The long-gestating Minecraft movie is moving forward with a major star set to take the lead. Aquaman and Game of Thrones star Jason Momoa has been cast in a live-action feature film adaptation of the popular block-building video game. Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite) is also on board to direct the movie for Warner Bros. Pictures. The news was originally reported by The Ankler and has since been confirmed by THR.
The Minecraft movie has been in development for many years and will include a posthumous credit from late producer Jill Messick. Mary Parent and Roy Lee are also producing with Minecraft developer Mojang Studios’ Lydia Winters and Vu Bui. Executive producers include Jon Berg, Cale Boyter, and Jon Spaihts.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
Minecraft was first published by Mojang Studios in 2009, having since become the best-selling video game of all time with more than 238 million copies sold. The video game uses simplistic, blocky graphics and encourages creativity by having players design buildings and landscapes using different terrains and objects, all in block form. Spinoff games like Minecraft: Story Mode have imagined new stories set in animated Minecraft worlds, but how this will translate to a live-action adaptation remains to be seen.
There have been attempts to get Minecraft made into a movie in the past that haven’t panned out. At one point, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star Rob McElhenney was on board to direct the feature but wound up parting ways with the project. It was reported in 2019 that Freeheld helmer Peter Sollett would direct Minecraft, but that didn’t end up working out either. Steve Carell was also among the actors reportedly eyed for a role, but he’s not involved with this current version with Hess and Momoa.
It would seem that the continued success of video game adaptations has given the Minecraft film the juice it needs to finally make some traction. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 just debuted to incredible success, surpassing the record opening previously set by the original in 2020. Mortal Kombat was also the most-streamed new release on HBO Max in 2021. There are many other big-name adaptations in the works as well, such as a new Super Mario Bros. movie and TV shows based on The Last of Us and Twisted Metal.
Jason Momoa Returns as Aquaman Next Year
DC Entertainment
Jason Momoa and Warner Bros. will be bringing DC fans the sequel to Aquaman next year. Dubbed Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, the follow-up film brings back Momoa as the titular superhero after Aquaman raked in more than one billion dollars at the box office. Joining Momoa in the sequel, which is directed by James Wan, are Amber Heard, Dolph Lundgren, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Nicole Kidman, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Temuera Morrison.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is scheduled to be released in movie theaters on March 17, 2023, following several release date delays. The Minecraft movie does not yet have an official release date at this time, perhaps with the studio waiting to see if this is the version that finally gets its gears turning before making that announcement.
