Charles Martinet, the iconic voice of Mario in Nintendo games since the 1990s, is bidding farewell to the Mushroom Kingdom.
Nintendo of America officially announced on Monday that Martinet will now assume the role of “Mario Ambassador.” As the ambassador, he will travel worldwide to promote the beloved plumber, signing autographs, and delighting fans with his Nintendo character voices.
“It has been an absolute privilege working with Charles to bring Mario to life for so many years, and we would like to express our gratitude and celebrate him,” stated Nintendo in a press release.
Aside from his renowned portrayal of Mario, Martinet has also lent his voice to Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi in various video games. Although he did not voice Mario in the recent movie, he did make a cameo appearance as Mario’s father.
In a Q&A session at a Canadian gaming and comics expo two years ago, Martinet openly shared, “I desire to voice Mario until the day I leave this Earth,” in response to a fan’s inquiry, as reported by gaming blog The Game Crater. However, he also added, “If there comes a day when I feel incapable of doing so, I will inform Nintendo to search for a suitable replacement.”
Nintendo has not disclosed the reason behind Martinet’s departure or who will succeed him as the voice of Mario.
The Mario franchise continues to be one of Nintendo’s most successful properties. Alongside the release of the “Super Mario Bros. Movie” earlier this year, which has amassed over $1 billion in global box office revenue, Universal Studios Hollywood unveiled the Super Nintendo World theme park in February, located in Los Angeles.
The park entrance features a massive green pipe tunnel, reminiscent of the one Mario traverses in the video game. Visitors can then partake in a ride inspired by the popular Mario Kart game or dine at a cafe themed after the Super Mario Bros’ character Toadstool, among other activities.
Mario and Luigi stand as Nintendo’s most recognizable characters. In the game, the brothers work as plumbers while embarking on quests across the fictional Mushroom Kingdom to rescue Princess Peach from the villain Bowser. Their adventures were depicted in a 1993 film starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo. A remake of the movie, featuring Chris Pratt as Mario and Jack Black as Bowser, hit theaters in April.
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