The Super Mario Bros. Movie has finally hit theaters after a decade of planning and collaboration between Universal Pictures, Illumination, and Nintendo. The film’s success was due in part to the involvement of Shigeru Miyamoto and Koji Kondo, the creators of Mario and the iconic music of the Super Mario series.
In an interview, Miyamoto and Kondo discussed their thoughts on the film, the collaboration, and more. They were pleased with the audience’s reaction to the movie during its premiere in Los Angeles. Miyamoto shared that in Japan, people tend not to emote or laugh during movies, so it was the first time they were able to experience the audience’s emotional response.
When asked about the film’s vision compared to the final product, Miyamoto emphasized the goal of creating something enjoyable and fun for all audiences, not just core game fans. The team wanted to strike a balance that satisfied both casual viewers and diehard Mario fans. References to the entire spectrum of the Mario series were included to create a dynamic and entertaining storyline.
Kondo noted that the success of Mario’s longevity comes from the intuitive gameplay experience that players of all ages and cultures can easily understand. The hope with the movie was to create an illusion that Mario could exist in the real world while still maintaining the character’s iconic charm and personality.
Overall, the collaboration between Universal Pictures, Illumination, and Nintendo was a success. The Super Mario Bros. movie managed to capture the spirit of the games while appealing to a wide range of audiences. With this achievement, one can only hope it inspires further collaborations between the entertainment and gaming industries.