'The Walking Dead' Star Khary Payton Teases 'Epic' Details of 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' (Exclusive)
Khary Payton is known for his role as Ezekiel on the AMC series The Walking Dead. But the 50-year-old actor is also popular in the voiceover world, voicing roles in multiple animated TV shows and movies. Payton voiced Penguin King in the upcoming film The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which PopCulture.com recently spoke to him about.
"It's going to be funny. I mean, it looks great," Payton exclusively told PopCulture. "They showed me some of the footage that people saw for the trailer and it's going to be epic." The Super Mario Bros. Movie is directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, and the duo is known for developing Teen Titans Go! Payton has voiced Cyborg in the series since 2013 and has appeared in multiple Teen Titans Go! Movies, including Teen Titans, Go! & DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem in the Universe which was released this year.
"I don't know if you, you've seen Teen Titans Go! the movies, the movie that we did, I don't think that there's a funnier comic book adaptation of a... I mean, I made that movie, and still when I watched it, I belly laughed from beginning to end," Payton added. When it comes to The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Payton enjoyed being Penguin King and said there's more to come from the character after watching the trailer.
"I had so much fun recording my part, you never know what's going to end up in or out of a, especially an animated movie, because they record so much stuff," Payton said. But I'm glad that the Penguin King is in there and throwing snowballs. And I think there's a little bit more in there, that once the movie comes out that you'll be able to see."
The Super Mario Bros. Movie will be released in theatres on April 28, 2023. The cast includes Chris Pratt (Mario), Anya Taylor-Joy (Princess Peach), Charlie Day (Luigi), Jack Black (Bowser), Keegan-Michael Key (Toad), Seth Rogen (Donkey Kong), and Fred Armisen (Cranky Kong). The film is based on the Mario video game franchise by Nintendo, which began in 1981. This year, two Mario video games were released for the Nintendo Switch — Mario Strikers: Battle League and Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope.