Mario Goes Hollywood: A Collaborative Timeline

So, in the grand tradition of putting too much on my plate, I'm adding on a collaborative timeline to my current crop of creative efforts. In this case, the main concept of the timeline is to go through the 20+ years of bad, bad, so very bad films based on video games and try to see if we can turn it around, destroy the long-held pop culture truism that movies based on video games are box office poison, critical punching bags, and career suicide.

Now, for the basic guidelines for contributing. Not hard rules, just stuff to keep in mind.

  1. We're mainly gonna be focusing on the live-action films as with a few exceptions, animated films based on video games tend to be pretty good (though Spirits Within is under consideration for retooling)
  2. Apart from the mainline films, anything is free game as far as butterflies go. As long as nothing contradicts, we'll keep it canon.
  3. Mainline films will be discussed at length in comparison to anything else. This can be from the story, casting, director and release date. I wanna make sure that we got everything locked as far as salvaging a film goes.
  4. Not every video game movie is gonna be saved. Sometimes a property just can't carry a feature film and while we might be able to keep them from being outright bombs, every video game movie being a blockbuster smash hit would just sink into wank territory.
  5. While the main focus is the film industry, as you can imagine, this can have effects on the gaming industry as well.
  6. Have fun!

Thanks to @Nivek for his "Nintendo/Disney Team-Up" thread for giving me the push to go through with this bad boy. Because what could be a more appropriate first topic for us to knock the Dominos of Fate over than...

Super Mario Bros.

Yep. This movie. The one that started the curse. And looking on its history... well, it's also a crying shame the movie we didn't get. I'm actually skimming through the Parker/Jennewein script (which can be found here: http://www.smbmovie.com/SMBArchive/preproduction/script.htm) and it's not bad.

And if these dates are right, this movie spent over a year in writing, just going from script to script. Really, the POD for this is easy enough: Harold Ramis accepts the job of directing the film.

It's not a bad situation. Ramis is a talented comedy writer and director and while the fantasy elements are a bit off-field (which is why I'd be fine with bringing in Rob Reiner as a possible replacement for Ramis)

Right now, the big issue I wanna talk with you guys is the casting. Here's who I've got that we can carry over from the OTL film.

Mario - Bob Hoskins
Luigi - John Leguizamo
Daisy - Samantha Mathis (renamed from Hildy in the original script at Nintendo's request)
Big Eddie - Gianni Russo (played Anthony Scapelli in the OTL film and it's a similar role of a human antagonist to Mario)
Woltan the Wizard/King Woltan - Lance Henriksen (Henriksen played King Reznor in the OTL film)
Beedleman - (Beedleman is basically proto-Kamek, Bower's wizard and right-hand man)
Toad - (Mojo Nixon was picked because they wanted a musician as Toad and their first pick was Tom Waits. No, seriously)
Mugger - (Described as Koopa's #1 Trooper)
The Hag/Pauline - Fiona Shaw (She wasn't Pauline in the script, I just figured it'd make a cute nod to Donkey Kong)
Yoshi/Junior - Frank Welker (Welker will probably provide voices for a lot of the non-human cast)
Koopa/Boswer - Dennis Hopper

So, let's see about filling the gaps and maybe shuffling out some bad picks, though I assume the trio of Hoskins/Leguizamo/Mathis are gonna stay on this one and maybe Dennis Hopper as Koopa.
 
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, animated films based on video games tend to be pretty good (though Spirits Within is under consideration for retooling)
With all due respect SW...that feels more something out for a SCI-FI Original IP that FF, even FFVII aND VIII feels fantasy enough, SW was very low sci fi even with the phantom.

Still a shame too late to save Brandon, he could help a lot the Mortal Kombat Movie,an idea for that, try make Raiden and other closer to game, looks for a good asian actor for Raiden for example
 
With all due respect SW...that feels more something out for a SCI-FI Original IP that FF, even FFVII aND VIII feels fantasy enough, SW was very low sci fi even with the phantom.

Still a shame too late to save Brandon, he could help a lot the Mortal Kombat Movie,an idea for that, try make Raiden and other closer to game, looks for a good asian actor for Raiden for example

Well now, don't be too hasty. The first script for Super Mario Bros. was last revised on July 17, 1991. Now, I don't know how much time we'd have between then and signing Ramis, but I'll say we're still in a position to save Brandon Lee. And trust me, I wanna see about getting him in a few of these, and not just for Mortal Kombat. Like, maybe have him replace Scott Wolf in the Double Dragon movie or have him play Fei Long in Street Fighter.
 
Wouldn't Captain Lou work better as Mario since he played him in the Super Show?
Hrm, that's not a bad idea, though I imagine Lightmovie would probably want to go with a more experienced actor.
As @Megafighter3 Say, Bob is far more experience and he already have experience with who frammed roger rabbit in those hybrid of reality and fantasy, so he would work very well, plus he got the short end of the straw OTL, a shame, at least Leguizamo did kickstarted his career with this gig OTL
 
So, looking over the SMB movie archive and I found out the secondary character Daniella is actually supposed to be Pauline. Her full name in the movie is Daniella Pauline Verducci.

Now, with that in mind, do we stick with Fiona Shaw as the Hag/Pauline or go with Dana Kaminski (who played Daniella in the OTL film)?

And the other big problems in casting are Toad, Mugger, and Beedleman.

Toad: Now, Toad is described in the synopsis (and most likely the script) as a "3-foot high mushroom creature" which means we're gonna need a little person actor. If you guys know any that were active in 1991, great. If not, we may have to start Verne Troyer's career three years earlier than OTL.

Mugger: Given his status as Koopa's #1 Trooper, I assume a big guy will fit the role well. Like, someone who can play a good fight before the main baddy, ya know? Not a lot of brains, but a lot of muscle.

Beedleman: For Beedleman, you'd need the opposite. He's described as Koopa's sycophantic right-hand man, so we need someone who can do that. A real simpering type, constantly kissing Koopa's ass.
 
If we bring in Rob Reiner, this butterflies away North quite nicely, methinks; Roger Ebert truly hated that movie (to the point that he named two books after that quote)…

Bob Hoskins even said in an interview that he wouldn't do Super Mario Brothers again; Dennis Hopper said that he took the role because his son needed new shoes...

Those four were the best actors; shame they had a bad movie around them...
 
If we bring in Rob Reiner, this butterflies away North quite nicely, methinks; Roger Ebert truly hated that movie (to the point that he named two books after that quote)…

Bob Hoskins even said in an interview that he wouldn't do Super Mario Brothers again; Dennis Hopper said that he took the role because his son needed new shoes...

Those four were the best actors; shame they had a bad movie around them...

Honestly, it might not butterfly away North. I'm running on production starting earlier than OTL thanks to the Parker/Jennewein script being used, which was written in July '91 and with a director who isn't putting the script in constant rewrites (Hopper was supposed to just work on the film for five weeks and ended up doing seventeen) it's more than likely that with either Ramis or Reiner, we've got a 1992 release rather than 1993. North was released in 1994, so we're sadly stuck with it.
 
So, two thoughts on the casting.

  1. Kenny Baker for Toad. I considered Warwick Davis, but I didn't wanna risk butterflying away Leprechaun and Baker hadn't been in a film since Willow at this point. He mostly did TV until 1993 with U.F.O. and then went for six years without another film role until that 1999 classic The King and I. Oh yeah... and that Star Wars movie that came out. So yeah, Kenny Baker needs work.
  2. Meanwhile, for Beedleman I was thinking of going with Brad Dourif, who is a fucking busy dude. Dude was in five movies released in 1991. And yeah, this is pulling from him being Wormtongue, so if you got any better choices, I'm all ears.

Any objections?
 
enny Baker for Toad. I considered Warwick Davis, but I didn't wanna risk butterflying away Leprechaun and Baker hadn't been in a film since Willow at this point. He mostly did TV until 1993 with U.F.O. and then went for six years without another film role until that 1999 classic The King and I. Oh yeah... and that Star Wars movie that came out. So yeah, Kenny Baker needs work.
That is a nice casting choice, nice one buddy.
 
I recommend Tom Hanks play Luigi. On top of being taller than Bob Hoskins he almost did (or at least was considered to) play Luigi OTL.
 
I recommend Tom Hanks play Luigi. On top of being taller than Bob Hoskins he almost did (or at least was considered to) play Luigi OTL.

It's not a bad idea for the name value, but he'd have to lose his spot in A League of Their Own as a trade-off with Jim Belushi taking the part instead.

Edit: Oh yeah, now I remember why they didn't go with Hanks (who was also argued for Mario), he had been two flops back to back in 1990 with Joe vs. the Volcano and Bonfire of the Vanities so while us with our hindsight might consider him, it'd be considered a risky proposition for the producers. But, I'll leave Hanks on the table (with the option of potentially getting Meg Ryan to play Daisy if he signs) and see what everyone else thinks.
 
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I recommend Tom Hanks play Luigi. On top of being taller than Bob Hoskins he almost did (or at least was considered to) play Luigi OTL.
It's not a bad idea for the name value, but he'd have to lose his spot in A League of Their Own as a trade-off with Jim Belushi taking the part instead.

Edit: Oh yeah, now I remember why they didn't go with Hanks (who was also argued for Mario), he had been two flops back to back in 1990 with Joe vs. the Volcano and Bonfire of the Vanities so while us with our hindsight might consider him, it'd be considered a risky proposition for the producers. But, I'll leave Hanks on the table (with the option of potentially getting Meg Ryan to play Daisy if he signs) and see what everyone else thinks.
Nah for me is a massive loss...as losing the chance to leguizamo to kickstart his career...still could be the comedy just before philadelphia
 
Nah for me is a massive loss...as losing the chance to leguizamo to kickstart his career...still could be the comedy just before philadelphia

I understand the Mario movie kicked off Leguizamo's career but out of the entire OTL Cast he's the only one who seems miscast. Like Scarlett Johansson as Motoko Kusanagi.

The funny thing is John Leguizamo turned down a role in Philadelphia to be in Super Mario Bros while Tom Hanks got booted off Super Mario Bros and instead starred in Philadelphia.(and won the Oscar for Best Actor.)

Leguizamo's career still has Carlito's Way and Philadelphia would give him some good cred if he chooses it over Super Mario Bros. So I don't think not being in Super Mario Bros would negatively affect his career too much.
 
I understand the Mario movie kicked off Leguizamo's career but out of the entire OTL Cast he's the only one who seems miscast. Like Scarlett Johansson as Motoko Kusanagi.

The funny thing is John Leguizamo turned down a role in Philadelphia to be in Super Mario Bros while Tom Hanks got booted off Super Mario Bros and instead starred in Philadelphia.(and won the Oscar for Best Actor.)

Leguizamo's career still has Carlito's Way and Philadelphia would give him some good cred if he chooses it over Super Mario Bros. So I don't think not being in Super Mario Bros would negatively affect his career too much.
Yeah but seems that was the only benefit, the irony if that minor role in philadelphia help him to go to Carlito Way, that is why was vital, SMB all issue, show John could really act
 
I understand the Mario movie kicked off Leguizamo's career but out of the entire OTL Cast he's the only one who seems miscast. Like Scarlett Johansson as Motoko Kusanagi.

The funny thing is John Leguizamo turned down a role in Philadelphia to be in Super Mario Bros while Tom Hanks got booted off Super Mario Bros and instead starred in Philadelphia.(and won the Oscar for Best Actor.)

Leguizamo's career still has Carlito's Way and Philadelphia would give him some good cred if he chooses it over Super Mario Bros. So I don't think not being in Super Mario Bros would negatively affect his career too much.

I am amused by this quote from Leguizamo, though.

"You always see a lot of Italians playing Latin people, like Al Pacino did in Scarface. Now it's our turn!"
 
Honestly, I'm leaning back to Leguizamo as Luigi, mainly because he does really need this to get his career off the ground. Hanks has plenty of movies to bounce back with and I'll be honest, I just can't see Tom Hanks in green overalls.

Now, how about Brad Dourif as Beedleman? That cool with everyone?
 
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