* Jack Black as Bowser
* Gilbert Gottfried as Kamek
* Bruce Willis as the Koopa General
* Keegan-Michael Key as Toad
* Patrick Warburton as Donkey Kong
* Dylan Sprouse as Diddy Kong
* Frank Welker and Kazumi Totaka as Yoshi
* Dolores Rogers as Bowser Jr.
* Wendee Lee as Larry Koopa
* Pamela Adlon as Lemmy Koopa
* Vin Diesel as Morton Koopa
* Trey Parker as Roy Koopa
* Colin Farrell as Iggy Koopa
* Freddie Prinze Jr. as Ludwig von Koopa
* Tress MacNeille as Wendy O. Koopa

Charles Martinet provides the voice of Mario and Luigi's father, and Giuseppe. His voice work is also seen in advertisements for *Super Mario Bros. Plumbing*. Candi Milo voices Mario and Luigi's mother, a lady in the commercial, and some toads in the Mushroom Kingdom. Hank Azaria voices Lakitu, a Koopa that rides on a cloud, and is the announcer of the Mario Kart races.

## Soundtrack

*Main articles: Super Mario Bros.: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Music in the Nintendo Cinematic Series*
The film's music was composed by Christopher Lennertz, who had previously composed the music for the 2008 film *Disaster Movie*. The soundtrack was released through Capitol Records on November 10, 2009.

## Release

*Super Mario Bros.* was theatrically released on November 27, 2009 in the United States by Universal Pictures. The film was rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America for "rude humor, mild language and brief mild peril".

### Marketing

* The teaser trailer was released on December 11, 2008, and was shown before *The Day the Earth Stood Still*, *Yes Man*, *The Curious Case of Benjamin Button*, *Marley & Me*, *Bedtime Stories*, *Bride Wars*, *Paul Blart: Mall Cop*, *Hotel for Dogs*, *Coraline*, *The Pink Panther 2* and *Monsters vs. Aliens*.
* The first theatrical trailer was released on June 28, 2009, and was shown before *Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs*, *Brüno*, *G-Force*, *Adam*, *Aliens in the Attic*, *Ponyo*, *Shorts*, *9*, *Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs* and *Dash and Dot's Wild Ride*.
* McDonald's partnered with Nintendo and Universal Pictures to advertise and include collect-them-all figurines of the characters in their *Happy Meals*. At the same time, Burger King partnered with the two companies to include toys in their King Jr. meals.
* TV spots aired from August to November 2009.

### Home media

*Super Mario Bros.* was released on Blu-ray and DVD on January 28, 2010 by Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

## Notes

1. ↑ *Ponyo*, a film by Studio Ghibli, was released in 2008 in Japan by Toho. However, the English dub of the film was released in the United States in 2009 by Walt Disney Pictures, and was produced by The Kennedy/Marshall Company.