The proposed adaptation of Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. video game series by Universal and Illumination Entertainment has been pushed back until 2023.

The Super Mario Bros. adaptation was originally scheduled to hit theatres on December 21, with a holiday run planned. In North America, the film will now be released on April 7, 2023. On April 28, the film will be released in Japan.

Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of the Super Mario Bros. series and a Nintendo executive, announced the new release date on Nintendo’s social media on Monday evening.

“After consulting with Chris-san, [producer Chris Meledandri,] my partner at Illumination on the Super Mario Bros. film, we decided to move the global release to Spring 2023,” Miyamoto wrote. “My deepest apologies but I promise it will be well worth the wait.”

promise it will be well worth the wait”

With the Mario move leaving a hole in the holidays for Universal, the studio is moving the release date of DreamWorks Animation’s “Puss In the Boots: The Lat Wish” to fill the Dec. 21 release date. The “Shrek” spin-off sequel had been set to hit theaters on Sept 23

Because the Mario move has left a hole in Universal’s holiday schedule, the studio has moved the release date of DreamWorks Animation’s “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” to December 21. The “Shrek” spin-off sequel was supposed to be released on September 23.

Plans for a Super Mario Bros. animated film began to solidify in 2018, with Nintendo and Universal establishing a cooperation on the project after years of gestation. Illumination Entertainment, the studio behind “Minions,” “Despicable Me,” and “Sing,” was also a part of the project. The feature film is being co-financed by Universal and Nintendo.

Nintendo announced the voice cast for the Super Mario Bros. film in September 2021, with Chris Pratt voicing the Italian plumber protagonist. Princess Peach is played by Anya Taylor-Joy, Luigi is played by Charlie Day, Bowser is played by Jack Black, Toad is played by Keegan-Michael Key, Donkey Kong is played by Seth Rogen, Kamek is played by Kevin Michael Richardson, Cranky Kong is played by Fred Armisen, and Spike is played by Sebastian Maniscalco. Charles Martinet, the original Mario voice actor, will make a cameo appearance in the film.

Following the casting announcement, producer Meledandri clarified that Pratt would not be portraying Mario in the film with a strong Italian accent.

The film is directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, who previously worked together on the animated series “Teen Titans Go!” and the spin-off feature “Teen Titans Go! To the Movies.” Matthew Fogel wrote the script, which he also wrote for “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” and the upcoming Illumination film “Minions: The Rise of Gru.”