Wreck it Ralph made a name for itself by having a multitude of video game cameos. The sequel, Ralph Breaks the Internet may have Disney Princesses and other video game icons but Mario won’t be there like fans hoped. Since Mario’s enemy Bowser made a brief appearance in the first movie, it would make sense to include him in the sequel. News straight from the source shattered those hopes, but we do get Sonic though so there is that.
Story Artist Jason Hand confirmed exclusively to Inside the Magic about Mario and his exclusion from the upcoming sequel. He didn’t go into too much detail about why Disney couldn’t get the rights to use him so we can only speculate at this point the many reasons why. It could be money, could be legal, who really knows? This news upsets me but doesn’t make me any less excited for the film.
Hand: Some of the stuff was that we don’t have rights to certain characters, because we’re working in a world of other people’s media. It’s like, that would have been really funny if we could have Mario in here doing this part, but it doesn’t end up working out because of that, and it’s fine and the story doesn’t actually end up needing it. But as individual bits, it’s like “That’s a great ‘Saturday Night Live’ bit!” Rich [Moore] and Phil [Johnston, the movie’s co-directors] are pretty much full of those things so it’s an endless amount of great ideas, honestly.
ITM: It’s interesting that they wouldn’t give you Mario because you had Bowser in the first movie, I thought.
Hand: Yeah, I don’t know the logistics of any of that stuff. That’s above my pay grade.
It does leave one to wonder that how they were able to get Bowser for the first film but they can’t get Mario for the sequel? Perhaps Nintendo is working on its own Mario film? I have so many questions but so little answers that it leaves one frustrated. Ralph Breaks the Internet hits theaters next month and I for one can’t wait, Mario or no Mario.
INTERVIEW: “Ralph Breaks the Internet” story team talks moments that didn’t make it into Disney sequel [InsideTheMagic]
