Max Landis, the screen writer of ‘Chronicle,’ has just released an old 436 page script he wrote for a film based on the iconic Nintendo game ‘Super Mario World.’
Written for the sake of it when Landis was 19, the script has been released on the screenwriter’s blog as a free download for all to read. The huge document itself includes a foreword written by Landis cautioning readers of the crazy ‘Game of Thrones’ level of story and character development present in the script. Two times over, Landis reiterates “This. Script. Sucks.” in larger and bolder print.
However, Landis isn’t all down on the script. He states in his foreword how much he appreciates having went the epic fantasy-like structure with the ‘Super Mario Bros.’ universe.
To say the least, the script is very much worth a read, even just for an hour or two, just so you can literally scratch your head and be in awe at how nutty the whole thing is. Dialogue stretches on for days and fight scenes are literally explained in excruciating detail. Landis even decided to shoehorn in as many Nintendo characters into the script as he could as well, and literally a good majority of those characters, like ‘Donkey Kong Country’s’ Funky Kong, get their own full-on major story arcs.
Included on Landis’ blog are also actual pieces of concept art that he commissioned an artist to draw that reflect the tone and feel of that the film would have gone for granted that it ever got made. It’s most definitely an interesting take for sure.
It is quite crazy to think about why the film industry looks to make films based on certain videogames. Sure, some of them do transition well in terms of concept, especially now since games incorporating more and more elements from film into their storytelling. But there are others you get can’t help but ponder “why?” Case in point, the upcoming live-action film based on ‘Minecraft.’ Then again, we need only look to the beginning with 1993’s ‘Super Mario Bros.’ to realize that there is no stopping the film industry from acquiring a famous property to make some sort of adaptation. Regardless, all I know is that I would very much love to see Landis’ script be made. It would have to be several films, but who wouldn’t want to see a ‘Super Mario World’ film like this?
