The movie Bob Hoskins called “the worst thing I ever did”
When it comes to an extensive filmography like Bob Hoskins’, it’s always difficult for fans to single out their favourites. Having starred in beloved gems such as The Long Good Friday and Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Hoskins has solidified his legacy as a talented actor whose films are still celebrated by modern audiences. However, there’s one particular project that he always considered to be a major mistake within the context of his illustrious career.
When the 1993 adaptation of Super Mario Bros was first announced, many thought that it would mark the beginning of a new era for movies based on the burgeoning world of video games. Made on a budget of around $45million, the whimsical nuances of the Mario universe failed to translate to the big screen, and it was cited by many as one of the worst films ever made. In addition to the poor critical reception, Super Mario Bros also experienced a significant failure at the box office.
During a conversation with The Guardian, Hoskins unhesitatingly declared that Super Mario Bros was the lowest point of his career: “The worst thing I ever did? Super Mario Brothers. It was a fuckin’ nightmare. The whole experience was a nightmare. It had a husband-and-wife team directing, whose arrogance had been mistaken for talent. After so many weeks, their own agent told them to get off the set! Fuckin’ nightmare. Fuckin’ idiots.”
The film’s co-director, Rocky Morton, also acknowledged that there were serious issues in the production process that contributed to the disaster that was Super Mario Bros. When the project was initially being discussed, many big names, such as Harold Ramis, were attached to the idea, but all those conversations eventually fell through.
Morton later admitted: “We were spending so much money; they needed more money, and it was an independent production at the time — I think it was financed by a French bank or something — so they decided to try and pre-sell it to a studio to raise the money to finish it. The reaction from the studios was that the script that was written was too dark and too adult, and it should be rewritten — or de-written, as I called it — to a lower level, adding stupid gags and making it more childlike, which is what happened.”
Despite the original failures of the project, Super Mario Bros has revived its legacy as a cult classic within the Mario fandom. It was recently rebooted as a modern animated project starring major Hollywood figures such as Chris Pratt and Anya Taylor-Joy.
Watch the trailer of the original Super Mario Bros below.
