These days, Seth Rogen voices Donkey Kong in Universal’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie. As a child of the ’80s and ’90s, Rogen was a fan of the Super Mario video games on Nintendo. However, Rogen does not show the same appreciation for the original live-action Super Mario Bros. film from 1993.
While speaking with Variety, Rogen recalled his excitement toward the lead-up to the film because of his love for the video games. However, the enthusiasm quickly turned to hatred as an 11-year-old Rogen walked away disappointed.
“When I was 11, I saw the original Mario Bros. movie and I was so excited,” Rogen said. “But it’s one of the worst films ever made. I was so disappointed. I think it made me realize that movies, like, could be bad. That never occurred to me until that moment.”
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Directed by Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel, 1993’s Super Mario Bros starred Bob Hoskins as Mario and John Leguizamo as Luigi. The film was a critical and financial failure, grossing $38 million on a budget of $42-$48 million. The opposite can be said for the new The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which is eyeing a 5-day opening of over $125 million. Rogen views the animated film as a shot at redemption for the source material.
“It’s nice to vindicate that moment,” Rogen said. “It’s nice to know that 11-year-olds out there, that they won’t be disappointed in the same way that I was.”
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is now in theaters.
Are you a fan of 1993’s Super Mario Bros? Let us know in the comment section below!
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