Mario creator Miyamoto praises Super Mario Bros movie’s success in spite of mixed critical reception

Regardless of how big a fan you were of Chris Pratt’s Mario voice, odds are if you’re into Nintendo games, you’ve already been or made plans to see the Super Mario Bros. Movie.

While there was some mild controversy around the film’s pre-release promos and initial reception, which might have inspired some to put their cinema trip on hold and wait to see how their fellow fans found the film, it’s since delivered undeniably great box office numbers.

Now, as translated and reported by VGC, the moustachioed plumber’s creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, has given his verdict on the events surrounding the movie’s release.

Do you agree with Miyamoto’s views on the Super Mario movie’s western success?

The legendary game designer was asked about the film at a press junket ahead of its release in Japan on April 28 and revealed that its success had exceeded his expectations.

He went on to suggest that the mixed critical reception the film garnered upon its initial western release on April 5 might have actually galvanised its rapid ascent to the top of the box office, by helping to ensure it was the topic of fierce debate and conversation immediately after it arrived in cinemas.

At the event, Miyamoto also discussed the differences between the Japanese version of the film and the Western version many fans have already seen, revealing that the script for the former version has been crafted by Nintendo independently of Illumination Entertainment.

He implied that this step has been taken in order to ensure the film’s story delivers its understated elements in a manner that won’t risk seeming incongruous to a Japanese audience, which could be a risk with a straight-up translation of the English script.

Throughout the rest of the session, Miyamoto also offered commentary on some of the practicalities of how Nintendo, Illumination and Universal Pictures approached working on the project and how he personally feels about his creations making it onto the silver screen.

Regardless of how you feel about the Italian plumber’s rapid conquest of Hollywood, which makes his various annexations of the Mushroom Kingdom look like child's play, make sure to follow us for guides to all things Mario and Nintendo.