In 1993, Hollywood Pictures released a live action Super Mario Bros. movie, which didn’t go so well. It had a disastrous box office performance, grossing $38.9 million against a $40 million budget. It didn’t win plaudits from critics either and only managed a 29% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Given the film’s less-than-stellar outing, one would think the producers would want it confined to the annals of history. However, that is not the case. Umbrella Home Entertainment has announced it will release a 4K Ultra HD version of the film in the coming months to celebrate its 30th anniversary.
The re-release will be part of Trust the Fungus Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary Collector’s Edition and will feature many items, including three discs. One of the discs will be a 4K restoration from the film’s negatives while the other two will be Blu-rays.
Apart from the discs, there will also be a 200-page book of script drafts that provide fans with a breakdown of the film’s complex production process. The Collector’s Edition will also have four audio commentaries from screenwriters, special effect designers, film archivists, and production designers.
A reproduction of the live-action film’s lobby art, posters, souvenir magazines, all-new featurettes and trailers, and a hardcover book of production art round up the items included in the edition.
The Super Mario Bros. live action film’s performance scarred Nintendo and the studio gave adaptations of the IP a wide berth for 30 years. Fortunately, Nintendo finally worked up the courage to greenlit another adaptation a few years ago otherwise we wouldn’t have the Chris Pratt-led masterpiece that broke numerous records after its release earlier this year.
Where the live action film veered away from the source material and depicted the Super Mario universe as a dystopian world, the animated version was faithful. The live action film also suffered from a chaotic process. There were multiple script changes, clashes between Nintendo and the directors, a miserable production process, and an even more disastrous post-production.
Given the film’s many issues, it is hardly a surprise that it tanked. Fortunately, Nintendo seems to have found the recipe for a successful Super Mario adaptation with the animated feature. With fans overwhelmingly voting for it with their wallets, there is no doubt we will see sequels and spinoffs based in the same universe.
The first live action Super Mario movie wasn’t well received but there’s hope the re-release will get a different reception. For one, a fan-made director’s cut sparked significant fan interest in 2021. Also, the animated feature has made many Super Mario fans curious about the original film. Given this renewed interest, there is a growing feeling that the Collector’s Edition will find many buyers and be a success.
The Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary Collector’s Edition will arrive in January 2024. The set will cost about $100 and is available for preorder on Umbrella Home Entertainment’s official site.
