GoKawiilThe Super Mario Galaxy Movie opens on Wednesday, and it will likely be another blockbuster hit for Nintendo, like its predecessor. That movie, however, wasn't the first time the Mario Bros. hit the big screen, and if you wanted to watch that version, it's not going to be easy.
The live-action Super Mario Bros. came out in 1993, starring John Leguizamo (John Wick, The Menu), Bob Hoskins (Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Hook) and Dennis Hopper (Speed, Blue Velvet). The movie famously bombed at the box office, and Nintendo has reportedly refused to license the movie for streaming.
Even with Nintendo making it difficult to watch the original live-action movie, there are still ways to see this disaster of a film.
Where can I stream Super Mario Bros. online?
As of right now, Super Mario Bros. isn't available to stream online, at least via legal options. Prime Video, Paramount Plus, Hulu or Disney Plus don't have the movie, and while Netflix does have a page for the movie, you can't stream it. This could be a leftover page from when Netflix still mailed DVD copies of movies, or perhaps it's a placeholder.
Where can I buy Super Mario Bros.?
For those who desperately want this movie, there was a 30th anniversary Blu-ray released in 2023, the same year the new Super Mario Bros. Movie was released. It's still available on Amazon and Walmart for purchase from third-party sellers. The DVD is also still available, as well as the VHS version, but this one will cost almost $200. Those prices are for new copies, while used copies will cost much less.
Why is it so hard to stream Super Mario Bros.?
The Super Mario Bros. movie is, like many movies from the 1990s and earlier, marred by licensing issues. Back in 1990, Super Mario Bros. 3 came out for the NES and became a real moneymaker for Nintendo, which caught the attention of Hollywood. The movie's producers, Roland Joffé and Jake Eberts, struck a deal with Nintendo for a Super Mario Bros. movie for $2 million. Nintendo was interested in licensing its characters and agreed to be hands-off with the movie.
With the license, Joffé and Eberts made a deal with Hollywood Pictures and Buena Vista, two now-defunct studios owned by Disney that handled film production and distribution. They released laserdisc, VHS and DVD copies of the movie over the years. Both Disney-owned companies went extinct in the late '00s, and as Nintendo holds the rights to the Mario franchise, any decisions about the movie would likely be theirs.
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