Movies - TV
The Super Mario Bros. Movie Super Bowl Spot Is A Throwback To A Forgotten '80s Adaptation
By CAMERON ROY HALL
Instead of promoting the voice cast in the 2023 Super Bowl ad for the “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” which includes stars like Chris Pratt and Jack Black, the spot paid homage to a niche corner of the titular character's history. The obscure callback was to a hybrid live-action and animated series from 1989 called “The Super Mario Bros Super Show!”
“Super Show!” featured live-action segments in which Mario and Luigi run their own plumbing business, as well as animated segments in which Mario and Luigi are transported to the Mushroom Kingdom via a busted bath drain. Once there, Mario and Luigi must fight alongside Princess Toadstool to thwart the wicked King Koopa.
Referencing the live-action portions of “Super Show!,” the Super Bowl ad also showcased Mario and Luigi starring in their own plumbing commercial and rapping the fun first verse of the "Super Show!" theme. Nintendo dug into Mario's history to squeeze out this extra little bit of nostalgia to galvanize anticipation for “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” set to release on April 7, 2023.