The 2024 Academy Awards is already shaping up to be a lot of fun.
Air debuted in theaters earlier this month and garnered a lot of good marks from critics, signaling potential nominations for bros Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. We’re also getting films later this year from Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan, Greta Gerwig, Wes Anderson, David Fincher, Bradley Cooper, Michael Mann and Ridley Scott.
But there’s one thing we really need at next year’s Academy Awards to put the show over the top.
That’s right.
We need Jack Black.
We need a nomination for The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
We need “Peaches.”
For those unfamiliar with the song whose music video has been viewed more than 7.8 million times on YouTube in the past five days, “Peaches” is an original song co-written and performed by Jack Black and is about, yes, the fictional video game character Princess Peach from the Super Mario Bros. franchise.
Love really makes a turtle come out of his shell.#SuperMarioMovie pic.twitter.com/U26p0U75mW
— The Super Mario Bros. Movie (@supermariomovie) April 10, 2023
Black plays Mario’s arch-nemesis Bowser in the recently released The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which had a $146 million debut at the domestic box office.
And Black’s original power ballad in the film – an ode to Princess Peach – is eligible for Best Original Song at the 2024 Oscars, according to Variety.
“Mario, Luigi, and a Donkey Kong, too. A thousand troops of Koopas couldn’t keep me from you.”
It’s worth noting that the Oscars have not always embraced comedic songs in the past. “Stu’s Song” from The Hangover was omitted from the show in 2010. But in 2000, “Blame Canada” from South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut was nominated and sang by the late Robin Williams in an all-time memorable performance.
If the Oscars wants to boost its ratings for next year, there’s only one thing to do: Nominate Jack Black, dress him up like Bowser, put him in front of a piano and let him rock.
Besides, the Academy owes him an Oscar from the 2004 show for School of Rock.