Time truly flies when you’re having fun but, when Nintendo is involved, it seems to go by even faster. Last year, The Super Mario Bros. Movie hit theaters with a bang, and the video game flick crushed at the box office. After just one week alone, it became the highest-grossing video game-based flick, and it became a well-loved favorite of numerous fans. Now, it’s already hit its one-year anniversary, and Chris Pratt, the leading man who voiced the mustachioed plumber in red, celebrated by sharing a sweet and funny message.
The A-lister recently took to Instagram to commemorate the hit movie’s release date and to voice his appreciation for the cast, crew and fans. He shared a number of photos, some of which feature him and his co-stars on the red carpet. There's also a sweet snapshot of him and his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger. And, in typical Pratt fashion, he slipped in a joke, as he playfully called out Barbenheimer and said that it’s time for the “Barbio Brothers” to shine. He wrote:
It’s a 1 year of Mario!! Crazy to think that [The Super Mario Bros. Movie] premiered one year ago today and became the 2nd highest-grossing movie of 2023. Step aside ‘Barben Heimer,’ it’s Barbio Brothers over here! All jokes aside—I’m so grateful for the opportunity to lend my voice to such an iconic and classic character. Reminiscing on this day, our amazing cast and crew, and the incredible experience it has been.
Based on the post, Chris Pratt wasn’t the only one who appreciated the trip down memory lane. Over 270,000 users liked what he shared, and his comment section was full of fans sharing their appreciation for him and as well as the rest of the Super Mario Bros. cast. And one of the most frequent sentiments that kept coming up from commenters was the disbelief that the hit movie had already reached the one-year mark. Here’s just a bit of all the love they shared:
- Such a funny movie, and you guys killed it with the soundtrack! Nicely done! You did all of us original Nintendo players proud! @prattprattpratt @charlie_day - Jairusg
- And despite everyone’s concerns you were a solid Mario voice. Good job, my kid loves the film! Always on repeat 😂 - Cthurlos
- We loved the movie Chris!! You and the team did an Awesome job!! - Banana_girl_333
- 1 YEAR ALREADY?????? Wow time really flies by. I remember seeing it in cinemas for the first time as if it was yesterday. - Ciaran.flynn07
What’s even better is that fans will get to indulge in the Nintendo world again due to the fact that a Super Mario Bros. follow-up is in the works at Illumination Entertainment, as announced back in March. The plot details are still under wraps and probably will be for some time, as this won't be released until 2026. However, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto explained that with this installment, the creative team is looking at "broadening Mario's world" through this new flick. This raises questions as to how different the next flick could be compared to a traditional sequel.
While we wait anxiously just like the rest of you, we’ve theorized about the next Mario movie and where it could take viewers next. One possibility is that this upcoming followup will be an adaptation of Super Mario Galaxy not only because the bright and colorful vibes would make an even more fun movie, but sending the characters into space would literally be a huge universe expansion. Additionally, there are rumors that Mario may not take centerstage this time around, and the sequel will focus on Donkey Kong or Luigi instead, which would provide opportunities to keep the franchise fresh and fans on their toes.
Regardless of direction, I’m very excited to see how team Nintendo and Illumination Entertainment plan this next adventure. Given how fun the first movie is, I'm hopeful that they have something even bigger and better in the works. In the meantime though, I'll join Chris Pratt in wishing the first movie a happy first birthday!
While a follow up won’t be on the 2024 movie schedule, you can still relive all the video game goodness by streaming The Super Mario Bros. Movie with a Netflix subscription.
