Who are The Super Mario Bros. Movie Characters?

Based on the popular video game franchise developed by Nintendo, The Super Mario Bros. Movie takes us on an epic adventure through Mushroom Kingdom. Along the way we meet a colourful cast of characters, each with a unique personality and backstory. From the heroic Mario to the evil Bowser, this guide will introduce you to all the major players in the film. So, let's dive in and get to know these iconic characters!

Mario (Chris Pratt)

Mario is the protagonist and main character in Nintendo and Illumination Entertainment’s new film, The Super Mario Bros Movie. He is a beloved icon who is known for his trademark red hat adorned with his first initial. Although he is a skilled plumber, Mario’s true calling is being a hero. He is always ready for adventure and travels across Mushroom Kingdom time after time to save his friends from danger. In The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Mario is shown to be brave and determined as he embarks on a perilous journey across Mushroom Kingdom with Princess Peach to save the world from evil Bowser.

The character of Mario is voiced by Chris Pratt in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Pratt began his acting career in the early 2000s with small roles in television shows, but gained wider recognition for his role as Andy Dwyer in the popular sitcom 'Parks and Recreation'. Since rising to fame, Pratt has starred in many other blockbuster films including 'Guardians of the Galaxy', 'Jurassic World' and 'Avengers: Infinity War'.

Luigi (Charlie Day)

Voiced by Charlie Day, Luigi plays a large role in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. He is the younger brother of Mario and is known for his iconic green hat. In the film, he is also seen wearing a matching green collared shirt beneath his signature denim overalls. Like his brother, Luigi grew up in Mushroom Kingdom and became a plumber. Although shown to be more cowardly than Mario, he fights evil alongside his brother being brave when it counts and is incredibly loyal to his friends. In The Super Mario Bros. Movie, we see Luigi get separated from his brother as he is kidnapped by Bowser. Will Mario and Princess Peach be able to save him?

Before voicing Luigi in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Charlie Day appeared in a number of well-loved TV shows and films. He is arguably most famous for his role as Charlie Kelly on the popular TV show 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia', which he also co-created. Other films he has starred in include 'Horrible Bosses' and 'Pacific Rim'. He also has previous experience as a voice actor, voicing Benny in "The Lego Movie” and Lenny in “The Simpsons”.

Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy)

Princess Peach, also known as Princess Peach Toadstool or just Peach, is one of the most recognisable characters in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. As her title may suggest, she rules over Mushroom Kingdom and lives in Castle Toadstool with her loyal helper, Toad. Although royalty comes with many privileges, Princess Peach often finds herself in trouble because of her position as ruler. She is often kidnapped by Bowser, the evil antagonist who wants to take over her kingdom. This time though, it is Luigi who has been kidnapped and Peach joins Mario and Toad on their quest to stop Bowser and save the world.

Voicing Princess Peach is 27-year-old actor and model, Anya Taylor-Joy. Anya first gained recognition for her role in a horror film in 2015, and has since starred in several other well-loved films including 'Emma' and 'Playmobil: The Movie'. She also plays the lead role in Netflix's 'The Queen's Gambit'.

Bowser (Jack Black)

Bowser, also known as King Koopa, is the main antagonist and one of the leading characters in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. He is a giant anthropomorphic turtle with sharp teeth and a spiked shell. Bowser also has extremely sharp claws and breathes fire. In other words, you don’t want to mess with him. He is the power-hungry ruler of an army of loyal henchmen, including Goombas and Koopa Troopas, who he uses to help him achieve his goal of taking over Mushroom Kingdom. He is also the father of seven Koopalings. In The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Bowser is yet again trying to take over the world and make Princess Peach his queen using the Power Star. Otherwise, he threatens to use the Star to destroy her kingdom.

The character of Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie is voiced by Jack Black. This actor, comedian and musician is a household name, having rose to fame in the late 90s as one of the rock-duo 'Tenacious D'. As well as having a thriving music career, Jack Black also became a successful actor and has since starred in countless blockbuster films including 'Kung Fu Panda' and 'King Kong'. Arguably, the most famous film associated with Jack Black is 'School of Rock', in which he played the starring role of Dewey Finn.

Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen)

Donkey Kong (DK) is a semi-friendly, giant gorilla who is a key character in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. He is the Prince of Jungle Kingdom where he lives alongside other members of his species. Unsurprisingly, he loves bananas and you might find an array of slippery skins lying around his kingdom. The popularity of Donkey Kong has also led to the creation of a whole family of new characters including his nephew, Diddy Kong, and his arch-nemesis, King K. Rool. Although DK has been Mario’s main antagonist in Super Mario Bros. video games in the past, he is now a friendly rival of the plumber.

In the new film, Donkey Kong is voiced by Canadian actor, director, writer, and comedian Seth Rogen. He rose to fame by writing for and acting in the 1999 television series 'Freaks and Geeks', and has since starred in a variety of award-winning comedy films. Alongside Donkey Kong, Rogen has voiced many other well-loved animated characters including Mantis from 'Kung Fu Panda' (alongside co-star Jack Black) and Pumbaa from Disney’s 'The Lion King'.

Toad (Keegan-Michael Key)

One of the smallest but most significant characters in The Super Mario Bros. Movie is Toad. He is an adorable, cheerful mushroom and loyal friend to Princess Peach. Although tiny, Toad doesn’t let his size stop him. He is a brave character who will stand up for those he cares about and isn’t afraid to fight for what’s right. He plays a main part in The Super Mario Bros. Movie as he teams up with Mario and Peach to save Mushroom Kingdom from Bowser’s control.

Actor, comedian and writer Keegan-Michael Key is the voice of Toad in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Alongside the Super Mario Bros. franchise, Key has starred in a huge range of popular films including the ‘Hotel Transylvania’ franchise and Disney’s ‘Pinocchio’ and ‘Toy Story 4’. He has also landed a role in the new 2023 film ‘Wonka’ due to be released at the end of the year.

Go on a learning adventure with our Super Mario Bros. activities!

Would you like to experience the excitement of Super Mario in the comfort of your own home? Well, you’re in luck! We’ve teamed up with Universal Pictures to bring you an entire collection of fun activities themed around The Super Mario Bros. Movie characters. You can join Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Toad on a learning adventure through Mushroom Kingdom with any one of our engaging resources. We have so many to choose from that we’re sure your little ones will enjoy, from maths games and number codebreakers to writing worksheets and wellbeing lessons. There’s something for everyone!

Here are just a few of our favourites in particular that we think you’ll also adore:

• Mario Maths Aids Tabletop Resource Pack [Ages 7-11]
• Super Mario Bros. Motivational Reward Chart
• Super Mario Piranha Plants and Pipes Board Game
• Create Your Own Super Mario Bros. Movie Scene Activity
• Super Mario Bros. Learning Activity Booklet

You can also watch the official trailer of The Super Mario Bros. Movie below to see all your favourite characters in action!