The Super Mario Bros. Movie's Princess Peach Has Fans Erupting In Applause
The new trailer for "The Super Mario Bros." movie just dropped and fans are already excited by the portrayal of the Mushroom Kingdom's favorite monarch. Rather than being the eternal damsel in distress with an unfortunate penchant for getting kidnapped — which fans have often seen over the years — the movie's take on Princess Peach seems strong, confident, and ready to lead her people in a battle to defend their territory from the encroaching Koopa forces.
"Bowser is coming," she says as the trailer shows Bowser's flying fortress looming over her land. "Together, we are going to stop that monster." Not only does this scene exude the sense of authority that many would hope to see from the ruler of a kingdom under siege, viewers also get a sneak peak at an impressive wardrobe change: The princess goes from her puffy pink dress to an equally pink (but much more tactical-minded) battle suit, wielding a massive Halberd as she marches alongside Toad. Later in the trailer, there is also a segment in which she is seen rescuing Mario from the jaws of a Cheep Cheep and drawing the power of flame into the palm of her hand from a Fire Flower.
Needless to say, fans have had a lot to say about this take on Princess Peach.
Early fan reactions have been Super enthusiastic
Early remarks from fans regarding Peach's portrayal in the trailer have been overwhelmingly positive. Supercuts of Peach's appearances in the trailer immediately popped up on YouTube, while the character also began trending on Twitter.
Numerous viewers took to the internet to share their excitement. @DynamoSuperX shared several screenshots from the trailer and proclaimed, "So, they made Princess Peach a badass who defends her people instead of a helpless woman in the Mario Movie... WE LOVE TO SEE IT." They were far from alone in their feelings, as @GambitoSonic wrote, "Peach has always been way more interesting to me when she was a girlboss, even in the rare times it happens in games so I'm kinda glad they're taking that approach in the movie." And @EdwardSabaVO said, "Peach isn't a damsel in distress in this movie, she's actually going out and fighting to help her kingdom, I love that Nintendo and Illumination is doing this!"
Fans of the franchise appear are sending a clear message that they are excited to see Peach taking a more active role in the film. Meanwhile, others have been more focused on the new designs. @ActualAero said that "Princess Peach is a whole Fire Emblem character in the Mario Movie," while @waholarts wrote, "Never thought I'd see Princess Peach wielding a halberd, but I'm not complaining."
The hype is real for Anya Taylor-Joy's Peach
While the animations and design choices on display for Peach certainly go a long way toward illustrating her authoritative presence, a large portion of fans are also happy to finally hear the voice performance of "Queen's Gambit" and "The Northman" actress Anya Taylor-Joy. "I've been looking forward to this since the casting process," said "Super Mario Bros." creator Shigeru Miyamoto. Regarding Taylor-Joy's performance, he added, "I thought she'd be perfect for Princess Peach."
Many found the choice to cast Chris Pratt as Mario to be less than ideal, but it seems fans agree with Miyamoto when it comes to Peach. One of the commenters on the Nintendo Direct video said, "I love Anya's voice! I can't wait to see this MASTERPIECE on the big screen." Another stated, "Anya Taylor-Joy and Charlie Day were perfect choices for Peach and Luigi! Even Chris Pratt's Mario voice is growing on me."
The British-American actress certainly adds a sense of gravitas to the character, which feels very fitting given her role as the leader of a kingdom at war.
Peach has seen battle before
Of course, this isn't the first time Peach has been portrayed as a competent figure capable of saving herself from danger. In addition to playable appearances in classics like "Super Mario Bros. 2" and "Super Smash Bros. Melee," she was also the main character in "Super Princess Peach," a Nintendo DS game released in 2005 where Mario and Peach's traditional roles are flipped. In that game, Mario, Luigi and several of Peach's subjects were captured by Bowser and she set out on a solo journey to rescue them. She also had to fend for herself on more than one occasion in the "Super Mario" cartoons of the 80s and 90s.
But while there is certainly a precedent for a self-sufficient version of Peach, many fans still seem relieved to find that their princess is being given the respect that she deserves in the movie. One fan on Twitter was quick to point out this example, as well as Peach's previous portrayal in the "Super Mario Adventures" comic series, when another commenter tried to argue that the film's adaption wasn't being true to how her character was previously represented.
Peach may have started out as a stereotypical fantasy princess locked away in a tower when she was first introduced way back in 1985, but she's been a fighter for a long time now, and an overwhelming majority of fans are ready to finally see her shine on the big screen.