Seth Rogen Was Clueless About His Super Mario Bros. Character
Seth Rogen voices Donkey Kong in the Super Mario Bros movie and didn't know he hated Mario.
It’s common knowledge that Donkey Kong doesn’t like Mario, right? Apparently not, according to Seth Rogen, who voices Donkey Kong in the new Super Mario Bros. movie. Rogen revealed to IGN, in a video that was played over TikTok, that it was “a funny kind of discovery” to learn that Donkey Kong hates Mario.
Most people who have played any of the Super Mario Bros. or Donkey Kong video games know that Donkey Kong is generally a hero, but he also doesn’t get along well with Mario, who made his video game debut in Donkey Kong’s 1981 arcade game. In this game, Mario was climbing stairs while Donkey Kong continuously threw barrels of bananas at him.
While this might not make them full-blown enemies, it certainly doesn’t make them friends.
Seth Rogen was cast to voice Donkey Kong in the new Super Mario Bros. movie alongside Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Jack Black, and Anya Taylor-Joy. Since the movie was released on April 5, many critics have had a lot to say about the film, including their thoughts on Seth Rogen’s voice. Some fans don’t like that the Freaks and Geeks actor didn’t change his voice at all for the role and that he didn’t put very that much effort at the red carpet premiere.
Fans shouldn’t be surprised that Seth Rogen didn’t change his signature voice (and laugh) for Super Mario Bros. since he didn’t change it for any of his other voice character roles like Master Mantis in Kung Fu Panda, B.O.B. in Monsters vs. Aliens, and Pumbaa in 2019’s The Lion King. For some, this may be distracting or annoying, but for others they might just enjoy the sound of Seth Rogen’s distinct voice.
In Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong has a leading role as he helps Mario on his journey to save his brother, Luigi. However, the two still have a rivalry as they initially battle things out in the Great Arena of Kong, with Donkey Kong getting the upper hand. Their relationship grows and evolves as the movie progresses, taking them on a journey through the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond.
So far, the new Super Mario Bros. has been incredibly successful, setting a record for the highest five-day debut of an animated movie at $377 million worldwide ($224.7 million coming in from just the United States and Canada), according to Variety. The film kicked Frozen II out of the top spot at $358.5 million and The Lion King out of second place at $245.9 million.
While nothing has been confirmed yet, there are hopes that Seth Rogen and the rest of the cast will return for a sequel to Super Mario Bros. Either way, Seth Rogen will continue to be very busy with voice acting work as he will be voicing Frank in Sausage Party: Foodtopia, Pumbaa in Mufasa: The Lion King, Mantis in Kung Fu Panda 4, and Bebop in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. This is in addition to his many regular acting roles, including his roles in the upcoming projects Platonic, Dumb Money, and Being Mortal.
