Super Mario Fans React To Seth Rogen's Donkey Kong Voice: Love It Or Leave It?

The Super Mario Bros. Movie has been highly anticipated by fans of the franchise for months. More recently, a brand-new commercial for the film, which revealed Seth Rogan's voice as Donkey Kong for the first time, has sparked even more excitement and buzz among fans. The 30-second clip, debuting on 29 January 2023, sees Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt) in a brawl against the beloved ape. 

Fans were quick to react to Rogen's voice as Donkey Kong, with opinions being somewhat divided. After Mario activates a Cat Mario power-up, a feature first seen in the 2013 Nintendo-exclusive Super Mario 3D World, Rogan's Donkey Kong bursts out with laughter, saying, "You got the cat box! I’m sorry," before regaining his composure and adding, "Now you die." You can watch the clip below.

On the one hand, fans were excited to hear the Superbad (2007) actor's unique natural voice and signature laugh, which is somewhat gruff and boisterous. "Each drop of new footage we get continues to impress," wrote one user on Twitter. "Donkey's vice is spot on, and so glad the catsuit is in the movie," noted another. On the other hand, not all fans were thrilled with the casting.

Some fans on Twitter criticized Rogen's voice as being too similar to his natural voice and not fitting the character or style of The Super Mario Bros. franchise. [I] kinda wish Donkey Kong had a little more of a unique voice rather than viewers feeling like they’re just watching another movie with Seth Rogen, especially if Chris Pratt is playing Mario," wrote a third Twitter user. "That's literally just Seth Rogan in a Donkey Kong suit," echoed a fourth.

Despite these mixed reactions, it goes without saying that many fans are still excited to watch The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Likewise, many are keen to see how Rogen's performance will play out, with one fan on Twitter joking that they are "more on board with Seth Rogan's Donkey Kong than [they are] with Chris Pratt's Mario."

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is the third adaptation of the popular Mario video game created by game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. The film is confirmed to release in theaters across the United States on 7 April 2023 and in other parts of the world around 29 and 30 March 2023.