New Mario Movie’s Short Runtime Revealed In Advance

As The Super Mario Bros. Movie approaches its incoming release, the animated blockbuster reportedly reveals its skinny runtime.

By Klein Felt Updated:
Mario Movie Runtime

The runtime for Illumination Entertainment's The Super Mario Bros. Movie has reportedly been revealed. 

The upcoming Mario movie is quickly building up anticipation with Chris Pratt's titular plumber set to take audiences on an adventure across the Mushroom Kingdom. 

Pratt is joined by an extensive voice cast including the likes of Anya Taylor-Joy (Princess Peach), Jack Black (Bowser), and Seth Rogen (Donkey Kong). 

The animated affair has seen a number of posters and trailers released as it approaches its debut in early April, but any specific plot details and an exact runtime have remained massive question marks. 

Super Mario's Powered-Up Runtime

Mario Movie Poster
Illumination

A new listing has seemingly unveiled the final runtime for The Super Mario Bros. Movie from Illumination Entertainment. 

According to a listing on the Irish Film Classification Office (IFCO), the animated adventure comes in at 1 hour and 32 minutes long. 

This is a little on the leaner end of recent animated films, with Pixar's Turned Red and Lightyear both breaking the 1-hour 40-minute ceiling.

Below is a list for comparison with recent animated films:

  • Turning Red: 1 hour, 40 minutes
  • The Bad Guys: 1 hour, 40 minutes
  • League of Superpets: 1 hour, 45 minutes
  • Lightyear: 1 hour, 45 minutes
  • Luck: 1 hour, 45 minutes
  • Strange World: 1 hour, 42 minutes
  • Puss in Boots: The Last Wish: 1 hour, 42 minutes

However, the 92-minute runtime for Mario is about par for the course Illumination films, with the studio's average runtime across its movies sitting right at that 1-hour 32-minute mark:

  • Despicable Me (2010): 1 hour, 35 minutes
  • The Lorax (2012): 1 hour, 26 minutes
  • Despicable Me 2 (2013): 1 hour, 38 minutes
  • Minions (2015): 1 hour, 31 minutes
  • The Secret Life of Pets (2016): 1 hour, 26 minutes
  • Sing (2016): 1 hour, 47 minutes
  • Despicable Me 3 (2017): 1 hour, 30 minutes
  • The Grinch (2018): 1 hour, 25 minutes
  • The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019): 1 hour, 26 minutes
  • Sing 2 (2021): 1 hour, 50 minutes
  • Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022): 1 hour, 27 minutes

What to Expect in the Mario Bros. Movie

Some will look at this 92-minute runtime and scoff at it, as a contingent of fans has been hoping for some sort of Mario-themed epic coming to the big screen. But Illumination has proven what they can do with these shorter animated movies. 

The Despicable Me franchise has become one of the most beloved names in animation and the longest of those films is 98 minutes. 

This shorter length likely means audiences will be thrust into the world of the Mushroom Kingdom quickly and the action will not stop from there. 

There is not a ton of narrative exposition that needs to be done for a movie like this. Mario's story is not some Tolkien-esque odyssey. It's a simple get-the-bad-guy story with a colorful world and a talking monkey voiced by Seth Rogen

Hopefully, this leaner runtime makes the film feel like it has momentum without feeling rushed, showing off the bits of Mario fan service it needs to while telling a compelling story. 

The Super Mario Bros Movie hits theaters on April 7. 

- In This Article: The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Release Date
April 05, 2023
Platform
Theaters
Actors
Anya Taylor-Joy
Charlie Day
Jack Black
- About The Author: Klein Felt
Klein Felt is a Senior Editor at The Direct. Joining the website back in 2020, he helped jumpstart video game content on The Direct. Klein plays a vital role as a part of the site's content team, demonstrating expertise in all things PlayStation, Marvel, and the greater entertainment industry.