In The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Mario and Luigi are plumbers from Brooklyn who get thrown into the world of the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond. While in this world, they are separated, and Mario meets many new people: Princess Peach, the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom; Toad, an adventure-seeking mushroom; and Donkey Kong, heir to the Jungle Kingdom throne. While on a quest to find each other, they will face off against the terrifying fire-breathing leader of the Koopas, Bowser.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie brings the world of the Mario games to life on the big screen in a whole new animated adventure. The Super Mario Bros. Movie is directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic (Teen Titans Go!) and penned by Matthew Fogel. The animated movie features a star-studded cast voicing these iconic characters, led by Chris Pratt, Jack Black, Seth Rogen, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor-Joy, Keegan-Michael Key, Fred Armisen, and Kevin Michael Richardson. The Super Mario Bros. Movie also features a cameo from Charles Martinet, the voice of both Mario and Luigi in the Mario games.
Seth Rogen spoke with Screen Rant about playing the iconic Donkey Kong in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. He discusses which game he wants to explore in a Donkey Kong spin-off. Rogen also explains how nostalgia is a key part of both The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.
Seth Rogen on The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Screen Rant: Seth freaking Rogen! Amazing job on this film, man! I love it. I love Donkey Kong and this really immersed me in the world of Mario and Nintendo. Exactly what I wanted from this movie and the animation is gorgeous, so beautiful. How did you approach playing such a popular character to capture what people love about Donkey Kong while still making him your own?
Seth Rogen: Luckily for me, there [were] probably not a lot of specific expectations as to what Donkey Kong would be like. I think maybe more broad strokes. He throws barrels, [and] he doesn't like Mario. That's kind of what you know about him, and I really ran with those two ideas, honestly. I was looking for just a joke I thought would be funny throughout the course of the movie.
This idea that he hates Mario, that he doesn't like that he stuck with this guy, [that] he needs to complete this mission to earn his father's attention, and [that] this moron that he hates is his only way to really do it. To me, that was a funny joke and did play into the inherent dynamic that you as Mario fans would be imagining their dynamic would be like.
Mario is such a beloved character and brand. What does this really have for longtime fans and newcomers alike?
Seth Rogen: I think if you've never heard of Mario, it does a good job of creating a self-contained story that introduces the world and all the characters. And I think if you're like me and you grew up with this stuff, it almost creates a story that it seems like it's been there the whole time, but it really hasn't. It intuitively gives you the version of this that I think you've always wanted.
It doesn't subvert anything too much. It doesn't take it in any weird direction that it doesn't feel like it should be going in. If anything, it really delivers on what the average Mario fan hopes they will get from a Mario movie.
Absolutely. What did you find most surprising about playing Donkey Kong? And is there a secret spin-off? Because I love Donkey Kong?
Seth Rogen: I wanted to do the Donkey Kong rap. To me, that was very important as both a rap fan and a video game fan. That's a cornerstone. Donkey Kong Country, I really did love that game. And it's funny looking back on it because it look is not great by today's standards. But at the time, it was mind-blowing, the movement and how fast it was. It felt like a huge leap. I think there's probably more from Donkey Kong Country to mine one day.
Super Mario Brothers perfectly captures the tone and world of Mario, and I think the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles trailer did the exact same thing. How do you tap into that feeling? And is personal nostalgia a key part of that?
Seth Rogen: It really is, yeah. I think it's putting a lot of thought into making a better version of it, [and] even then, people are projecting [what] it's going to be and at the same time giving them everything that they hope it's going to have. And I think that's something that, honestly, we've gotten better at over the years, and I've seen a lot of friends do it, and I've been a part of it a few times. I think maybe early on our instincts maybe [were], "Let's subvert it; let's make it really different." And I think you do have to create something that's original, exciting, and creatively unique, but at the same time, it has to give people what they're really hoping they get from this stuff.
With Ninja Turtles, it was really trying to honor everything I always loved about it [while] trying to infuse something new and exciting into it. And luckily for us, no one had ever used actual teenagers before, and something very intuitive became something that really opened up our version; it feels like it makes it feel very unique. Things like that, I think, are exciting ways to get into this stuff.
About The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Mario and Luigi a pair of plumber brothers from Brooklyn are accidentally transported to the Mushroom Kingdom. Thrown into this unexpected adventure they meet Princess Peach, Toad, Donkey Kong. The Super Mario Bros will also face the terrifying Bowser, King of the Koopas, who is bent on destroying the Mushroom Kingdom.
Check out our other interview with Jack Black about Super Mario Bros.
