There is no denying the controversial reputation of video game adaptations of live-action movies and TV shows. For the longest time, those adaptations consistently failed to resonate with players and audiences alike, but in recent years, it’s been proven possible that they can work successfully in the right hands.
Recent successful adaptations were the ones of The Last of Us, Arcane (League of Legends), The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and Five Nights at Freddy’s, although the latter received mixed reviews.
The next big video game franchise to walk the same path is Minecraft, making fans excited but also very nervous about the movie project.
Very few details have been revealed about the Minecraft movie, but read below for everything that we do know so far about the release date, the cast, and the potential plot.
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Minecraft Movie: Plot
The Minecraft movie has been attempted over the years by many writers and producers, so many versions of the plot existed and were scrapped. A previous version of the script for Minecraft in 2014 was described as a Goonies-style adventure flick. In 2016, the plot was rewritten to revolve around the idea of player agency and what that means in a digital open world. An early 2019 version had a female lead character fighting the Ender Dragon to save the Overworld.
It’s not yet confirmed whether any of the past versions of the script will be used for the new movie or whether the plot will go in a completely different direction.
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Generally, Minecraft is an open-world building and survival game taking place in a cube-shaped universe where players can choose between different game modes, depending on which aspect of the game they want to focus on. Whether that’s solo survival gameplay, creative structure building, combat with creatures or other players, or a combination of all the above, there’s a lot of ground to cover. However, there’s no particular storyline woven throughout.
There are some iconic locations to explore, such as the elaborate caves and minefields, The Nether Dimension and The End, and iconic mob creatures like Endermen, Skeletons, and Creepers, that will most likely make appearances in the live-action movie.
It’s difficult to speculate with a video game like Minecraft that has so many unique characters to explore but with so much creative freedom given to players.
Minecraft Movie: Cast
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A number of popular actors have already been confirmed to be joining the movie project.
Among the cast members is Jason Momoa, widely known for playing Aquaman in the DC movie franchise as well as his action roles in Fast X, Dune, and Game of Thrones.
Jack Black, known for Jumanji and his voice acting in Kung Fu Panda and The Super Mario Bros. Movie, is rumored to be starring as the iconic character Steve.
Recently, it was announced that Jennifer Coolidge (The White Lotus), Kate McKinnon (Barbie, Saturday Night Live), and Jemaine Clement (What We Do in the Shadows, Flight of the Conchords) will be playing in the movie.
Other confirmed actors include Danielle Brooks (Orange is the New Black, The Color Purple), Emma Myers (Wednesday), and Sebastian Eugene Hansen (Lisey’s Story).
Minecraft Movie: Release Date
As of now, Warner Bros. has confirmed that the Minecraft movie will officially hit theaters on April 4, 2025. The movie is currently in production, shooting in New Zealand.
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