Seth Rogen Calls Live-Action Super Mario One Of The “Worst Films Ever Made”

Seth Rogen has enjoyed a successful run for the past 20 years. He appeared in his first film,  Donnie Darko, in 2001. That movie was followed by a supporting role in the critically acclaimed The 40-Year-Old Virgin. These led to starring jobs in 2007’s Knocked Up, and 2009’s Funny People.  Now, the comedian is tackling the voice of Donkey Kong in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. However, he has some critiques about the original 1993 live-action film. 

In a recent interview with Variety, he shared how he looked forward to seeing the movie thirty years ago. Unfortunately, the experience was not a pleasant one. In fact, Rogen said the film was likely the worst he’ll ever see. “I was so excited,” he told the publication before dropping a bombshell. “It’s one of the worst films ever made. I was so disappointed.” He explained that this movie was the first time he realized that lousy cinema could exist. 

Seth Rogen Is Sure The New Super Mario Is Better

Rogen feels his role will “vindicate that moment” for fellow 11-year-olds who turn out to see this latest adaptation. He promises they will be satisfied with the Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic-directed new version. Rogen previously told The Hollywood Reporter that the plot also drove him to join the cast. He found humor in Donkey Kong and Super Mario being rivals. The 40-year-old found comfort in knowing he didn’t have to change his voice much to be effective. Chris Pratt voices Mario, while Charlie Day takes on Luigi. Famed comedian Jack Black brings Bowser to life, and Anya Taylor-Joy takes on the pink royal character Princess Peach. 

In that 1993 live-action version, director Rocky Morton caught flack for Nintendo’s lack of involvement in the project. While that wasn’t completely Morton’s fault, everyone didn’t receive the story well. The plot surrounded Mario and Luigi, played by Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo, respectively, as they relentlessly tried to stop King Koopa from bringing his dinosaurs to the planet. Since then, there have not been any more live-action adaptations of the film, which is surprising considering many older animated films are getting the live treatment. The Super Mario Bros. Movie arrived in theaters on Wednesday.

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The Writer Of The ‘Worst Rap Track In The History Of Rap’ Is Thrilled That His Song Might Be In The ‘Mario’ Movie

Grant Kirkhope composed the scores for some of the most well-known video games ever, including GoldenEye 007 and Banjo-Kazooie. But his greatest contribution to culture is rhyming “dudes” with “mood” — and he’s OK with that. Kirkhope penned the lyrics to the Donkey Kong 64 intro song “DK Rap,” which Seth Rogen, who voices Donkey Kong in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, called “objectively one of the worst rap songs of all-time.”

In response, Kirkland tweeted, “If you’d told me in ‘97, when I wrote the worst rap track in the history of rap tracks, that it would go on to be in a Mario Bros movie I’d would’ve burst with excitement! Long live the DK Rap!”

Let’s give it up for Kirkland for resisting the “my name is [BLANK] and I’m here to say” cliché. Although now I want to know what Lanky Kong is here to say…

Rogen discussed his opposite of method acting approach to voicing DK in the Mario movie (let Jeremy Strong voice Diddy Kong). “I was very clear, I don’t do voices,” he told Comic Book. “And if you want me to be in this movie, it’s gonna sound like me and that’s it. And that was the beginning and end of that conversation.” He is the leader of the bunch, after all.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie opens on April 5.

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