Following its viral success, the creative team behind The Super Mario Bros. Movie reveal how Jack Black changed the “Peaches” song for the better. Black starred in the animated adaptation of Nintendo’s video game franchise as Bowser, the maniacal King of the Koopas who sets out to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom after acquiring the Power Star. Rather than simply take it by force, however, Bowser actually hopes to woo Princess Peach and convince her to marry him, performing an epic love ballad in his lair near the halfway point of the movie.
On the heels of the movie’s Golden Globes nominations, Black and directors Michael Jelenic and Aaron Horvath broke down the creation of The Super Mario Bros. Movie at a recent press conference (via The Illuminerdi). When the topic of the viral “Peaches” song arose, Black revealed he initially turned down the request to perform the song, wanting to keep “my rock and my movies” separate, though after hearing the directors’ initial version, he took it and created a new version that the duo considered to be for the better. Check out what Black shared below:
I was resistant to even singing a song because they hit me with that like a year into the process. They were like, “Hey, we got this, this wild hair idea that maybe Bowser could sing a song in this scene just to start off the scene, a little love song would be really funny,” and I was like, “Nah I like to keep it separated, my rock and my movies. Unless that’s part of the plan for the beginning, you never said anything about songs when we started.”
And they said “Take a listen to this.” And I listened, and I was like, “Oh, it is funny, this has real potential. Let me put my spin on it,” and I didn’t really think that they would use it, because when we finished it I was like, “I like it like this. Would you put it in like this?” I was thinking they were gonna go, “No, this is a little too over the top. It’s a little too emotional. This is not fitting in the movie.” But they did use it, and I loved seeing it in the movie. And did I know it was going to be a hit a runaway viral sensation? Of course not. You never think you can expect something like that to happen.
Well, [Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic’s] version is, really, funnier than my version of that song. It made me laugh really hard. And that was the magic, but also that hook the [starts to sing “Peaches”], there was just something so ridiculous about that. But my thing was, “Well, I gotta take it to the next level because I’m protective of my songs and music and singing in general.” Like, I never do things when people say, “Hey, the character is gonna sing, and it’s gonna sound really bad.” Not that [they] were asking me to sound bad, but it’s a pet peeve of mine. I never let myself do anything where, like I said before, I have to try to make it the best thing that’s ever happened.
Can Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 Top “Peaches”?
Though the only major musical moment in the movie, Black’s “Peaches” song wasn’t the only notable use of music within The Super Mario Bros. Movie. During his introduction in the gladiator arena fight, the infamous “DK Rap” from 1999’s Donkey Kong 64 could be heard with the arrival of Seth Rogen’s Donkey Kong. Already largely considered to be a cult classic, its inclusion scored some divisive responses from audiences, the majority of whom appreciated its humorous use in the movie.
With it not only becoming a viral success, but now in the running for a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song, attention now turns towards whether the potential Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 can top “Peaches”. Much like fellow award nominee, “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie, the Mario song found its way to every corner of pop culture for its over-the-top aesthetic and Black’s committed performance of the song, including the surreal live-action music video. Though a sequel to the Margot Robbie-led movie remains unclear, a Mario follow-up has seen far more promising updates from its creative team following its release, save for Black’s recent update:
Despite his uncertainty of the sequel’s chances, Black has been eager about the directions a Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 could go, particularly pitching the subtitle Bowser’s Revenge and wanting a Joker 2-like musical approach. Though he may have been reluctant to perform The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s “Peaches” in the first place, his dedication to upping the scale of music in the sequel and wanting to get the viral song right in the first place could very well see him develop a track to rival that of the first movie’s early in the development cycle, giving the whole creative team enough time to try and top it.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Mario jumps to the big screen in The Super Mario Bros Movie, directed by Teen Titans Go! collaborators Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic. Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Bowser, and more appear in this animated comedy that pits the characters in an all-new adventure set in the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond. You can buy The Super Mario Bros. Movie right now for $13, down from its usual price of $20.
- Director
- Aaron Horvath , Michael Jelenic
- Cast
- Chris Pratt , Charlie Day , Jack Black , Anya Taylor-Joy , Keegan Michael Key , Seth Rogen
- Rating
- PG
- Runtime
- 92 Minutes
- Genres
- Animation , Adventure , Comedy
- Writers
- Matthew Fogel
- Studio
- Universal Pictures, Illumination, Nintendo
- Distributor(s)
- Universal Pictures
- Franchise(s)
- Super Mario Bros.
