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Minecraft: The Movie is an upcoming live-action action-adventure film based on the Minecraft franchise, directed by Jared Hess, written by Chris Bowman and Hubell Palmer, and produced and distributed by Mojang AB, Vertigo Entertainment and Warner Bros. Entertainment. Its release date was been confirmed on Minecraft's official website as March 4, 2022 before being pushed back to April 5, 2025.
Possible synopsis
The original plot of the movie was as follows:
The movie will center on a teenage girl and her group of friends as they set out to save their world from the Enderdragon, who escaped from The End and is now wreaking havoc in the world of Minecraft.
Following the film's restructuring in 2023, it is unknown if this script is still in use.
2020 characters leak (Grain of salt)
On 16 May 2020, the website Geeks Worldwide published an article stating to have received information on the characters of the movie, which, according to the website, are as follows:
- Tyler – An artistic and extremely creative teen who wants nothing more than to focus on her art and move away from her parents' divorce. Smart but insecure, she wishes for simpler times with her brother Eli. The world of Minecraft brings out things in her that she never thought possible.
- Zeke – A nerdy kid who is always getting laughed at. He longs for a muscular body that he knows he might never achieve. He takes interest in Tyler and her art. Although he is scared to fight, the world of Minecraft also brings out strengths that he never knew he had.
- Bernie – A former farmer of Minecraft who longs to get back to his world. He’s an old man confined to a nursing home, he is a fighter and the desire to get back to his world reignites the flames inside him.
- Eli Knight – Tyler’s older brother and is constantly down and depressed about his parents divorce. He wants things back to the way things were. He is so upset about the divorce, that he allows himself to be taken over by The Dragon’s mind control. Stronger than he knows, he needs to realize that the love for his family is strong enough to defeat the forces of evil.
- Barbara – A cross between Rambo and The Terminator, she’s a fighter, good with a blade and enjoys killing zombies and taking on the bad guys.
- The Dragon – An evil entity who wants to rule the “Overworld” and punish those responsible for locking him away.
- Miguel – A builder from Minecraft who struggles to adjust to the real world. Though he tries to get involved in architecture, but is not welcomed by the “higher-ups” in the real world. He leaps at the chance to go back to Minecraft.
- Ti Ying – An engineer who has been thrown out of Minecraft. He is more than ready to take on the evils of The Dragon.
These details are currently unconfirmed by Vertigo, Warner Bros. and Mojang, although Geeks Worldwide is not particulary known for being unreliable. The article, however, did state that the Minecraft movie was being produced by Legendary Pictures, which is untrue. Furthermore, sometime in 2021, the article was removed from the website for unknown reasons, although it is still available through the Wayback Machine. It also seems that the movie's script is being rewritten. As such, take the above details with a grain of salt.
Production
The Minecraft movie was first announced on February 28, 2014 by Notch, when he posted on Twitter that Mojang's partnership with Warner Bros. about a Minecraft film was being leaked. Script work began on March 2, 2014. 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". He also stated that it might not be released until 2018. Later that same month, Shawn Levy was announced as the director for the film, but left the project along with Kieran and Michele Mulroney, who were serving as writers, due to scheduling conflicts as well as the studio rejecting his script. On July 21, 2015, Vu Bui announced that Rob McElhenney would serve as the director of the film.
On June 27, 2016, Mojang 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. On October 13, 2016, it was announced that Jason Fuchs would be writing the script. On August 3, 2018, the director Rob McElhenney and the writer Jason Fuchs dropped out of the project and were replaced by duo Aaron and Adam Nee. The release date was also pushed back to an unknown date.
On January 3, 2019, it was announced that Jim Berney had been appointed for the film's visual effects. On January 11, 2019, it was announced that Peter Sollett would direct the film, with Jon Berg being added as a producer, Jon Spaihts as an executive producer and Jim Bissell as production designer. The plot synopsis was also revealed, and the Nees were removed from the project.
Steve Carell considered acting in the film, but dropped out due to scheduling issues.
In April 2019, Mojang confirmed the release date, as well as that the film will most likely be live-action.
On June 24, 2019, Allison Schroeder was announced as writer.
On 16 May 2020, Geeks Worldwide published an exclusive article with the presumed characters of the movie.
On 5 October 2020, the release date of the movie was pushed back to an unknown date.
On 18 April 2022, it was confirmed that director Peter Sollett and writer Allison Schroeder had left the project. The new director is Jared Hess, who will direct from a script by Chris Bowman and Hubell Palmer. It was also noted that producer Jon Berg was now an executive producer, along with newcomer Cale Boyter. Mary Parent and Mojang's Lydia Winters were also added as producer. Jason Mamoa is in talks to star in the film – reportedly as a voice actor to voice a main protagonist – which will start production later this year.
That same day, Geoff Keighley claimed on Twitter that Momoa was going to play Gabriel, a character originally introduced in Minecraft: Story Mode, citing The Ankler. However, this is not corroborated by any other sources (including by The Ankler's website), and is generally deemed unlikely by the public, especially given Mojang's attitude regarding Story Mode.
On 5 April 2023, the movie received a release date of 4 April 2025, with Jason Momoa to star in a main role.
On 23 May 2023, it was announced that Matt Berry was in talks to star in the film. Several producers and executive producers were also added. Additionally, a rumor surfaced that Sydney Sweeny was to start in the film as well, perhaps as female lead.
In September 2023, it was reported that the film's script was complete, and that production may begin soon.
Debunked rumors
All three of these rumors started on IMDB, as false information added by users of the website. They have been debunked due to lack of external evidence for the claims, IMDB's Wikipedia-esque "anyone can edit" nature and the confirmed plot as of January 11, 2019.
Plot rumors
- The Minecraft Movie will be about Steve as he goes on an adventure with an Iron Golem known as Klunk.
- The Minecraft Movie will follow Steve and Alex as they set out to save the world from Herobrine and his Wither.
Other
- The film will be created using motion capture, overseen by Julianna Potter.
Trivia
- Both Shawn Levy and Rob McElhenney have spoken about their original draft for the movie's premise.
- Shawn Levy's idea of the movie would've been a (likely computer-animated) Goonies-like story of hunting treasure.
- Rob McElhenney's script was a live-action film where Minecraft was an alternate reality that could be traveled through by humans using advanced technology. Said Minecraft reality would've looked like and had similar physics to the game.
Sources
- The movie's plot and new crew
- The Nee Brothers' involvement
- Jim Berney
- Release date and live-action approach
- The Nees are removed from the project
- Allison Schroeder announced as writer
- Other sources that also lead up to the used ones
- The main characters (Grain of salt; article was removed in 2021)
- COVID-19 delay
- New Crew + Jason Mamoa
- Jason Mamoa (2); elaboration on voice acting role and start of production – Note: Article contains some errors, like mentioning Allison Schroeder as still being a writer for the film, production beginng by the end of 2021 (likely a typo), and other oddities, like claiming that Momoa will voice "the main protagonist", even though the plot revolves around a teenage girl according to Mojang. Take with a grain of salt.
- Gabriel – Note: Take with a grain of salt.
- 5 April 2025 release date
- Crew update of May 2023
- Sydney Sweeney
- Finished script