While watching the trailer forThe Super Mario Bros. Movie, oneDiablo 2fan noticed a few similarities with the memorable cinematic intro from theLord of Destructioncinematic. The parallels have caused some fans to compare what is known of Bowser inThe Super Mario Bros. Moviewith Baal fromDiablo 2.
The cinematic fromDiablo 2: Lord of Destructionhas the Greater Evil Baalarrive at the gates of Mount Arreat, where a single man emerges to rebuke him. After being dispatched, Baal throws open the gates and invades the barbarian lands so he can reach the Worldstone.
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The Super Mario Bros. Movietrailerhas Bowser’s entourage reaching the gates of the icy Penguin Kingdom and demanding entry much the same as Baal. He is rebuked by the Penguin King and his forces before quickly defeating them. Bowser then blasts open the gate and claims his prize–a Super Star. YouTuber Zeptagious cut together pieces from both trailers and put them side-by-side, showcasing similar shots and themes from between them.
The side-by-side comparison is quite comedic to watch. Zeptagious did an excellent job finding similar scenes between the two cinematics, though he sped up and slowed down some segments to make them match better. While it is obviousThe Super Mario Bros. Moviedid not plagiarize the 20-year-oldDiablo 2cinematic, both do share inspiration from similar sources–after all,Lord of Destructionwas hardly the firstpiece of media to showcase a villain besieging a gate with a display of overwhelming force to acquire a MacGuffin.
Nevertheless, bothDiabloandMariofans got a kick out of the comparison. Some said Bowser must have copied Baal’s homework, while others saidJack Black’s stellar performance inThe Super Mario Bros. Movietrailershould earn the Koopa King the title Lord of Destruction. The video sparked the thought of what aMario-themed isometric dungeon looter likeDiablowould look like for many fans–a genre bend ofMariothat could be as memorable as theSuper Mario RPG.
The trailer forThe Super Mario Bros. Moviesurprised many fans with how much fun it looked. Most fans agreed Bowser stole the show as effortlessly as he did the Penguin Kingdom’s Super Star. Most fans aren’t so certain aboutChris Pratt’s performance as Mario, however. Though the trailer only featured a few lines from the iconic Nintendo hero, some fans are not yet charmed by theGuardians of the Galaxyactor’s performance. Though fans will have to see if Pratt can live up to their expectations, it seems likely that Black’s Bowser will be a show-stopping villain as popular as the Lord of Destruction himself.
Diablo 2: Resurrectedis available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.The Super Mario Bros. Movieis scheduled to be released on May 17, 2025.
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