Nintendo has announced today that the legendary Charles Martinet, who has been voicing Mario as far back as the iconic Super Mario 64 on the Nintendo 64 console, will no longer be voicing the iconic Italian plumber. However, Mr. Martinet will stay on with Nintendo as the company’s brand new Mario Ambassador. Nintendo will share a video featuring both Mr. Martinet and Mr. Miyamoto soon.
Whoa.
End of an era.
Uhmm April fools was a couple of months ago so 😭😭😭 someone please tell me this is a joke, like I know there are some pretty good Mario impressionist, but it’s gonna be so weird thinking the next future mario games won’t have Charles, I guess this also means a total change for Luigi wario waluigi and the babies as well
Yeah I’m afraid so man. This is the real deal. 😭
Ugh, I knew this day would have to come eventually, but I wasn’t prepared for it to be THIS soon.
This is going to be a major change for the games going forward, given how many different characters he voiced.
Though I do wonder, does this mean that we’ll be getting a new VA for Mario and the others straight away? Or is Nintendo just going to reuse old voice clips for the foreseeable future?
Before this news there were rumors of Mario already having a new voice in SMB Wonder (both the English and Japanese trailers for the game brought the suspicions appearently), so if nothing else I guess this kinda confirms it?
I wonder if the new one will do the voices of the other Mario characters (Luigi, Wario, Waluigi etc.) Martinet voiced as well or just Mario.
This is really sad, he’s the Mel Blanc of videogames.
Good luck Charles, you brought so much joy.
I don’t know if he’s retiring from voice acting or just retiring his Mario voice, sad nonetheless. Either way I support whatever he’s doing going forward.
YES!!! Finally. And I’m glad Charles didn’t have to pass away. I hope the successor won’t make Mario sound like an Italian Micky Mouse. Maybe Chris Pratt.
Go away troll. Here’s the attention you were clearly seeking. Now that your Lifetime Achievement has been unlocked, gtfo.
Troll or not, I’m glad that the passing of the torch for Mario’s voice actor didn’t happen because of Charles Martinet passing away. We’ll get to see Charles talk about who will be voicing Mario now, and knowing him he’ll likely be very jolly and enthusiastic about them
@thewatcherx You people keep using the word “troll”. I don’t think you’re using the right definition. Stay salty.
I can’t wait believe Mr. Martinet is actually retiring; time really is changing on us.
I want to make a serious pitch as to who could take up the Mario mantle, and hear me out: Danny Devito
Well certainly didn’t expect to read this news today, but you can’t prevent the inevitable. Always figured it would happen one day, just not this soon.
Woo, thank god we can finally go back to his CDi voice.
this is definitely the end of an era!
I dunno what all-time shocking Mario news I was expecting this decade but it certainly wasn’t this. End of an era.😭
Thank you for all of your hard work Martinet,❤️ atleast its somewhat a small comfort knowing you won’t be entirely gone from Mario I guess.
Give Mario the voice like Kratos………………….. yeah I said it
When they make an appearance together I will bet they will announce the next 3D Mario which will have the new voice in it.
I just read this.
“UPDATE: Nintendo confirms Martinet will not voice Mario in Wonders.”
https://twitter.com/GameSpot/status/1693653826694209919
Guess the new VA for Mario is/already was in place.
Now we can only guess who it is.
So, Charles Martinet himself no longer voices Mario? This is kinda of a shocking news to fans right now. Man voicing Mario, Luigi, Waluigi and Wario character for so long for many years is a longtime now. 😭
Thanks for everything Mr. Martinet.
Never understood why it had to be him. Mario doesnt say much. It wont be like listening to the jarring new guy trying to do Bugs Bunny or Scooby Doo cause pretty much anyone can do the ‘ itsa me Mario’ or whatever quick utterances he does. I’ll be with Nintendo on this.
Dont get me wrong he ushered in Marios iconic voice. I give him lots of credit but it just doesnt have to be him. Its a doable voice for a character that hardly talks.
I’m still processing this… I knew the day would come at some point but I never expected it would be this soon.
To the man who gave me a childhood and inspired me to do voiceover work, thank you, Mr. Martinet.
I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.
Kinda makes you wonder if it was meant to be 7 years ago but they decided to renew him for a while longer…
https://mynintendonews.com/2016/10/28/charles-martinet-says-hes-still-the-voice-of-mario/
“Hi! Sorry for the concern… I am still the voice of Mario, Luigi, Wario, Baby Mario and Baby Luigi… waaa! Sorry… and WaLuigi too… I think fun required that I click a button that says “currently working at”, or something…. have a fun day!!!! WooHoo!!!”
“or something….”
Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but maybe it wasn’t really an error at the time. I think the movie’s popularity convinced Nintendo to get new voices for the characters. If it would have bombed, I wonder if they would have kept Charles as the voices.
His Twitter bio now says “Mario Ambassador and original Voice of Mario, Wario, Luigi, Waluigi, & the Babies!” So sad to see that. He’s the ONLY voice! (Though technically speaking, he’s not the original if you count the old cartoons or the movie, but for the video games, yeah—I’m sure that’s what he means.)
I know I said a few months back what people upset over Pratt’s casting were gonna do when the day came Martinet retired from the role or died (glad it’s the retired one) but… … DAMN!! I didn’t think it’d happen in the same bloody year!
It’s hilarious now, though. All the whinging for Martinet to voice Mario in the movie & now he won’t be voicing Mario in the games anymore, either.
Is this irony? 🤔