Chris Pratt has promised that “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” will honour the classic video game.
The 43-year-old actor is lending his voice to Mario and has promised fans that the animated flick will do justice to the beloved Nintendo game amid criticism that he will not be using a thick Italian accent in his portrayal of the plumber.
Addressing concerns about the flick, Pratt told Extra TV: "Go watch the movie and then we can talk. I really think once you see the movie, and in all honesty, I think you probably need to watch it twice.
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"In all honesty, the answer though is this is a passionate fan base, and I understand, I'm a part of it.
“This is the soundtrack to your youth, and you don't want someone to come along and cynically destroy it as a cash grab with the movie."
The “Jurassic World” actor is convinced that the film, which will be released next month and features Charlie Day as Luigi and Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, could start an "entire universe" for Super Mario in cinema.
Pratt said: "The movie really honours the video game. It honours the world of Mario and is very promising as to what we could expect over the next 10 years like an entire universe of these types of movies.
“They're super nostalgic. They're really fun. It's Illumination, so they know what they're doing."
Pratt revealed last year that he was "really proud" of his voice work on the film and teased that he will offer something "unlike anything you've heard in the Mario world before".
He told Variety: "I worked really closely with the directors and tried out a few things and landed on something that I’m really proud of and can’t wait for people to see and hear.
"It’s an animated voiceover narrative. It’s not a live-action movie. I’m not gonna be wearing a plumber suit running all over.
"I’m providing a voice for an animated character, and it is updated and unlike anything you’ve heard in the Mario world before."