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Minecraft: The Movie is an upcoming live-action Swedish-American film based on the video game Minecraft. It is currently being directed by Jared Hess from a screenplay by Chris Bowman and Hubbel Palmer and is currently slated to be released on April 4, 2025 by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Plot

A teenage girl and her unlikely group of adventurers must save their beautiful, blocky Overworld after the malevolent Ender Dragon sets out on a path of destruction.[1]

Cast

  • Jack Black as Steve[2]
  • Jason Momoa as Chronicle
  • Matt Berry as Enderman
  • Emma Myers as Alex
  • Danielle Brooks as Dawn
  • Sebastian Eugene Hansen as Henry
  • Jennifer Coolidge as Chloë
  • Kate McKinnon as Llama
  • Jemaine Clement as Villager / Zombie Villager
  • Patrick Stewart as Pillager
  • Nicolas Cage as Vindicator
  • Billy Bob Thornton as Evoker
  • Bill Hader as Vex
  • James Franco as Zombie
  • Iain Armitage as Villager Boy
  • Nick Offerman as Creeper
  • Owen Wilson as Everett
  • Keke Palmer as Efe
  • Megan Thee Stallion as Makena
  • Ron Funches as Noor
  • Angela Bassett as Kai
  • Idris Elba as Zuri
  • Viggo Mortensen
  • Hannah Waddingham
  • Jimmy Kimmel

Production

Development

On February 27, 2014, Notch posted on Twitter that Mojang Studios' partnership with Warner Bros. about a Minecraft film was being "leaked", saying that he wanted to be the one to leak it out.[3] That same day, it was reported that Roy Lee and Jill Messick were added as producers.[4]

On October 8, 2014, Vu Bui stated that the movie was in "its early days of development", saying that it was a "large-budget production" and that it was planned to release within three to four years.[5] Later that same month, it was reported that Shawn Levy would direct the film,[6] but soon left the project along with Kieran and Michele Mulroney, who were serving as writers, due to creative differences and scheduling conflicts. It was reported that Levy and the Mulroney's vision for the film didn't mesh well with what Mojang was looking for.[7] Levy would later state in an interview that he envisioned a Minecraft film as an adventure movie with a Goonies flair.[8]

On July 21, 2015, Vu Bui announced that Rob McElhenney would serve as the director of the film.[9]

On June 27, 2016, Mojang Studios announced the title and release date for Minecraft: The Movie by showing the front cover of the script and publicly announcing a release date of May 24, 2019.[10]

On October 13, 2016, it was reported that Jason Fuchs would be writing the script alongside McElhenney.[11]

On February 7, 2018, producer Jill Messick committed suicide at age 50, making Minecraft: The Movie the last movie she worked on.[12]

On August 3, 2018, it was reported that Rob McElhenney and Jason Fuchs were replaced by writing duo Aaron and Adam Nee. The film was taken off the release schedule as a result of the replacement.[13] McElhenney would later state that his vision of the film was budgeted at $150 million, and that studios in Vancouver were booked for filming, but it "slowly died on the vine" when studio head Greg Silverman was replaced by Toby Emmerich, who had a different vision for the film.[14]

On January 3, 2019, it was reported that Jim Berney has been appointed for the film's visual effects.[15] Later that same month, it was reported that Peter Sollett would write and direct the film, with Jon Berg being added as a producer, and Jon Spaihts being added as an executive producer, along with information about the plot revolving around the Ender Dragon destroying the Overworld.[12] This information would be confirmed the following April in a blog post made on the Minecraft website, announcing that the film would be released on March 4, 2022.[1]

On June 24, 2019, it was reported that Allison Schroeder would be writing the latest script for the film.[16]

On April 18, 2022, it was reported that Jared Hess would direct the film, along with Chris Bowman and Hubbel Palmer writing the latest script. Lydia Winters and Mary Parent were also added as producers, while Cale Boyter was also added as an executive producer.[17][18]

On April 5, 2023, it was reported that the film is now slated to release on April 4, 2025.[19]

On May 23, 2023, it was reported that Jason Momoa and Torfi Frans Olafsson were added as producers.[20]

Casting

In November 2016, it was reported that Steve Carell was in talks to star in the film,[21] but left the project due to scheduling conflicts.[12]

In April 2022, it was reported that Jason Momoa is in talks to star in the film.[18]

In May 2023, it was reported that Matt Berry is in talks to star in the film.[20]

On November 29, 2023, Pauline Chalamet was casted in the movie, the next day, Danielle Brooks and Sebastian Eugene Hansen were casted in.

Filming

In June 2023, it was reported that filming was slated to begin in August in New Zealand, however it has since been delayed due to the SAG-AFTRA strike (which ended on November 9th, 2023) it was also originally going to be filmed in spring 2024, but the filming is pushed up earlier to December 2023.

Release

The film is being distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and is currently slated to release on April 4, 2025.[19] It was originally scheduled to be released on May 24, 2019,[10] but was then taken off the release schedule in August 2018 due to the aforementioned replacement of McElhenney and Fuchs. In April 2019, it was announced that the film would be released on March 4, 2022,[1] but it was again taken off the release schedule in October 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with The Batman taking its place.[22]

References

  1. a b c THE MINECRAFT MOVIE IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER – Minecraft.net, April 16, 2019 (archived)
  2. "Jack Black will play Steve in the live-action ‘MINECRAFT’ movie. (Source: Deadline)"@discussingfilm on X, January 2, 2024
  3. "Someone is trying leak the fact that we're working with Warner Brothers on a potential Minecraft Movie. I wanted to be the leak!"@notch (Markus Persson) on X, February 27, 2014
  4. Video Game Sensation ‘Minecraft’ Coming To The Big Screen As Warner Bros Acquires Rights; ‘Lego’s’ Roy Lee And Jill Messick Producing - Deadline Hollywood; February 27, 2014
  5. Minecraft movie will be 'large-budget' but unlikely to arrive before 2017 – The Guardian; October 9, 2014
  6. Shawn Levy Boards ‘Minecraft’ Movie – Deadline Hollywood; October 16, 2014
  7. Shawn Levy Leaves Warner Bros.’ ‘Minecraft’ Film (EXCLUSIVE) – Variety; December 9, 2014
  8. "'Minecraft' Movie: Why Director Shawn Levy Left" – Wall Street Journal on YouTube, December 12, 2014
  9. We’ve chosen a director for the Minecraft movie! – Mojang Studios, July 21, 2015 (archived)
  10. a b The Minecraft movie has a release date! – Mojang Studios, June 27, 2016 (archived)
  11. ‘Wonder Woman’ Scribe Jason Fuchs to Write Latest Draft of ‘Minecraft’ (EXCLUSIVE) – Variety; October 13, 2016
  12. a b c Peter Sollett to Direct Warner Bros.’ ‘Minecraft’ Movie (EXCLUSIVE) – Variety; January 11, 2019
  13. ‘Minecraft’ Movie Delayed: Rob McElhenney Out as Director, Nee Brothers Tapped to Write (Exclusive) – The Wrap; August 3, 2018
  14. How Rob McElhenney's $150 Million Minecraft Movie Fell Apart After 2.5 Years Of Work - GameSpot; February 23, 2020
  15. Minecraft: The Movie after Significant Delays Finds its Visual Effects Supervisor – Miami Morning Star; January 5, 2019
  16. 'Frozen 2' Writer Allison Schroeder Tackling 'Minecraft' Movie (Exclusive) - The Hollywood Reporter, June 24, 2019
  17. Jason Momoa Reportedly In Talks to Join Minecraft Movie - The Direct; April 18, 2022
  18. a b Jason Momoa In Early Talks To Star In ‘Minecraft’; Jared Hess Directing Video Game Adaptation For Warner Bros. – Deadline Hollywood; April 18, 2022
  19. a b ‘Aquaman 2’ Shifts Release Date Five Days Earlier, Warner Bros Dates ‘The Wise Guys’, ‘Minecraft’ – Deadline Hollywood; April 5, 2023
  20. a b Matt Berry In Talks To Join Jason Momoa In Warner Bros’ ‘Minecraft’ – Deadline Hollywood; May 23, 2023
  21. Steve Carell in Talks to Join ‘Minecraft’ Movie at Warner Bros. (EXCLUSIVE) – Variety; November 15, 2016
  22. 'The Batman' Delays Release to 2022 as Warner Bros. Shuffles Calendar – The Hollywood Reporter; October 5, 2020
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