A newly surfaced pre-visualization clip shows an alternate ending that was originally planned for The Super Mario Bros.
Movie.
Released in theaters on April 5, 2023, and produced by Illumination in collaboration with Nintendo and Universal Pictures, the film became one of the most commercially successful video game adaptations, grossing over 1.3 billion dollars worldwide.
The newly discovered footage comes from a visual effects artist who worked on the project and provides a rare look at how the filmmakers explored different ideas for the climax.
The clip was posted to VFX artist Xavier Zahra's professional portfolio as a pre-viz sequence.
The footage focuses on the final confrontation in Brooklyn between Mario, Luigi, and Bowser and shows how a brief family moment in the balcony crowd was originally staged.
In journalistic terms: the pre-visualization places Mario's entire family on a balcony during the final fight, and the sequence briefly depicts Mario's father being snatched by a pair of Paratroopas.
The scene then cuts to Mario pursuing the Paratroopas and quickly defeating them with a kick, rescuing his father.
The pre-viz uses a different musical cue than the theatrical cut.
That version of the scene features Van Halen's 'Jump,' whereas the released film ultimately leans on musical material drawn from the Super Mario franchise for its climax.
The filmmakers' final decision on the soundtrack emphasized ties to the source games in the finished film.
Footage of the deleted sequence has been shared and discussed on video outlets; GameXplain has posted a closer look at the clip for viewers who want to examine the pre-viz.
The appearance of deleted or alternate scenes on the portfolios of visual effects contributors is a common part of post-production documentation and offers researchers and fans insight into production choices.
The Super Mario Bros.
Movie was directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic and features characters and imagery drawn from Nintendo's long-running Super Mario series, which continues to be one of Nintendo's flagship franchises across platforms including the Nintendo Switch.
This discovery is a clear example of how major animated productions iterate through multiple versions before finalizing the theatrical cut, and it provides a verified glimpse of an early creative direction for the film's climax.
Movie.
Released in theaters on April 5, 2023, and produced by Illumination in collaboration with Nintendo and Universal Pictures, the film became one of the most commercially successful video game adaptations, grossing over 1.3 billion dollars worldwide.
The newly discovered footage comes from a visual effects artist who worked on the project and provides a rare look at how the filmmakers explored different ideas for the climax.
The clip was posted to VFX artist Xavier Zahra's professional portfolio as a pre-viz sequence.
The footage focuses on the final confrontation in Brooklyn between Mario, Luigi, and Bowser and shows how a brief family moment in the balcony crowd was originally staged.
In journalistic terms: the pre-visualization places Mario's entire family on a balcony during the final fight, and the sequence briefly depicts Mario's father being snatched by a pair of Paratroopas.
The scene then cuts to Mario pursuing the Paratroopas and quickly defeating them with a kick, rescuing his father.
The pre-viz uses a different musical cue than the theatrical cut.
That version of the scene features Van Halen's 'Jump,' whereas the released film ultimately leans on musical material drawn from the Super Mario franchise for its climax.
The filmmakers' final decision on the soundtrack emphasized ties to the source games in the finished film.
Footage of the deleted sequence has been shared and discussed on video outlets; GameXplain has posted a closer look at the clip for viewers who want to examine the pre-viz.
The appearance of deleted or alternate scenes on the portfolios of visual effects contributors is a common part of post-production documentation and offers researchers and fans insight into production choices.
The Super Mario Bros.
Movie was directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic and features characters and imagery drawn from Nintendo's long-running Super Mario series, which continues to be one of Nintendo's flagship franchises across platforms including the Nintendo Switch.
This discovery is a clear example of how major animated productions iterate through multiple versions before finalizing the theatrical cut, and it provides a verified glimpse of an early creative direction for the film's climax.
