Why John Leguizamo Says He Has The Secret Sauce For The Super Mario Bros. Script - Exclusive
For a long time, there was a common wisdom when it came movie adaptations of video games — they're bad! Movies based on "Double Dragon," "Street Fighter," and "Doom" are all infamous examples of movies that didn't understand the appeal of the games they're based on over the years. In addition to the many, many failures of director Uwe Boll ("Alone in the Dark," "House of the Dead," and "Bloodrayne" just to name a few) there is one video game movie which is arguably more infamous than any other — 1993's "Super Mario Bros."
By 1993, Nintendo's mascot Mario had found success across multiple Nintendo consoles and franchises. There were Mario comics in the pages of Nintendo Power, along with toys, stickers, and merchandise. Given all that success, a movie was inevitable. However, the one we got has a story which bears little resemblance to the original games. The film still has quite a pedigree, starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo as the titular Mario Bros. and Dennis Hopper as Bowser.
The weirdest part of all? The movie has become a bit of a cult hit over the years, with fans going so far as to piece together cut footage for a kind of ultimate fan cut of the movie. With a new, Chris Pratt-starring Mario movie on the horizon, people are talking about the '90s version even more. While Looper was speaking with John Leguizamo about his upcoming Disney film "Encanto," we asked him about his thoughts on Mario and why he thinks he's the only person who can write a script for a Mario movie that would work.
Leguizamo and the art of learning from past Mario mistakes
John Leguizamo played Luigi in the "Super Mario Bros." movie. Up until recently, his was the only Mario movie in town. However, with a new Illumination animated film on the horizon, soon there will be a new Luigi, a new Mario, and a new everyone else from the Mushroom Kingdom.
Back in September, Leguizamo responded to the news of the new film, tweeting, "So glad #superMariobros is getting a reboot! Obviously it's iconic enuff. But too bad they went all white! No Latinx in the leads! Groundbreaking color-blind casting in original! Plus I'm the only one who knows how to make this movie work script wise!"
John Leguizamo is no stranger to writing, especially for his own performances. He both wrote and performed for multiple Broadway shows like "Freak," "American Buffalo," and "Latin History for Morons" as well as putting together multiple TV specials.
"I know how to fix that script, because I was in it, and I was arguing with the writers and creators at the time, going, 'This needs that, and this needs this, and she should do this. And when she does that, this,'" Leguizamo explained when we asked him about why only he can get Mario right.
However, if you were hoping for the elevator pitch, don't hold your breath. "I know what that secret sauce is, but I ain't giving it up for free, bro." Fair enough.
John Leguizamo is currently playing Bruno Madrigal in Disney's "Encanto," which is in theaters now.