Jack Black is already thinking about a sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and he knows exactly who he would want to play Wario should the franchise need a new villain. That person is Pedro Pascal.
“It’s not a given that Bowser will return,” Black told GameSpot‘s Phil Owen of his villain character in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. “You know, I did a few ‘Kung Fu Panda’ movies, and it was a different villain every movie. They may do the same thing.”
“What if there is a more powerful, more evil villain? Then I may need to be turned to help Mario and the rest to defend our universe against some other unseen force of evil. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Black said. “Wario. Pedro Pascal is Wario.”
Pedro Pascal has been the talk of the internet since he starred opposite Nicolas Cage in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent and then followed it up by playing the main character, Joel, in HBO’s wildly popular new fungus-zombie series The Last of Us.
Also Read: That Time Dennis Hopper ‘Exploded’ on the Set of the Original 1993 Super Mario Bros. Movie
With so many people swooning over Pascal these days, paired with Pascal’s incredible acting talent, it makes sense why Black would see him as the perfect Wario to join the Super Mario Bros. franchise.
Who is Wario?
Wario is an arch-nemesis of Mario who first appeared as the final boss in the 1992 Game Boy game Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. He wears purple overalls, green shoes, and a yellow shirt and hat with a blue “W” for Wario. He is characterized by a menacing look and a squiggly mustache.
The animated Super Mario Bros. movie follows Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt), who prepares to fight the villain Bowser (Jack Black) with the help of Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) alongside Luigi (Charlie Day), Toad (Keegan-Michael Key), and Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen).
A sequel has not yet been announced by Nintendo or production company Illumination, but a post-credit scene at the end of the movie leaves the door open.
Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri recently told Variety, “Our focus right now is entirely on bringing the film out to the audience, and at this time, we’re not prepared to talk about what’s coming in the future… I definitely wouldn’t rule anything out.”
In any case, Pedro Pascal may be wise to start trying on overalls!
Super Mario Bros. is now playing in theaters.
Main Image: Bowser, voiced by Jack Black, in Super Mario Bros. (2023). Photo credit: Nintendo, Universal, Illumination