A lot has been made in the run up to The Super Mario Bros. Movie about how much the cast really plays video games. Maybe a little too much, when you consider Chris Pratt has been able to fight dinosaurs and aliens on screen with little (perhaps no) experience of either two. Mario is one of the most famous video game characters ever, and even with only the most casual interest in gaming, everyone on Earth has heard of him. Still, when chatting about Easter Eggs with Pratt and his on-screen brother Charlie Day, it was sweet to see them both leap out of their chairs to scream “Kid Icarus!” when I mention my own favourite reference in the film.

In gaming, we sometimes confuse the lack of encyclopaedic knowledge for a lack of passion - if people can’t recall the exact date every character was introduced, reel off the button commands for a dozen combos, and know every behind the scenes detail, they’re not ‘real’ fans. But you don’t need to know Viggo Mortensen broke his toe to love The Lord of the Rings. For most people, having a passion for video games means having felt the joy of them, and remembering those memories fondly, or continuing to experience all they have to offer today.

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It’s this passion that comes across clearly as the two calm down from the excitement of Kid Icarus to talk about their favourite moments of the movie. “I’m sure I missed like, half of them,” Day laughs.

Updated April 14, 2023: We've updated this article to include footage of our video interview with Chris Pratt and Charlie Day!

Pratt, however, seems to have been keeping notes. “I want to go back and watch it again, just to get all of them,” he tells me. “There’s the Punch-Out!! Easter Eggs, and there’s something about Ikari Warriors. There could be Zelda, is there going to be a Zelda movie? It’s going to be the Nintendo Cinematic Universe. We’re talking ten years, 20 years, 80 years of content here.”

As the pair plan out the makings of a Super Smash Bros. universe, it does seem like the way IP movies no longer set up mere sequels, but whole universes, they could be on to something. Nintendo has a whole host of world-renowned characters that offer just as broad a canvas as Super Mario, and in a few years time Pratt’s Mario could be teaming up with a gang of pixelated protagonists to stop Edelgard von Hresvelg from world domination. While Zelda might seem like the next natural stop, Day and Pratt think there might be another contender in lurking.

Link with Navi on the back of Epona in The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time

“I love Zelda as much as I loved Mario,” Day adds, and I for one think he’d make a great Tingle, if he wants to continue playing green men. “And Metroid was awesome. And kind of creepy.” Given Samus spends much of her time throughout the games alone, it’s difficult to see a Day role instantly jump out at you, but I’m sure he could bring some comedy to the various noxious plants and aliens Samus fights off.

“Mother Brain [was very creepy],” Pratt agrees. “And then at the end of Metroid, helmet comes off - lady the whole time.” At this point, Pratt mimes the helmet being removed and Samus’ hair sweeping back as if to audition for the role, but I’m not sure he should juggle Mario and Samus. Given Brie Larson’s longtime interest in the role, he might have competition too.

Samus Aran in her suit in Metroid Prime

The Super Mario Bros. Movie cast should be judged primarily by their acting and not by their love of video games as rated by strangers on the internet combing through their every word for any sign of a slip up. However, if the rating were determined by the cast’s love of Kid Icarus, Chris Pratt and Charlie Day would ensure the film was in safe hands.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is in cinemas April 5.

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