(L to R) Yoshi (Donald Glover), Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
(L to R) Luigi (Charlie Day) and Mario (Chris Pratt) in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
Mario and Luigi are back with a few new friends in ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’. It doesn’t take long to realize that this sequel is even better than the first movie, which felt like more of a set-up than anything else. There are infinite worlds and characters to explore now, and with the addition of fan favorites Rosalina, Yoshi, and Bowser Jr., things have been leveled up.
The Lumas in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
Everything seems better this time around, which isn’t to say ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ wasn’t good, because it was, but this time Illumination knows what they are doing and they lean into it. Now that viewers know these characters, they can deliver more action, funnier jokes, and a lot of Easter Eggs that fans will love to point out.
Story and Direction
Rosalina in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
When it comes to the story, admittedly, there is not much of one. It is a fairly simple premise, much like the video games. A princess is kidnapped. Chaos ensues. Said princess is rescued. Illumination knows how to keep viewers entertained throughout the film, however, thanks to gorgeous animation, Nintendo Easter Egg cameos and references, and a whole lot of action.
(L to R) Bowser Junior and Bowser in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
Thanks to those action sequences, the movie moves very quickly. It never takes a breather or slows down, which makes it the perfect film to take kids to. It is funny and sharp witted, as nearly every joke lands. The story itself is geared towards a younger audience, but gamer parents will be thrilled with all of the references that are packed into it.
Cast and Performances
(Center) Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) and Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
Just as with the first film, the cast never feels as if they are doing impressions of the video game characters. They make them their own, which is what helps this movie to work as well as it does. If that was not the case, the voices would get old very quickly, and it would distract from the story and action.
(L to R) Yoshi (Donald Glover) and the Tostarenan in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
The new cast members stick to this as well. Honestly, because of all the action and chaos happening, there is not a whole lot of dialogue, and when there is, it is pretty basic. Still, the cast all does a great job making these characters lovable and entertaining for kids and adults alike.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Toad (Keegan-Michael Key), Yoshi (Donald Glover) and Luigi (Charlie Day) in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
There was never a question as to whether or not ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ would end up getting a sequel, and the same is true about a third movie in the trilogy. Considering ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ not only sets up for more surprises in the end-credit scenes, but is also more entertaining than its predecessor, we shouldn’t have long to wait for the next movie to be announced.
‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ recieves a score of 78 out of 100.
(L to R) Luigi (Charlie Day), Mario (Chris Pratt), Yoshi (Donald Glover) and Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
What’s the plot of ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’?
Mario ventures into space, exploring cosmic worlds and tackling galactic challenges far from the familiar Mushroom Kingdom.
Who is in the cast of ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’?
L to R: Yoshi, Baby Luigi, Toad and Baby Mario in Nintendo and Illumination’s THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
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The news comes following Dunst’s comments last August that she’d like to be a part of the ‘Minecraft’ follow-up since her kids love it and, “maybe I can just make a movie where I don’t lose money?”
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ won the weekend’s box office again.
‘Marty Supreme’ nabbed third place.
‘Song Sung Blue’ and ‘Anaconda’ also debuted.
As we’ve learned before with ‘Avatar’ movies, it’s not necessarily the launch, it’s the hold. A key phrase among the films’ Na’vi characters is “I see you,” and audiences certainly came out to see the third entry, ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash,’ with the title staying top of the box office for a second weekend.
Across the Christmas holiday weekend, James Cameron’s latest took in a solid $64 million over the traditional weekend and $88 million since the Christmas holiday on Thursday.
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That three-day earning marks a 28% decline from its $89 million launch, a stronger hold than 2022’s ‘The Way of Water’ managed.
As mentioned above, the third entry is holding on well. So far, it has earned more than $217.7 million domestically and shows little sign of slowing down.
Worldwide, thanks to strong business in places such as China, the movie has now crossed $760 million, indicating that it should at the very least pass the $1 billion mark. Will it push past $2 billion like its predecessors? That’s trickier to predict.
Still, while some may deride the franchise for having little cultural impact, crowds certainly turn out for it.
What else happened at the box office this weekend?
Timothée Chalamet in ‘Marty Supreme’. Photo: A24.
There was also good news for star Timothée Chalamet and director Josh Safdie, as ‘Marty Supreme’, which expanded and enjoyed the best numbers among “newcomers” in third place with $17.4 million from 2,600 theaters over the weekend and $27.1 million through the four-day holiday frame.
Domestic ticket sales stand at $28.3 million after a weekend in limited release. The three-day figure marks the second-biggest opening weekend to date for A24.
Still, second was Disney’s ‘Zootopia 2,’ which has been one of the year’s success stories. The animated sequel took in $20 million over the weekend and $25.2 million since Christmas Day. In total worldwide, it has now earned $1.42 billion.
Fourth was ‘The Housemaid’ with $15.4 million for the weekend, ahead of new arrival ‘Anaconda’ in sixth. The action comedy, which features Paul Rudd and Jack Black, made $14.6 million over the weekend and has taken $23.7 million since Christmas. The movie also opened internationally with $20 million for a global start of $43.7 million.
Also new to the charts was ‘Song Sung Blue,’ which stars Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson in the based-on-truth tale of Neil Diamond tribute musicians. That earned $7.6 million over the weekend in eighth place and $12 million through the four-day holiday frame.
No one will ever mistake the original ‘Anaconda’ for a good movie, and even the 1997 film itself doesn’t pretend to be one. With its random cast (Jennifer Lopez! Ice Cube! Jon Voight!), intentional silliness, and wacky premise, the movie leans into its own absurdity and ends up becoming one of those cult classics that fans adore for its ridiculousness (it was also a decent box office hit and spawned a raft of even worse sequels).
Fortunately, the filmmakers behind the new ‘Anaconda’ understand the assignment: the movie, directed by Tom Gormican (‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’), can only be described as a meta-reboot, in which the film both makes (loving) fun of its subject and becomes part of the pantheon itself. With comic sure things Paul Rudd and Jack Black leading the cast, the new ‘Anaconda’ is full of laughs for the first two-thirds of its running time – until it runs out of gas – and is actually even a sweet-natured homage to friendship and the love of making movies.
Ronald ‘Griff’ Griffen Jr. (Paul Rudd) is a struggling actor (his claim to fame is a few episodes of ‘S.W.A.T.’) who returns home from Hollywood to Buffalo, New York for the surprise birthday party of his friend Doug McCallister (Jack Black). Doug writes screenplays at night but shoots wedding videos by day (although his idea to turn one into a horror movie is shot down by the less-than-enthusiastic couple), and is worried about being stuck in the job forever – until Griff comes to the rescue.
At lunch with Doug and two of their other old friends – recent divorcee Claire (Thandiwe Newton) and Doug’s sometimes assistant, the dissolute Kenny (Steve Zahn) – Griff announces that he’s gotten hold of the rights to the original ‘Anaconda,’ their favorite movie as youths, and proposes that the four of them head to Brazil and ‘reboot the thing indie style.’ With the loving support of his wife (Ione Skye), Doug agrees to direct, while Griff and Claire will star and Kenny will co-produce (or something like that).
With a budget of $35,000 (their initial $2 million figure got shot down by a local bank), the foursome head to the Amazon, where they rent both a boat and an anaconda, along with his slightly obsessive owner and trainer (Selton Mello). At first the shoot seems to go swimmingly, but then they learn that the presumed captain of the boat (Daniela Melchior) is not who she appears to be, that Griff hasn’t been entirely honest with them – and that there is a real giant anaconda in hot pursuit of them.
The plot – director Tom Gormican co-wrote the screenplay with Kevin Etten – is little more than nonsense, but it’s fun nonsense and the laughs come steadily for much of the film’s first hour or so. It’s an excuse for (mainly) Rudd and Black to riff on the original movie, and the meta factor gets even more byzantine when they learn that there are real bad guys on the river behind them and a real monster snake lurking in the depths as well: Doug writes it into the script, prompting an awestruck Griff to proclaim, ‘You could be the white Jordan Peele.’
It’s only when ‘Anaconda’ turns into a semi-real action movie in its final third – with chases and explosions and lots more of the CG title beastie, which is almost an afterthought for the film’s first hour – that the movie’s charm and goofy energy begin to flag. Well, truth be told, it kind of starts to wane halfway through, but there are enough jokes to carry it along until the more conventional pyrotechnics of the third act take over, along with a not-unexpected but still rather awkward cameo.
Paul Rudd and Jack Black. Need we say more? Both actors are well within their comfort zone here. Rudd does his ‘middle-aged man struggling to find his way’ routine effortlessly, while Black does his ‘insane middle-aged man struggling to find his way’ act equally well. There is a lot of charm and chemistry between the two of them, and even though Thandiwe Newton and Steve Zahn are underwritten (especially the former), the quartet do manage to generate some of the joy of old friends having fun together and making a movie – that old ‘let’s put on a show’ vibe still comes through.
Brazilian actor Selton Mello has a few chances to steal the show with his not-quite-all-there anaconda trainer, but even he doesn’t quite pull it off, he manages to imbue the character of Santiago with some genuine empathy – even if his relationship with his snake seems a tad unnatural.
All we can add about ‘Anaconda’ is that we went into the movie with low expectations (or, really, no expectations) and ended up having a good time. While there have been a handful of excellent comedies released in 2025, those films – like ‘Splitsville’ or ‘Friendship’ – have focused on the toxic side of relationships, whether between lovers or friends.
The relationships in ‘Anaconda’ are not particularly toxic, and the friends are rather quick to forgive each other. Of course, none of the actions they take are remotely believable or smart – especially when the anaconda is chasing them – but that’s part of their appeal too. We laughed a lot at ‘Anaconda,’ and the movie embraces its source material and its own identity with the right attitude.
Childhood friends Doug, Griff, Kenny, and Claire seek to recapture their youth by traveling to the Amazon to shoot their own remake of the 1997 cult classic ‘Anaconda.’ But a real giant anaconda turns their guerilla filmmaking project into a perilous fight to stay alive.
(L to R) Jack Black and Paul Rudd star in ‘Anaconda’.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jack Black and Paul Rudd about their work on ‘Anaconda’, their first reaction to the screenplay and meta-approach to the reboot, finally working together on a film, and why fans need to see it in a theater.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.
Moviefone: To begin with, what would you both say to movie goers sitting down right now in a theater to prepare them for the theatrical experience they are about to have?
Jack Black: Now, I got to prepare you with a warning. If you are susceptible to jump scares, if you are terrified easily, if you have a heart condition, don’t see this movie, because it is legit scary. If you have an aversion to laughter, if something makes you laugh too hard and you might pass out, do not go to this movie. It is huge laughs and huge scares. You have been warned.
MF: Paul, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and this meta-approach to rebooting the franchise?
Paul Rudd: So, my reaction was just giddiness. I loved it. I thought it was funny and original. It was such a fun read that I went back and just read it again and it was enjoyable. I also knew that it was made and written by the guys that did ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’, which was a movie that I loved and saw four times. So, one of the things that I loved about that movie was it was very clever and self-aware. Nicolas Cage is so funny playing himself and I loved how this thing starts to weirdly morph into a Nicolas Cage movie, like an action movie. I thought it was just a very clever approach. So that these guys were taking another similarly unique and funny way to deal with movie remakes, but it’s not really a remake. It’s commenting on a lot of that stuff and doing it in a very meta and funny way.
MF: Jack, what was your reaction to this unusual approach to rebooting ‘Anaconda’?
Jack Black: I was like, dude, if we can make a movie that’s half as compelling and funny and interesting as ‘Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’, then sign me up. Because I saw that movie and I was like, holy cannoli, I’m jealous.
MF: Jack, you have appeared in the same movies as Paul before, but never starred opposite him in a film. What was it like to get to finally work together on a big scale comedy like this?
Jack Black: I mean, that was a big draw for me because I’ve always felt like me and Paul would be great together. I’ve been a huge fan of his as he knows, I tell him.
MF: Finally, Paul, anything you want to add about having a chance to work with Jack after all these years.
Paul Rudd: It makes people uncomfortable how much Jack and I fawn over one another like broken records. You want me to fawn over Jack? Easy. Per square inch, there isn’t a person out there that has more talent packed in to one gorgeous case. Jack is a talent tornado. He’s a comedy tsunami. He’s not just an actor. He’s not just a comedian. He’s not just a rock God. He’s the kindest, most brilliant, beautiful human being and those are rare in this business. If you ask anybody who’s met him, they’ll say the same thing. He’s a unicorn. So, anytime this comes around, I’m ready to jump on those coattails like that.
Doug (Jack Black) and Griff (Paul Rudd), seeking to recapture their youth, travel to the Amazon to film an amateur remake of the 1997 film ‘Anaconda’. Their project unravels when a real giant anaconda emerges, turning the light-hearted shoot into a perilous fight to stay alive.
With ‘A Minecraft Movie’s box office total currently standing at a huge $957 million, Warner Bros. has announced that a sequel to the wildly success game adaptation is already in the works.
Yes, the movie that helped kick start a revival in WB’s box office fortunes is going the sequel route as soon as humanly possible, in this case, taking aim at a 2027 release slot.
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Jared Hess, who co-wrote and directed the first movie, is back to oversee the sequel, and while the screenplay list was a bundle of people who had worked on it through its long development, the new one will come from just Hess and collaborator Chris Galletta (‘The Kings of Summer’).
Right now, there’s no official detail on storyline or if stars Jack Black and Jason Momoa will return, but we can practically hear the dump trucks of money backing up to their houses.
Honestly, the most surprising part of all this is that it took them this long to confirm a follow-up was moving forward.
If you’re not in the game’s target audience, allow us to brief you on the basics… The game, from Swedish developer Mojang AB, allows you to create and shape an entire world, and by 2014 had sold more than 35 million copies across PCs, the Xbox 360, and mobile platforms.
Much like with Lego, the only stories here are those created by users, who can choose whether to explore, create or fight with each other.
There are also nocturnal monsters stalking the place, which you must deal with. It reached 100 million users just a few years after launch and helping spark Microsoft to acquire Mojang for $2.5 billion in 2014.
Since then, it hasn’t been quite as much in the pop cultural zeitgeist (the likes of ‘Fortnite’ have tended to dominate), but it’s recognizable intellectual property.
Black and Momoa star in the movie, which follows a group of misfits who are pulled through a portal into a cubic world and guided by an expert crafter named Steve (played by Black).
There are laughs. Weird characters. Chicken Jockeys (if you know, you know).
When will ‘A Minecraft Movie 2’ be in theaters?
As confirmed by its social post below, Warners has scheduled the follow-up for July 23rd, 2027.
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.
Preview:
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ sequel has been confirmed as ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’.
Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy and other original voice cast members will return.
The new movie is due April 3rd, 2026.
Back in 2023, ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ opened to an impressive $146 million on Easter weekend, on its way to a huge $1.36 billion worldwide gross.
It was hardly a surprise then, when Universal, Illumination and Nintendo confirmed a sequel last year.
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Now, via an announcement from Illumination boss Chris Meledandri, we know what that sequel will be called: ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’.
What was the story of ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’?
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.
While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers Mario (Chris Pratt) and brother Luigi (Charlie Day) are transported down a mysterious pipe and wander into a magical new world under threat from the powerful Bowser (Jack Black). But when the brothers are separated, Mario embarks on an epic quest to find Luigi.
With the assistance of a Mushroom Kingdom resident Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) and some training from the strong-willed ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), Mario taps into his own power.
What’s the story of ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’?
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.
There are no official details for the movie’s plot, but that title suggests it’ll draw in part from the ‘Super Mario Galaxy’ video game, promising a cosmic adventure for our hero and his friends.
The ‘Super Mario Galaxy’ game centers on the character of Rosalina, a space princess that Nintendo itself has said shares similarities with Princess Peach. Within the first Galaxy game, Rosalina’s backstory is revealed through pages of a storybook, with her journey through the stars explained as her searching for her long-lost parents.
Rosalina’s parentage is kept vague, with her mother pictured but kept largely obscured. But Nintendo is said to have once planned a more concrete backstory that linked Rosalina and the Mushroom Kingdom, with her being related to Princess Peach in some way.
We do know that the likes of Mario (Pratt), Princess Peach (Taylor-Joy), Luigi (Day), Bowser (Black), Toad (Key), and Kamek (Kevin Michael Richardson) will all be back for the sequel.
When will ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ be in theaters?
The movie will arrive on screens on the previously-confirmed date of April 3rd, 2026.
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.
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‘A Minecraft Movie’ is a big hit at the box office.
Jack Black and Jason Momoa star.
The movie was directed by Jared Hess.
Just when it looked like big screen video game adaptations had left their recent golden age in terms of box office (witness ‘Borderlands’ face plant last year), along comes a giant hit we’re not sure anyone truly expected.
‘A Minecraft Movie,’ which opened on Friday, has soared to number one at the box office, launching with $163 million domestically, $150.7 million overseas and that mammoth $313.7 million worldwide total.
With its blend of basic quest narrative and plenty of references to iconic game elements such as “chicken jockey” and others, it appealed to young gamers and the meme crowd equally. Reports flooded social media of the audiences reacting to appearances from certain characters like Marvel fans to moments in ‘Avengers: Endgame.’
Here’s what Jesse Ehrman, Warner Bros. president of production and development, said about getting it right:
“We had a lot of trial and error along the way. It took a while to tell the right story with the right team. There’s something special about the way people connect with the game. We knew if we could harness the same love and humor and creativity in a cinematic experience, the potential would be limitless.”
Among the records that the new movie has broken include becoming the biggest opening of 2025 so far (besting ‘Captain America: Brave New World,’ whose total gross it should surpass in due time), the record opening for a movie based on a video game (outplaying ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie,’ which launched in 2023 with $146.3 million,) and the biggest domestic opening figure for both Black and Momoa.
And that’s not all! It also raked in Warner Bros. largest three-day total in April (really reaching here) and the biggest Sunday of All Time (besting ‘Barbie’).
Finally, a true stretch: it’s the only film in box office history to open to over $50 million and see no drop Saturday — instead, rising by 4%, making it the only film ever to achieve this.
‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ dropped 0% from Friday to Saturday last year but only opened to $41 million.
‘A Minecraft Movie’s Success: the Executives Speak
In 1942, Italian diplomat Count Caleazzo Ciano said, “success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan,” and that can be particularly true of Hollywood blockbusters.
With the movie doing huge business at the box office, co-heads of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group, Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, who have been beset recently by some flops and are reportedly in fear for their jobs, were quick to capitalize on the success.
Here’s their statement:
“ ‘A Minecraft Movie’ represents the largest domestic opening weekend of 2025, the biggest since July, and Warner Bros.’ largest opening weekend since 2023. This is truly a world-class achievement! This is what happens when we believe in the power of our creativity, each other, and the strength of great storytelling.”
If you’re not in the game’s target audience, allow us to brief you on the basics… The game, from Swedish developer Mojang AB, allows you to create and shape an entire world, and by 2014 had sold more than 35 million copies across PCs, the Xbox 360, and mobile platforms.
Much like with Lego, the only stories here are those created by users, who can choose whether to explore, create or fight with each other.
There are also nocturnal monsters stalking the place, which you must deal with. It reached 100 million users just a few years after launch and helping spark Microsoft to acquire Mojang for $2.5 billion in 2014.
Since then, it hasn’t been quite as much in the pop cultural zeitgeist (the likes of ‘Fortnite’ have tended to dominate), but it’s recognizable intellectual property.
What has Happened with the Development of the Movie Adaptation So Far?
Around the time of the Microsoft purchase, Warners entered talks with prolific producer and director Shawn Levy, but his packed scheduled and slow development on the movie meant he never ended up in the director’s chair.
After Levy came ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ co-creator and self-avowed ‘Minecraft’ fan Rob McElhenney was next in line as director when the movie was still being planned as an animated release. He, like Levy, appears to have been the victim of scheduling, and has focused his video game-loving energies on co-creating and starring in Apple TV+’s ‘Mythic Quest’ series.
With ‘Wonder Woman’s Jason Fuchs sticking around for script work, the movie then targeted Steve Carell as a potential star but… well… you can guess what happened.
The most recent time before now that ‘Minecraft’ news showed up, it was with ‘Raising Victor Vargas’ Peter Sollett writing and directing.
With Jared Hess on board, it finally got in gear. And the rest is box office history.
Will there be a ‘Minecraft’ sequel?
At this point, we’d predict several. And probably a TV show. And maybe a video ga… wait a minute!
In theaters on April 4th, ‘A Minecraft Movie’ adapts the wildly popular (at least, a few years ago, before the likes of ‘Fortnite’ and ‘Roblox’ took over) video game where players can craft whatever they want in the blocky universe known as the “Overworld.”
While some recent game adaptations have triumphed through finding a unique way into the story, ‘A Minecraft Movie’ has only occasional nods towards that, preferring instead to appeal to its young-skewing audience via bombastic action and comedy.
Video game adaptations were tarred for years with a lack of success, and to be clearer, a lack of understanding what really needs to happen with you convert something from one medium to another. Then, the likes of ‘Detective Pikachu,’ Netflix’s ‘Arcane,’ the burgeoning ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ franchise and even ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ proved that it could work –– though that last one is more box office behemoth than true creative challenge.
Along the same lines; albeit product rather than game, is ‘The LEGO Movie,’ which showed that it you find the right creators, who hit upon a great idea, you can end up with something really special, particularly if it’s people who don’t treat the source material like gospel to be taken fully successfully.
It’s that last entry to which we might best compare ‘A Minecraft Movie’, though put up against the sheer lunatic invention of ‘LEGO,’ the new offering certainly falls a lot shorter, with fewer points with which to recommend it.
It’s normal for a project that has been in development for as long as the ‘Minecraft’ outing to boast contributions from a laundry list of writers –– let’s be honest, even the successful ones usually come to screens with a host of uncredited input by funny/professional people. Yet with five people listed on the screenplay: Chris Bowman, Hubbel Palmer, Neil Widener, Gavin James and Chris Galletta, you might expect ‘A Minecraft Movie’ to have come through with a few more original ideas.
Yet for all the concepts drawn from within the game (build anything you can imagine from the blocky source fodder of the “Overworld” and the various creatures/characters who populate the game), this still falls back on some awfully familiar structures, including Hunt for the Object, the Villain who Hates Everything the Heroes Care About and Seeks to Destroy it and the Coming of Age/Believe in Yourself storylines.
What we have here is essentially a remix of those, and while, yes, a lot of films of this genre go for that, it’s how you use them. ‘A Minecraft Movie,’ while sometimes poking fun at the ideas, goes the fairly basic route. Some of the gags land (largely sold by the performers, more on that below), but the whole is less than the sum of its parts. And some of the parts feel awfully second-hand.
As a director, Jared Hess has put out fiercely original, goofy takes on life such as his breakout ‘Napoleon Dynamite,’ and he does manage to bring some of his offbeat comic energy to the film. It’s also credit to him and his team that the world comes across as decent, as opposed to the rushed, cloudy CG-scapes that have brought the likes of ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ low.
Still, there remains the feeling that ‘Minecraft’ has seen Hess’ voice fed through the studio machine to some degree.
If there’s one element that feels like it drives everything else, it’s the paired zaniness of Jack Black and Jason Momoa.
Black, of course, is bringing his usual manic energy to the role of Steve, the crafter who found his way to the Overworld and in it, discovered what he was looking for (alongside a loyal, blocky wolf companion named Dennis).
If you’re not a fan of Black’s particular, enthusiastic and occasionally musical delivery, you’ll probably be turned off by his wild-eyed posturing and his gesticulating. But vibe with him (and a lot of the kid audience already does) and he brings the role to vivid life, managing to be silly and heartfelt in one package.
Jason Momoa, meanwhile, has proved in the past that he can lean into weirdness when called upon, and here his Garrett, a shaggy-haired, pink-tasseled leather jacket-wearing wannabe badass is another solid comic creation for the actor to bring to life. By turns fake-macho and sensitive, he wouldn’t be out of place in the world of video game documentary ‘The King of Kong’ and he’s just on the right side of annoying as to be watchable.
Also on a comic vibe –– though sidelined to such a degree as to almost be completely detached from the narrative at points –– is Jennifer Coolidge, whose kooky energy serves her well as Vice Principal Marlene, who ends up on a dinner date with one of the Minecraft characters who makes it into the real world and chews on her lines almost as much as her meal.
Elsewhere, the other human characters such as Emma Myers‘ Natalie and Sebastian Hansen’s Henry are there to provide the heart, which makes them much blander, though they do get their moments.
And while her specific comedy vibe is mostly wasted, Danielle Brooks also has one or two decent gags.
On the villainous side, we have the always-reliable Rachel House (‘Thor: Ragnarok‘ and many of Taika Waititi’s other movies), who voices piggy witch Malgosha, a creature with a dark, destructive agenda. She might not sound all that threatening, but she sells the character’s comic business, particularly during a climatic showdown with Black’s Steve.
‘A Minecraft Movie’ never hits the heights of ‘The LEGO Movie,’ but it’s certainly more willing to take risks than Illumination’s ‘Mario’ effort.
Definitely aimed more at younger audiences (this is a real case of “parents, ask your kids,” it’s overstuffed and under-considered, but does the job.
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What is the plot of ‘A Minecraft Movie’?
Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Jason Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers) and Dawn (Danielle Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they’ll have to master this world (and protect it from evil things like piglins and zombies, too) while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Jack Black). Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative…the very skills they need to thrive back in the real world.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking in person with Oscar nominated actress Danielle Brooks about her work on ‘A Minecraft Movie’, if she was a fan of the game, her first reaction to the screenplay, being on the set, collaborating with director Jared Hess, her character’s relationship with a wolf named Dennis, working with Jack Black and Jason Momoa, and if she could build anything … what would she build?
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Brooks, Emma Myers and Sebastian Hansen, and director Jared Hess.
Moviefone: To begin with, how familiar were you with the Minecraft game before making this movie, and what was your first reaction to the screenplay and the way they were going to adapt the game?
Danielle Brooks: Coming into ‘Minecraft’, I knew nothing. I am such a newbie, and was just being introduced to this world. Growing up, we did play a few video games, but I really wasn’t exposed, so I missed out a lot. I’ve learned now. I’ve missed out a lot. But as far as reading the screenplay and going into shooting it, it’s a lot of the same stuff but a lot of things we improved. You know what I mean? A lot of things we were discovering as we went along, especially for Dawn. I think we were still trying to figure out who is she, but I think we came up with some really great stuff, with Jared Hess at the head. I wasn’t writing nothing. Well, I did improv a lot, so maybe I should get a writer’s credit. But we just really were able to figure it out together, and I really love what we came up with.
MF: What was it like being on the set and watching director Jared Hess execute his unique vision for this project?
DB: He was definitely the right guy for the job. I mean, if you’ve seen any of his other films, his humor is there. It’s a little odd, but which makes for a really natural, real thing. Just something that we can look at and relate to, I think. So, working with him was pretty awesome. He’s a super nice guy, and wonderful with kids and adults, so I was excited to get to work with him.
MF: Your character, Dawn, forms a friendship with a wolf named Dennis in the movie. Can you talk about that relationship and what were you working with when you were acting opposite Dennis?
DB: Good question. With Dennis, it was pretty amazing because, first of all, I was working with was a real person. Shout out to the stunt team. There was this guy dressed in all gray with these black and white dots all over his body. Then, he would actually have this square head, that was shaped like Dennis’s head, that he would be in and be in his physical world. So, I was acting alongside him, really using my imagination, really getting to be just a little 10-year-old kid with that. But it was fun. Being able to be the one that was able to give Dennis the bone and have that connection with him was nice. It’s very ironic that my husband’s name is Dennis too, so it just makes sense.
MF: What are Jack Black and Jason Momoa like to work with and have as scene partners in this movie?
DB: They were horrible because they tried to steal the show from me every time. The thing about me is you cannot take my shot. I am the star! I don’t care what it says on the call sheet. I’m the star! No, I’m joking. They were wonderful. They really set a beautiful tone on set, and I’m really grateful for that. Jack is one of one, and Jason was so lovely because he let his inner kid go, which gave us permission to do the same. I really hope to get to work with those guys again. I really do. It was no egos on set. It was just good people wanting to put a good project together.
MF: Finally, if you could build anything, what would you build and why?
DB: I would build my own Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory. That’s what I would want. I really do. I want all of the candies to make you blow up, like Violet Beauregarde, I think it that was her name. I want all of the things. I want the gobstopper, Chocolate fountains and stuff. And Oompa-Loompas. Why not?
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What is the plot of ‘A Minecraft Movie’?
Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Jason Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers) and Dawn (Danielle Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they’ll have to master this world (and protect it from evil things like piglins and zombies, too) while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Jack Black). Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative…the very skills they need to thrive back in the real world.
