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We recently got to hear Chris Pratt as Mario, thanks to the first Super Mario Bros. Movie teaser trailer. Nintendo fans have had mixed reactions to the casting online, and now well known voice actor Tara Strong has chimed in as well. She took to Twitter to share her feelings that “It should be Charles”, of course referring to Mario’s iconic video game voice actor Charles Martinet.

Tara Strong is well regarded for her many, many voice acting roles, ranging from Bubbles in The Powerpuff Girls to Harley Quinn in various Batman projects. Considering her background, it’s understandable that she has strong feelings about the recasting of voice actors for Hollywood movies. She made these feelings even clearer in a follow-up tweet, lamenting this now common practice:

We have heard that Charles Martinet will have a role somewhere in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, but he seems likely to be relegated to a small cameo. We’ll have to wait to find out exactly where he appears once the movie gets released in April 2023.

Tara Strong also asked her Twitter followers to share any happy stories they have with Martinet, who she says she insists on being next to at cons because she loves him so much. Martinet replied, seeming extremely appreciative of all the love. Check out that thread now if you’d like to show him some love yourself.

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the_king_up_north

I respect and appreciate Charles Martinet. His voice is iconic and he is the perfect voice for Mario in video games. But I don't think he would be the ideal choice for a full-length movie that has a ton of dialogue. That very Mario voice would likely get on my nerves quickly, because it just doesn't translate well to dialogue. That's why you almost never hear Mario say anything more than simple expressions of excitement/disappointment in videogames like "WAHOO!" or "MOMMA MIA!"

Is Pratt the ideal choice? Hell no, but he does give Mario a more normal voice for dialogue.

d_says_hi

1+ y ago

I agree with Twilight Sparkle :) I love Tara Strong and her work. Voice actors do get screwed by Hollywood way too often. I remember reading that the Looney Toons voice actors were not invited to the red carpet premier for one of the movies (may have been the terrible Space Jam) but the Hollywood actors were of course there.


the_king_up_north

1+ y ago

I respect and appreciate Charles Martinet. His voice is iconic and he is the perfect voice for Mario in video games. But I don't think he would be the ideal choice for a full-length movie that has a ton of dialogue. That very Mario voice would likely get on my nerves quickly, because it just doesn't translate well to dialogue. That's why you almost never hear Mario say anything more than simple expressions of excitement/disappointment in videogames like "WAHOO!" or "MOMMA MIA!"

Is Pratt the ideal choice? Hell no, but he does give Mario a more normal voice for dialogue.


rick-fil-a

1+ y ago

I think Martinet's Mario voice as it stands would probably not work for a feature length film with a lot of dialogue. HOWEVER, Charles Martinet is a professional and very talented voice actor. He could tweak it and make it work without a doubt.


khufuthemummy

1+ y ago

@rick-fil-a

If that's the case, why let Hollywood change the formula solely for a movie? There are plenty of movies that have very little dialogue and convey emotion and depth despite it. Who wants Link to be voiced in a movie or TV series because Hollywood said so? CM does more than just Mario's voice, so he has range!

Edited 1 time

Why does everyone say this? Charles Martinet is a professional voice actor. He knows how to change and extend his voice as Mario as differently as they want it to be. People think he can only voice Mario one way. He's done so many great voices in other games and media. The guy has range, unlike Pratt.

Also you saying his voice is why he hardly talks is 100% wrong. It's because Nintendo never wanted him to talk much in any of the games. Plus if this was true then why did they give Wario full dialogue in Warioware Gold?


You're not wrong. Sometimes adapting a story to a new medium requires tweaks to make it work within the new medium, whether its video game to movie or any other combo of media. Since this isn't the next canon entry in the Mario mythology, its just a film adaptation telling its own story I don't think it HAS to adhere to a mute-ish Mario. I agree that it could be just as effective to do a Mario movie with less dialogue from Mario (or less dialogue in general), I am a huge fan of movies from the silent era, and dramatic Ryan Gosling movies where he speaks like only ten words (Drive, Blade Runner 2049) but I don't personally have any issues with a somewhat talkative Mario, but I did grow up with the American Mario cartoons so hearing Mario speak isn't weird to me. I think Mario makes more sense than Link since Mario has technically spoken full sentences in the games before, albeit short ones, while Link is relegated to grunts and screams.

"CM does more than just Mario's voice, so he has range!" And just to clarify/reiterate more in case my post didn't come off as pro-Martinet as I intended, we are in agreement on this. He's a talented and professional voice actor who knows how to make his voice work for the job at hand. He SHOULD be the voice of Mario in ANYTHING as long as he's alive and still wants to. I am disappointed Nintendo didn't hire him for at least Mario, and I hope one of the voices he ends up doing is Wario and he's in sequels.


sdsichero

1+ y ago

I love Strong and Martinet, but I don't think she is necessarily correct here.


hawk

1+ y ago

Count me among the people who feel like the Charles Martinet Mario voice as we know it wouldn't be quite right for a full-length movie with dramatic moments and conversations. But it might have been nice if he got the chance to audition with an adjusted voice, just to hear how it sounds.

And where was this sentiment when they recast the entire Scooby Doo gang for a movie? To me that was far more egregious.


khufuthemummy

1+ y ago

@rick-fil-a

Fair enough! Sounds like we are in agreement. I'm just seeing the "his voice would be annoying" argument a lot and I don't really get it. I don't have an issue with a more talkative Mario, but my rebuttal would be what is really gained from having Chris Pratt do the voice (besides a well known name in the role)? I need to hear more before I decide, yet the teaser trailer did nothing but make me wish it was Charles. I think Mario can sell a movie on his own without recasting the lead role with an okay celebrity. I might feel differently if they gave it to someone who actually puts asses in seats; a real star. No slight to Chris Pratt, because I enjoy him in Guardians, but he is definitely not that.

Edited 2 times

I agree, I don't think Chris Pratt being in the Mario movie is going to sell any meaningful amount more tickets than if it was Martinet. A little kid will wanna see the Mario movie for Mario, and the parents won't agree to take them, or be any more enthused to see it, because of Pratt's involvement.

I honestly don't mind Pratt in general, I am also a fan of Guardians of the Galaxy and think he's a charming and funny actor, but yeah he hasn't really been as big a draw as studios and his agents were probably hoping after Guardians and the first Jurassic World.