Moviefone Editorial

Tag: minecraft movie

  • Kate McKinnon and Jemaine Clement join ‘Minecraft’

    (Left) Kate McKinnon as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Barbie,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. (Right) Jemaine Clement as Vladislav the Poker in 'What We Do in the Shadows.' Photo: Madman Entertainment.
    (Left) Kate McKinnon as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. (Right) Jemaine Clement as Vladislav the Poker in ‘What We Do in the Shadows.’ Photo: Madman Entertainment.

    Preview:

    • Kate McKinnon and Jemaine Clement are joining ‘Minecraft’.
    • Jason Momoa and Jack Black are among the stars.
    • The movie has been in development for years but is finally shooting.

    With the cameras rolling at long last, the ‘Minecraft’ movie has left the world of development limbo where it has lingered for years.

    And with that news comes a raft of casting announcements. With Jason Momoa and Jack Black attached for a while, we’ve more recently learned that Jennifer Coolidge will join them and now comes word that ‘Saturday Night Live’ veteran Kate McKinnon and ‘Men in Black 3’s Jemaine Clement.

    Given all the recent casting, the tone certainly seems to be leaning in a comedic direction.

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    What is ‘Minecraft’?

    Minecraft game
    Minecraft game from Mojang Studios.

    If you’re not in the game’s target audience, here’s what you need to know… ‘Minecraft’, 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?

    Jason Momoa as Dante in 'Fast X', directed by Louis Leterrier.
    Jason Momoa as Dante in ‘Fast X’, directed by Louis Leterrier.

    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 that also didn’t happen.

    The most recent time that ‘Minecraft’ news showed up, it was with ‘Raising Victor Vargas’ Peter Sollett writing and directing.

    ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ director Jared Hess was hired in 2022, with filming now under way in New Zealand.

    Hess addressed the pressure of getting the movie right.

    Here’s what he told The Salt Lake Tribune:

    “I think anybody that does any IP, they just want to avoid an ugly ‘Sonic’ situation [referring to the fan-hated original CG hedgehog from the movies]. just can’t disappoint the 10-year-olds, or they’re going to murder us.”

    Related Article: Jennifer Coolidge is the Latest Addition to the ‘Minecraft’ Movie Cast

    Who else is in ‘Minecraft’?

    Jennifer Coolidge in HBO's 'The White Lotus.'
    Jennifer Coolidge in HBO’s ‘The White Lotus.’ Photograph by Fabio Lovino/HBO.

    Alongside Momoa, Black, Coolidge and now McKinnon and Clement, the cast for the movie also includes Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, Matt Berry and Sebastian Eugene Hansen.

    When will ‘Minecraft’ be in theaters?

    ‘Minecraft’ is currently scheduled for release on April 4th, 2025.

    Kate McKinnon attends the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images).
    Kate McKinnon attends the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images).

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Minecraft’:

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  • Jennifer Coolidge Joins the ‘Minecraft’ Movie

    Jennifer Coolidge in HBO's 'The White Lotus.'
    Jennifer Coolidge in HBO’s ‘The White Lotus.’ Photograph by Fabio Lovino/HBO.

    Preview:

    • Jennifer Coolidge in the latest addition to the ‘Minecraft’ movie.
    • Jason Momoa is starring in the film.
    • Jared Hess is directing the movie now in New Zealand.

    Having walked on stage at the recent Emmy Awards to collect the trophy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role in ‘The White Lotus’, Jennifer Coolidge has now landed a gig in a big upcoming film.

    The comedy veteran will be bringing her particular style to ‘Minecraft’, which has been bulking up its laugh-grabbing side of late, with Jack Black the most recent addition.

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    What is ‘Minecraft’?

    Minecraft game
    Minecraft game from Mojang Studios.

    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.

    Related Article: Jack Black is Joining Jason Momoa in the Cast of the ‘Minecraft’ Movie

    What has happened with the development of the movie adaptation so far?

    Shawn Levy attends 'The Adam Project' World Premiere at Alice Tully Hall on February 28, 2022 in New York City.
    Shawn Levy attends ‘The Adam Project’ World Premiere at Alice Tully Hall on February 28, 2022 in New York City. Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for Netflix.

    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… that didn’t pan out

    The most recent time that ‘Minecraft’ news showed up, it was with ‘Raising Victor Vargas’ Peter Sollett writing and directing. But with Jared Hess in charge, it has finally gotten in gear, with filming under way in New Zealand.

    Who else is in ‘Minecraft’?

    Jason Momoa as Dante in 'Fast X', directed by Louis Leterrier.
    Jason Momoa as Dante in ‘Fast X’, directed by Louis Leterrier.

    Alongside Jason Momoa, Black and now Coolidge, the cast for the movie also includes Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, Matt Berry and Sebastian Eugene Hansen.

    When will ‘Minecraft’ be in theaters?

    ‘Minecraft’ is currently scheduled for release on April 4th, 2025.

    Jennifer Coolidge as Carol Fowler in 'Shotgun Wedding.'
    Jennifer Coolidge as Carol Fowler in ‘Shotgun Wedding.’ Photo Credit: Ana Carballosa.

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  • Jack Black is Joining the ‘Minecraft’ Movie

    Actor Jack Black performs at the live ABC Telecast of The 87th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 22, 2015.
    Actor Jack Black performs at the live ABC Telecast of The 87th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 22, 2015. Photo: Michael Yada / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Preview:

    • Jack Black is the newest actor joining the ‘Minecraft’ movie.
    • Jason Momoa is starring in the film.
    • Jared Hess will direct the film, with shooting starting shortly.

    He was part of the voice cast for one of last year’s biggest hits, ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’, playing the villainous –– and musical –– Bowser. It looks like Jack Black is ready to stay with the videogame adaptation genre, as Deadline reports that he’s joining Jason Momoa in the ‘Minecraft’ movie.

    While Deadline could dig up no details on the story, we do know that Jared Hess is in the director’s chair and shooting is scheduled to start this month in New Zealand.

    hCuUjEgel7kznFLKw8pp81

    What is ‘Minecraft’?

    Minecraft game
    Minecraft game from Mojang Studios.

    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.

    Related Article: Jason Momoa’s ‘Minecraft’ Adds ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ Matt Berry

    What has happened with the development of the movie adaptation so far?

    Jason Momoa in 'Superpowered: The DC Story.'
    Jason Momoa in ‘Superpowered: The DC Story.’ Photograph by Courtesy of Max/Warner Bros.

    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 that ‘Minecraft’ news showed up, it was with ‘Raising Victor Vargas’ Peter Sollett writing and directing. But with Jared Hess in charge, it appears to be finally getting in gear.

    Which is a good thing, since ‘Minecraft’ is currently scheduled for release on April 4th, 2025.

    Who else is in ‘Minecraft’?

    Danielle Brooks as Sophia and Corey Hawkins as Harpo in Warner Bros. Pictures’ bold new take on a classic,'The Color Purple,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Danielle Brooks as Sophia and Corey Hawkins as Harpo in Warner Bros. Pictures’ bold new take on a classic,’The Color Purple,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

    The cast for the movie also includes Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, Matt Berry and Sebastian Eugene Hansen.

    Jack Black: Other Videogame-Based Work

    ‘Mario’ and ‘Minecraft’ are not the only game adaptation that Black is part of –– he’ll be heard this year as robotic goofball Claptrap in the movie based on the ‘Borderlands’ game. That one will be in cinemas on August 9th.

    Lionsgate's 'Borderlands.'
    Lionsgate’s ‘Borderlands.’

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    Buy Jason Momoa Movies on Amazon

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  • Matt Berry Joins Jason Momoa in ‘Minecraft’

    Matt Berry in Hulu's 'Great Expectations.'
    Matt Berry in Hulu’s ‘Great Expectations.’ Photo: Miya Mizuno/FX.

    Way back in April last year, it was reported that Jason Momoa –– currently making a big impact as the crazed villain Dante in ‘Fast X’ –– was in talks to star in Warner Bros.’ movie adaptation of the ‘Minecraft’ game.

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    He’s still aboard, and the cast of the movie is expanding by one to encompass British comedian and actor Matt Berry, who Deadline reports has joined the movie in an undisclosed role.

    Much of the movie itself is a mystery for now, though Allison Schroeder and Peter Sollett are currently credited with the screenplay.

    Unless you have kids or know kids, you might have let the details of what ‘Minecraft’ exactly is slip from your mind. So, allow us to help…

    Minecraft game
    Minecraft game from Mojang Studios.

    What exactly is ‘Minecraft’?

    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 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, and, linked to a known name like Momoa, it’s the sort of the concept studios will grab for when times are good.

    Jason Momoa as Dante in 'Fast X', directed by Louis Leterrier.
    Jason Momoa as Dante in ‘Fast X’, directed by Louis Leterrier.

    Related Article: Jason Momoa in Talks to Star in Warner Bros.’ ‘Minecraft’ Movie

    ‘Minecraft’s development 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, became the victim of scheduling, and has focused his video game-loving energies on co-creating and starring in Apple TV+’s ‘Mythic Quest’ series.

    At the same time that Momoa jumped aboard, ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ director Jared Hess was hired to make the movie.

    As for Berry, he’s best known to American audiences for his role as drunken, sex-obsessed vampire Laszlo Cravensworth in FX comedy series ‘What We Do in the Shadows’. He’s also recently cropped up on the new Dickens adaptation ‘Great Expectations’ and has lent his recognizable, booming voice to a new animated movie, ‘The Inventor’, which has been released in France but is still awaiting a US date.

    ‘Minecraft’ should be digging its way to theaters on April 4th, 2025.

    Matt Berry in Hulu's 'Great Expectations.'
    Matt Berry in Hulu’s ‘Great Expectations.’ Photo: Miya Mizuno/FX.

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  • Jason Momoa in Talks for ‘Minecraft’ Movie

    Jason Momoa at Oscars
    Jason Momoa arrives on the red carpet of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo: Mark Von Holden / A.M.P.A.S.

    With ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ still racing away with golden box office rings, studios are all scrambling to jump back on the video game movie adaptation bandwagon – even though it spent years looking like a rickety cart with the wheels falling off.

    But no longer! Thanks to ‘Sonic’ and ‘Uncharted’ the heat is being turned back up on projects squatting across studio burners and ‘Minecraft’, which Warner Bros. has had simmering away for years, is one example.

    Jason Momoa, already a hot property for the studio thanks to the success of ‘Aquaman’ (and to a lesser extent, his presence in the hefty cast of ‘Dune’), is now in talks to take the lead role in the ‘Minecraft’ movie. And in the director’s chair? The more surprising choice of ‘Napoleon Dynamite’s Jared Hess.

    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, and, linked to a known name like Momoa, it’s the sort of the concept studios will grab for when times are good.

    Minecraft game
    Minecraft game from Mojang Studios.

    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, given what the main thrust of this story is, you know what happened.

    The most recent time that ‘Minecraft’ pinged the news radar, it was with ‘Raising Victor Vargas’ Peter Sollett writing and directing.

    Now, though – assuming it happens – we have The Ankler reporting that Momoa and Hess are the chosen duo to launch what Warners is hoping could become a franchise as success as, say, ‘The Lego Movie’ universe (especially since that has since headed to Universal).

    Hess is the wildcard here; he’s always been more about his own movies than big studio work, so perhaps he’s simply a huge ‘Minecraft’ fan. As for Momoa, he has fantasy drama ‘Slumberland’ due this year, with ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ landing next March 17th. And, of course, he recently signed on to play a villain in ‘Fast & Furious 10’.

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  • ‘Minecraft’ Movie Taps ‘Frozen 2’ Writer Allison Schroeder

    ‘Minecraft’ Movie Taps ‘Frozen 2’ Writer Allison Schroeder

    Minecraft
    Mojang

    The upcoming “Minecraft” movie has found its screenwriter.

    Academy Award-nominated scribe Allison Schroeder is set to write a script based on the popular video game, THR reports. She’ll have to enter creative mode for the task, but there is plenty she can do with it. The game allows players to build, explore, gather resources, craft, and engage in combat.

    The adaptation has been in development at Warner Bros. since at least 2014 and at one point was scheduled to hit theaters in May 2019. After multiple director changes, Peter Sollett is now set to helm the film. The project is reportedly being reworked by producers Roy Lee, Jon Berg, and the game’s developer, Mojang.

    While the “Minecraft” movie has faced setbacks, Schroeder’s hiring shows new forward momentum. The screenwriter has proven herself with other high-profile projects, including “Frozen 2” and “Hidden Figures,” both of which she co-wrote. Her work on the latter earned an Oscar nod in the Best Adapted Screenplay category.

    “Minecraft” is slated to open on March 4, 2022 after its release date was pushed back earlier this year.

    [via: THR]

  • ‘Minecraft’ Movie Gets New Director in ‘Raising Victor Vargas’ Peter Sollett

    ‘Minecraft’ Movie Gets New Director in ‘Raising Victor Vargas’ Peter Sollett

    Mojang

    The long-developing “Minecraft” movie has a new director.

    Warner Bros. has brought on Peter Sollett to helm the big-screen adaptation of the popular video game. Sollett is best known for directing “Raising Victor Vargas,” “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist,” and “Freeheld.”

    The movie has been in development since 2014, when Warner Bros. won the coveted rights. Shawn Levy (“Night at the Museum”) was attached to direct but left the project due to scheduling issues. In 2015, the studio hired “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” creator/star Rob McElhenney to direct, with Steve Carell possibly leading the cast. But that also fell apart.

    Sollett is a surprising choice, as his previous directing projects are all intimate dramas.

    At this point, the movie is still in the early stages of development, since it’s not clear if there is even a script or who is even writing one. The story will reportedly follow a teen girl and her unlikely group of adventurers who must save their beautiful, blocky Overworld from the  malevolent Ender Dragon.