Super Mario Movie Should Have Original Voice Actor, Says Tara Strong

As audiences continue to lament the casting choice, iconic voice actor Tara Strong says The Super Bros. Movie should have the titular character’s original voice actor. The story for the latest adaptation of Nintendo’s beloved platformer franchise is currently unknown, though is expected to follow the iconic formula of the titular plumber facing off against Bowser to rescue Mushroom Kingdom’s Princess Peach. Chris Pratt is leading the ensemble cast for The Super Mario Bros. Movie alongside Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen, Sebastian Maniscalco, and Kevin Michael Richardson. After nearly seven years of production and development, audiences finally got their first glimpse at The Super Mario Bros. Movie with its recent trailer, revealing the first looks at Pratt’s Mario, Black’s Bowser, Key’s Toad and Day’s Luigi. Though audiences have been largely favorable on their feelings about the film’s visual effects and most of its voice cast, Pratt’s brief vocal performance of Mario has scored widespread disdain, with many feeling the Guardians of the Galaxy actor didn’t put much effort into recreating the exaggerated Italian voice of the Nintendo character. Now, a major name in the voice acting industry is also opening up about their distaste for Pratt’s Super Mario Bros. Movie casting.Related: Bowser Is Already The Best Thing About The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Iconic voice actor Tara Strong recently took to her Twitter to share a photo of her and fellow voice actor Charles Martinet, well-known for his work as Nintendo video game character Mario. Though not mentioning the film by name, the Loki actor did caption the photo with “It should be Charles,” seemingly sharing her feelings that The Super Mario Bros. Movie should include the original voice actor. Check out Strong’s post above:

Mario’s Controversial Movie Recasting Explained

Pratt’s casting as Mario for The Super Mario Bros. Movie has been a point of criticism since it was first announced, with many feeling his lack of Italian heritage made him a poor choice for the role. Since the trailer offered the first glimpse at Pratt’s work in the role, many have expressed similar sentiments to Strong, calling for Martinet, who has voiced Mario since 1992, to reprise his role for the latest movie adaptation of the Nintendo video games. Interestingly, Martinet is slated to make an undisclosed cameo appearance in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, leaving many hopeful for him to play the titular role, though his voicing both Waluigi and Wario in the games does also make it likely he could help establish one of the two characters for future films.

Should Martinet end up bringing Wario or Waluigi to the fold in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, it would be pulling a page out of Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog franchise book, in which original Tails actor Colleen O’Shaughnessey reprised her role for both films. While the visual design of the Super Mario Bros. Movie trailer scored largely favorable reviews, unlike the infamous Ugly Sonic design, it will be interesting to see if the creative team behind the animated film elect to re-record Pratt’s voice to closer match that of his video game counterpart, or forge on ahead with his original work. Only time will tell when The Super Mario Bros. Movie hits theaters on April 7.