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Animated comedy

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023): Cast, Ratings & Box Office

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) movie poster

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a 2023 animated comedy directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, starring Chris Pratt as Mario, Charlie Day and Keegan-Michael Key. It runs 1 hour 32 minutes and earned $1.36 billion worldwide on a $100 million budget. It earned 6 award nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language at the Golden Globes 2024. Critics gave it 58% on Rotten Tomatoes and 46 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.0/10.

IMDb rating
7.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes
58%
worldwide gross
$1.4B
award nominations
6
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The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 32m (92 min)
Original language
English
Budget
$100M
After the credits
Yes Extra scene during or after the credits
The story

What Is The Super Mario Bros. Movie About?

The premise of The Super Mario Bros. Movie without spoilers. The whole story and the ending explained are in the plot summary further down.

Two brothers, Mario and Luigi, are transported through a magical pipe to a vibrant and unusual world. Separated during their arrival, Mario sets out on a perilous quest to find and rescue his brother. Along the way, he joins forces with the resourceful Toad and the courageous Princess Peach. Facing dangerous enemies and challenging obstacles, Mario must tap into his hidden abilities to save Luigi and find a way back home.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • based on video game
  • princess
  • super mario character
  • talking gorilla
  • talking penguin
  • princess peach character
  • castle
  • evil
  • nintendo
  • brother brother relationship
  • mushroom
  • donkey kong character
+38 more
  • toad character
  • unlikely hero
  • rainbow road
  • koopa troopa
  • rainbow
  • diddy kong character
  • dixie kong character
  • piranha plant
  • sibling relationship
  • older brother younger brother relationship
  • brooklyn new york city
  • shrinking in size
  • talking turtle
  • anthropomorphic gorilla
  • blue collar worker
  • anthropomorphic turtle
  • trapped in a cage
  • nintendo cinematic universe
  • alternate world
  • anthropomorphic penguin
  • turtle
  • new york city
  • fictional kingdom
  • manhole
  • another world
  • surprise during end credits
  • surprise after end credits
  • alternate universe
  • banana peel
  • 1980s music
  • younger version of character
  • alternate dimension
  • plumber
  • cgi animation
  • computer animation
  • 3d animation
  • luigi mario character
  • bowser a.k.a. king koopa character
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Cast & crew

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Cast & Characters

Chris Pratt leads the cast as Mario, with Charlie Day as Luigi and Keegan-Michael Key as Toad. Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic; 10 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in The Super Mario Bros. Movie

· 6 more
From the directors

More from Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic

More films directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, best-rated first: Teen Titans Go! To the Movies and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.

Ratings

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Super Mario Bros. Movie 58% on Rotten Tomatoes and 46 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.0/10. Our Echo Score gives it 75/100, strongest in rewatch factor (85) and weakest in story & flow (55).

75 /100

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Echo Score Breakdown

The Super Mario Bros. Movie delivers a vibrant visual experience that satisfies many fans, yet its narrative depth remains limited. Critics acknowledge the bright, faithful animation while noting a thin plot and occasional tonal inconsistency. Audience responses skew positive, especially among franchise enthusiasts who appreciate the faithful character designs and playful tone. Consequently, the film is best regarded as an entertaining family entry with strong aesthetic appeal but modest storytelling substance.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 82

    In terms of art and craft, the film excels with a vivid color palette and detailed animation that closely mirrors the source game. Critics highlight the bright, busy visuals, and users praise the flawless CGI and faithful world design. Some note occasional loudness, but overall the production values are regarded as a primary strength that enhances the viewing experience.

  • Character & Emotion 70

    When evaluating character and emotion, performances receive mixed appraisals. Fans value the enthusiasm of the cast and the faithful recreation of iconic personalities, while several critics find the voice work uneven, particularly citing Chris Pratt and Seth Rogen. The emotional resonance is modest, offering enjoyable moments for enthusiasts without delivering deep character development.

  • Story & Flow 55

    The story and flow are described as predictable and perfunctory by many reviewers. Critics emphasize a lazy, thin plot that serves primarily as a vehicle for fan service. User comments acknowledge the predictability but consider it acceptable for a light‑hearted family fare. Overall, narrative ambition is limited, resulting in an average score for this aspect.

  • Sensory Experience 78

    Sensory experience receives positive feedback for its energetic soundtrack and cohesive visual style. Critics note the bright, colorful presentation, and users commend the high‑quality CGI and animation detail. While some describe the sound as loud, the overall auditory and visual cohesion contributes strongly to the film’s entertainment value.

  • Rewatch Factor 85

    Rewatch factor is high, driven by fan enthusiasm and repeat viewings. Multiple user reviews mention watching the movie several times and still finding enjoyment, especially in the nostalgic references and playful moments. Critics suggest limited appeal beyond fans, but the lasting appeal for the target audience translates into a strong replay value.

Plot

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Plot Summary & Ending Explained

What happens in The Super Mario Bros. Movie from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events and the ending explained. The opening is below; the full summary is a 5-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

The story begins in an icy realm inhabited by blue penguins, where a formidable ship belonging to the Koopas descends from the skies. Upon landing, the Koopa army emerges to confront the defenseless penguins. Suddenly, Kamek (Kevin Michael Richardson) steps forward to introduce their malevolent king, Bowser (Jack Black). As the penguins make a feeble attempt to defend themselves, Kamek uses his sorcery to cast them aside effortlessly, just before Bowser unleashes his fiery breath to obliterate the penguins’ icy home. The villainous Bowser then approaches a question mark box, smashing it open to reveal the coveted Super Star. He arrogantly declares that no one can stand in his way.

Full summary

The whole story of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, scene by scene, with the ending explained

Read the full summary
Box office

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Box Office & Budget

The Super Mario Bros. Movie grossed $1.36 billion worldwide on a $100 million budget, 14 times what it cost. $574.9 million came from the US and Canada and $785.8 million (58%) from the rest of the world.

2023 box office

Worldwide gross

$1.4B

14× its budget

US & Canada
$574.9M
International
$785.8M
Budget
$100M
US & Canada 42% Rest of the world 58%
Awards

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Awards & Nominations

The Super Mario Bros. Movie earned 6 award nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language at the Golden Globes 2024. The 6 nominations come from 4 ceremonies, the most at the Golden Globes 2024.

6 nominations4 ceremonies

Videos

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Trailers & Videos

61 videos: 3 trailers, 15 teasers, 5 clips, 24 featurettes and 14 behind-the-scenes videos.

All 61 videos
Official Teaser Trailer
  • Trailer Official Trailer
  • Trailer Final Trailer
  • Teaser TV Spot 38
  • Teaser TV Spot 52
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Super Mario Bros. Movie?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who leads the Koopa army in their invasion?

Cars

Cars in The Super Mario Bros. Movie

2 cars on screen: the 1985 Chevrolet Astro and the 2018 Dodge Durango SRT.

  • 1985 Chevrolet Astro in The Super Mario Bros. Movie 1985 Chevrolet Astro Background role
  • 2018 Dodge Durango SRT in The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2018 Dodge Durango SRT Background role

Seen The Super Mario Bros. Movie?

From the blog

Articles About The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Our article about The Super Mario Bros. Movie: “The Journey of Adaptations: From Video Games to Movies”.

FAQ

The Super Mario Bros. Movie FAQ: Cast & Box Office

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Super Mario Bros. Movie?

The Super Mario Bros. Movie runs 1 hour 32 minutes (92 minutes).

When was The Super Mario Bros. Movie released?

The Super Mario Bros. Movie was released on April 5, 2023.

Who directed The Super Mario Bros. Movie?

The Super Mario Bros. Movie was directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.

More films by Aaron Horvath

Who is in the cast of The Super Mario Bros. Movie?

The Super Mario Bros. Movie stars Chris Pratt as Mario, Charlie Day as Luigi and Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, among 10 credited actors.

How much did The Super Mario Bros. Movie make at the box office?

The Super Mario Bros. Movie grossed $1.36 billion worldwide ($574.9 million domestic, $785.8 million international) on a budget of $100 million.

How is The Super Mario Bros. Movie rated?

The Super Mario Bros. Movie has 7.0/10 on IMDb, 58% on Rotten Tomatoes, 46 on Metacritic and 76% on TMDB.

Was The Super Mario Bros. Movie nominated for any awards?

The Super Mario Bros. Movie received 6 nominations across 4 ceremonies.

Does The Super Mario Bros. Movie have a post-credit scene?

Yes. The Super Mario Bros. Movie has an extra scene during or after the credits, so it is worth staying seated.

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