Chris Pratt Finally Reveals Why He Tweaked Mario's Mamma Mia for the Super Mario Movies

Chris Pratt is back as Mario for the next big-screen adventure, but if you thought you’d get the exact same 'Mamma Mia' you’ve heard in every game… well, prep for a plot twist. Turns out, they’re switching things up in the upcoming 'Super Mario Galaxy Movie,' and Pratt himself has some thoughts on why the mustachioed plumber isn’t defaulting to that classic Italian catchphrase in the way you might expect.

'Mamma Mia' Gets a Brooklyn Makeover

So here’s what’s really going on: Pratt opened up in a new interview about how he approached Mario’s iconic exclamation for the sequel. The film’s script still calls for the familiar 'Mamma Mia,' but according to Pratt, there was a bit of a dilemma about how to actually say it. The heart of the issue? Mario is supposed to be from Brooklyn — not straight out of Rome — and the original accent doesn’t quite fit a New Yorker.

He went further, saying it was always a challenge to find a version of 'Mamma Mia' that actually worked for the character — “It’s always really hard to find how ‘Mamma Mia’ works,” Pratt admitted. Apparently, the line often felt out of place, so he kept tinkering with how he delivered it, hoping to make it sound more authentic and a bit less like a Broadway caricature.

Part of his solution? Slow the phrase down, play with the timing, and try different inflections instead of just dropping the usual Italian punch. In Pratt’s words, “I’ve always tried to vary,” and he even demonstrated what he meant: “Maaammaaa Miaaaa,” dragging it out and switching up the cadence. The goal, it seems, was to mellow out the accent and make the line less of a cartoonish stereotype — though even he admits he’s still not sure he ever quite nailed it.

Who’s Along for the Ride This Time?

All this tweaking isn’t happening in a vacuum. The 'Super Mario Galaxy Movie' is the follow-up to the record-shattering 2023 film that pulled in over $1.36 billion at the global box office. Pratt is back as Mario, with Charlie Day, Jack Black, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Keegan-Michael Key all returning to the Mushroom Kingdom. And there are some shiny new coins in the casting block:

• Brie Larson
• Donald Glover
• Issa Rae

No word yet on how much screen time any of the newcomers will have, or whether they’ll get their own catchphrases (imagine Donald Glover as Wario — just saying, I’d watch that). What’s clear is the creative team is still trying to balance Mario’s gaming roots with the evolving voice of the big-budget, all-star ensemble movie version. So if Mario’s catchphrase sounds a little less operatic this time around, now you know why — and honestly, I kind of get it.