The second The Super Mario Bros. Movie trailer revealed that Mario Kart‘s iconic Rainbow Road track will be making an appearance in the movie — here’s why. Rainbow Road has been around since the very first Mario Kart game on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, with the track’s popularity earning it a spot throughout the franchise’s mainline games. Thanks to its familiarity among Nintendo fans, seeing Rainbow Road in The Super Mario Bros. Movie is no surprise, though how the movie plans to weave Rainbow Road into the story is a mystery. Thankfully, a piece of merchandise may have explained why it’s in the movie.The Super Mario Bros. Movie is the long-awaited animated adaptation of the beloved Super Mario Bros. video game series, controversially starring Chris Pratt as Mario. The trailers have already demonstrated that the movie will pull many elements from the games, with various enemies, locations, and even pieces of the soundtrack being ripped directly from Mario games, old and new. Loads of details about The Super Mario Bros. Movie have already been revealed, with the trailer showing off cameos from even niche Super Mario characters. However, another character was just leaked in the form of a toy.Related: Super Mario Bros. Just Made Zelda & Other Nintendo Movies Possible
The Lumas Can Explain Super Mario Bros Movie’s Rainbow Road
Lumas, the star-like creatures from Super Mario Galaxy, will be appearing in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, perhaps explaining why Rainbow Road makes an appearance. A line of promotional Super Mario Bros. toys at McDonald’s has been revealed, with a blue Luma toy being seen alongside characters like Mario, Luigi, and Donkey Kong. The Lumas haven’t yet appeared in the trailers, but having them be a part of the McDonald’s toy line all but confirms that they will show up in the film.
Since the first Mario Kart game, Rainbow Road has been in space. However, more recent titles have changed the track to be themed after Lumas, Rosalina, and the Comet Observatory, following the release of Super Mario Galaxy. Mario Kart Wii‘s version of the track is given a Super Mario Galaxy motif, while Super Mario Galaxy 2 actually features the track as a standalone level. Rainbow Road’s association with Rosalina and the Lumas has since become inseparable, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie could have the Lumas’ storyline explain the role of Rainbow Road in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Why Is The Super Mario Bros Movie Keeping Rosalina A Secret?
The chances of The Super Mario Bros. Movie featuring Lumas without Rosalina are slim to none, causing many to wonder why the movie is keeping her a secret. Rosalina is one of the most recent major characters added to the Super Mario franchise, with her having appeared in plenty of games since her Super Mario Galaxy debut. However, some games have kept Rosalina’s appearance a secret until the very end, with Rosalina being a post-game playable character in Super Mario 3D World, as well as the twist villain at the end of Mario & Rabbids: Sparks of Hope. It seems The Super Mario Bros. Movie may be following a pattern here.
Keeping Rosalina’s appearance in The Super Mario Bros. Movie a secret also makes sense from a marketing standpoint. The character is incredibly popular with hardcore Mario fans, meaning her appearance could be a huge movie reveal, if kept secret. However, Rosalina isn’t a popular enough character to get anyone who wasn’t already planning on seeing The Super Mario Bros. Movie to buy a ticket. It seems that the team behind The Super Mario Bros. Movie have looked at their options and have decided that keeping Rosalina and the Lumas secret is worth it.
Key Release Dates
The Super Mario Bros Film
Release Date:2023-04-07
