Super Mario film producer defends Chris Pratt casting Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Super Mario film producer defends Chris Pratt casting Mamma Mia. News by Ed Nightingale News reporter Updated on 23 Nov 2021 52 comments Chris Meledandri, producer of the Super Mario film, has defended the decision to cast Chris Pratt. Speaking to Too Fab (via GamesRadar), Meledandri described Pratt's performance as "phenomenal". Casting, which also includes the likes of Anya Taylor-Joy, Jack Black and Seth Rogan, was announced at Nintendo's September Direct, but many Mario fans were disappointed with Pratt's casting. "All I can tell you is the voice that he's doing for us, and Mario, is phenomenal," said Meledandri. "Yeah I can't wait for people to hear it." Nintendo's mascot is known for his eccentric Italian accent, but it seems Pratt may not be leaning too heavily on the "it's a-me, Mario" we know and love. "We cover it in the movie," said Meledandri. "So you'll see we definitely nod to that. "That's not the tenor of the performance throughout the film." Fans were also concerned about casting a non-Italian in the role. "Well, as an Italian American myself, I understand," said Meledandri. "You know, I understand the comments." He added: "Charlie Day, who's playing Luigi, actually comes from Italian heritage. Yeah so that's our nod." Charles Martinet, the longtime voice behind Mario in the games, will supposedly be making a cameo in the animated film. The Mario movie is due to be released during holiday 2022. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 4 Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Lady Dimitrescu will be a tad smaller in Resident Evil Village's Mercenaries DLC Level the playing field. 1 Overwatch 2 suffers another DDoS attack and character roster bugs Mei Mei. 13 Latest Articles Digital Foundry Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090: a new level in graphics performance The Digital Foundry video review - and how the new GPU champion delivers for 4K 120fps gaming. Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 4 Feature Evercore Heroes wants to wind people up the right way "There's less rage at them, because they didn't end your fun." Genshin Impact Path of Gleaming Jade dates, login event rewards Including other anniversary rewards and how to claim them. Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store