If you’ve ever signed up for something without really knowing what it was going to be like, then you’ll be able to relate to Bob Hoskins. An old clip of Hoskins reflecting on his role as the 8-bit Italian plumber has resurfaced, and it’s pretty clear that he didn’t consider his time on the adventure comedy movie Super Mario Bros. to be his finest hour.
In the clip, which is from a VH1 documentary, Hoskins also reveals that he didn’t even know the movie was an adaptation of the classic Nintendo videogame. The Oscar-nominated actor says “I didn’t even know it was a game. It was my kids that told me.” The revelation is followed by a brief pause, before Hoskins continues “I thought: ‘I used to play King Lear’.”
The comments, which do at least seem to be firmly tongue-in-cheek, are sure to bring a smile to the face of fans of the actor’s work. Other than portraying Mario, the actor is best known for his role in neo-noir crime dramas, as well as his excellent performance in the classic Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
Since Super Mario Bros., which was released (and subsequently critically panned) back in 1993, videogame adaptations have had a rocky journey. The Resident Evil series of horror movies is widely recognised as a dire attempt at adaptation, while the first action movie outing of Lara Croft in live-action was also a critical failure.
However, more recent efforts such as Sonic, Uncharted, and Detective Pikachu, have been much more successful, indicating that Hollywood might have finally cracked the formula. The success of these movies is partly responsible for the fact that Super Mario is returning to the big screen once again.
The new adaption of the videogame, which is currently untitled but scheduled for a 2023 release, has a stacked cast of characters including Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Jack Black as Bowser, Seth Rogan as Donkey Kong, and of course, Chris Pratt as Mario. Who else would it be?
Fancy diving into a Mario-style adventure? Take a look at our guide to the best adventure movies ever made.