The Super Mario Bros. Trailer Suggests Keegan-Michael Key Understands The Appeal Of Toad
After Illumination and Nintendo dropped the highly-anticipated trailer for "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," we admittedly had some thoughts. Now, I could continue to spend hours screaming about why celebrity stunt casting in animated features needs to die a fiery death or hop on a soapbox about how I completely understand why so many people find Bowser irresistibly sexy, but I'd rather save those thoughts for a non-sober 3:00 a.m. Twitter thread.
Rather than focus on the glaring, completely avoidable issue shown in the trailer, there was a beacon of joy well worth celebrating. After the trailer introduced us to Jack Black's pretty dang good Bowser and a joyous showcase of the Penguins (that don't require us to carry the whining things to their mother in the wind and snow), our first glimpse at Mario sees him exploring the lands of the Mushroom Kingdom and coming face-to-face with Princess Peach's loyal attendant and a longtime protector of the Mushroom Kingdom, Toad.
Comedian, actor, and all-around wonderful human Keegan-Michael Key provides the voice for the cheerful optimist, and it's clear from the handful of seconds Key was shown as the character, he completely understands the appeal of Toad. While often shown as a supportive helper or the best lightweight racer in any Mario Kart game (don't @ me), Toad is also a panicky little weirdo. Toad is beloved for how painfully cute he is, but also for the tireless work of voice actor Jen Taylor (who also voices Toadette, Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, and Birdo), who somehow hasn't shredded her vocal cords after years of voicing Toad screams.
Keegan-Michael Key did his homework because he Toadally nailed it.
BUP!
Toad has developed a cult-like following over the years, with fans recording plenty of pop song covers in his shrill voice. The juxtaposition of Toad being undeniably the most adorable design in the entire series' canon paired with his explosive freak-outs has turned him into an all-time favorite character. Keegan-Michael Key has totally zeroed in on what makes Toad so beloved, finding the perfect balance of cheerful excitement and "OH MY GOD THE WORLD IS ENDING" panic. Toad is not a Chicken Little character, per se, but dude definitely has a prescription for Xanax in his castle cupboard. As much as my preference will always side with retaining original voice actors, Keegan-Michael Key is more than a worthy successor to the role. He gets it!
What's also exciting is the possibility that Key won't just be lending his voice to the Toad character, but all of the other Toads in the Mushroom Kingdom. The poster Nintendo shared on Twitter a few days ago sees a gaggle of Toads walking around the village grounds, leading many to believe that Key will voice them all. Whether or not each Toad will have their own personality has yet to be seen, but it would be absolutely hilarious if Key just used the exact same voice for every Toad.
Hell, let him voice Toadette, too. If Jen Taylor can do both, so can he.