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Minecraft: The Movie is a 2024 animated action-adventure comedy film directed by Rob McElhenney and written by McElhenney, Jason Fuchs, Allison Schroeder, Pamela Pettler, Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon, and Etan Cohen from a story written by Jens Bergensten, Hubbel Palmer and Chris Bowman. Based on the video game Minecraft by Mojang Studios, it stars the voices of Oscar Isaac, Rebel Wilson, Ben Kingsley, Daniel Middleton, Alison Pill, Kristen Bell, Awkwafina, Michelle Rodriguez, Idris Elba, and Sandra Bullock. In the film, it follows Steve and Alex, two adventurers and cave explorers in the Overworld who wish to tackle a bigger threat. This desire leads them on a big journey across their blocky world with their friends Dan, Bea, Charlotte and Luna, including going to the Nether, and eventually, the End.
In 2012, a year after Minecraft's full launch, Shawn Levy was considering directing a feature-length film of the video game, after previously directing Real Steel (2011). He, along with Minecraft developer Markus Persson, signed a deal with Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment and Relativity Media to produce a film based on the game. Levy was attached to produce and direct the film under his 21 Laps Entertainment production company, with Tony Gilroy, Jason Fuchs and Allison Schroeder attached to write the screenplay. However, Levy announced that he would leave the project to direct the films This Is Where I Leave You and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (both released in 2014), leaving the project in limbo. In 2020, Warner Bros. Pictures announced they had signed a deal with Mojang Studios to produce an animated feature-length Minecraft film, with Rob McElhenney attached to direct and write the screenplay, and with Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Dan Lin and Roy Lee attached to produce it, making it the first collaboration between the latter two producers since It Chapter Two (2019). The animation for the film was provided by Sony Pictures Imageworks, while the score was composed by John Powell.
Produced by Legendary Pictures, Rideback, Vertigo Entertainment, Mojang Studios and Domain Entertainment, the film premiered at Mojang Studios' headquarters in Stockholm on November 5, 2024, before it was theatrically released on November 27 in the United States by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film was dedicated to the memories of: producer Jill Messick, who died by suicide on February 7, 2018 – 6 years before the films release; and YouTube sensation Technoblade, who died to sarcoma in June 2022 – two years before the film's release. The film received universal acclaim, and has grossed $522 million worldwide, breaking numerous box office records.
Plot[]
To be added
Voice cast[]
- Oscar Isaac as Steve, an adventurer in the Overworld who is friends with Alex, and lives in a village with her.
- Rebel Wilson as Alex, an adventurer in the Overworld who is friends with Steve, and lives in a village with him.
- Ben Kingsley as Alan, the mayor of the village and the eldest of the villagers.
- Daniel Middleton as Dan, a confident and fearless cave explorer, and an expert redstone constructor. This marks Middleton's third main role in an animated motion picture after Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018), and is his fourth appearance in a film overall after Free Guy (2021).
- Alison Pill as Bea, a bright woman who cares for the pets in the village with Steve. She helps him and Alex on their journey.
- Kristen Bell as Annie, an optimistic village secretary who helps Steve and Alex before they leave to go on their journey.
- Awkwafina as Charlotte, an energetic adventurist who loves helping Steve and Alex, even when they don't need it. She helps assist the two on their journey.
- Michelle Rodriguez as Luna, a laid-back miner who assists Steve and Alex on their journey.
- Idris Elba as Elijah, an elder Piglin who orders his army to attack Steve, Alex, and their friends when they step near the Bastion Remnants.
- Sandra Bullock as the Ender Dragon, the fiercest and the most powerful threat in the Minecraft world. She also guards the exit in the End dimension, preventing anyone from escaping.
Other popular Minecraft YouTubers, such as Dream, GeorgeNotFound, CaptainSparklez, Grian, Mumbo Jumbo, PewDiePie, Sapnap, TommyInnit, Technoblade, Philza and Stampy, made cameo appearances in the film.
Production[]
Development[]
Rob McElhenney, pictured at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con, directed and co-wrote Minecraft: The Movie. He said he was "drawn heavily toward the game's blocky atmosphere and adventure aspects.
A feature-length film based on Minecraft was first conceived in 2012, a year after the game's full launch in 2011. Shawn Levy, who had built a reputation for directing the first two films in the Night at the Museum franchise, became interested in directing the film. In September 2012, he, with Minecraft creator Markus Persson, signed a deal with Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment and Relativity Media to produce a Minecraft film. Levy was attached to direct and produce the film under his 21 Laps Entertainment production company, with Tony Gilroy, Jason Fuchs, and Allison Schroeder tasked to write the screenplay. Steven Spielberg was originally set to produce the film with Levy, and Markus Persson originally served as the executive producer. The news of Minecraft getting a movie excited fans.
In late 2013, Levy announced that he had departed from the film, all while it was in its development stage. He stated he left to direct This Is Where I Leave You and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, both of which were released in 2014. The day after Levy's departure, Markus Persson revealed on his X (formerly Twitter) account that the film was supposed to be released sometime in 2016. The project was dropped by Universal and Amblin entirely, with it remaining in development hell for almost eight years. There were then rumors in 2015 that Sony Pictures Animation and Columbia Pictures had acquired the rights to the film, but these rumors were later debunked by executives at Sony Pictures Entertainment.
In 2017, after almost five years of no updates, Minecraft lead designer and Mojang Studios chief creative officer Jens Bergensten announced that Warner Bros. Pictures had picked up the rights for the film, and confirmed the film would be released sometime within the span of the next few years. He also confirmed that he would be an executive producer, and a writer for the film. Jill Messick was confirmed to be a producer for the film. In February 2018, Messick died by suicide, resulting in the film being paused for a brief period, while Warner Bros. Pictures and Jens Bergensten publishing separate statements giving their condolences to Messick and her family. Production later resumed in July 2018. Warner Bros. then stated that Messick would receive a posthumous producing credit in the final film.
In August 2020, Rob McElhenney revealed that he was given a contract by Warner Bros. to direct the film. While he was initially skeptical of taking the role, he eventually agreed to be the director of it. McElhenney also confirmed that he would write the film's screenplay with Pamela Pettler, Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon, and Etan Cohen. Jason Fuchs and Allison Schroeder, the original writers for the unreleased Universal-produced Minecraft film, joined the project to write the screenplay with the latter five. Dan Lin and Roy Lee were later confirmed to produce it. McElhenney stated that Warner Bros. Pictures had given him and the crew a budget of $165 million to make the film. The process of the writing and storyboarding began on June 10, 2021, and wrapped on February 3, 2023.
Casting[]
Rob McElhenney originally wanted to have Jonah Hill and Emily Blunt voice Steve and Alex respectively in the movie. However, there were other potential actors that were offering to voice the characters respectively. These included: Andrew Garfield, Tom Hiddleston, Elijah Wood, Chris Evans, Jared Padalecki, Oscar Isaac, and Josh Peck for Steve; and Thora Birch, Anna Hathaway Kirsten Dunst, Julia Stiles, Rebel Wilson, Emily Blunt, and Mila Kunis as Alex. By mid 2022, Isaac and Wilson were given the respective roles of the characters. McElhenney had stated that Isaac and Wilson "have this strong, sort of connection when they're put side-by-side in a big budget movie production. They just kind of... go together, you know?" The rest of the film's primary cast were confirmed between September 2022 and March 2023. These cast members included: Ben Kingsley, Daniel Middleton, Alison Pill, Kristen Bell, Awkwafina, and Michelle Rodriguez. Middleton commented on getting the role of the character Dan in the film as "the most exciting and nerve-racking experience [he had] ever endured", and that he was "really looking forward to recording [his] lines".
Before the main cast was revealed, in a report to BBC News in January 2022, it was revealed that popular Minecraft YouTubers (which included but are not limited to: Dream, GeorgeNotFound, CaptainSparklez, Grian, Mumbo Jumbo, PewDiePie, Sapnap, TommyInnit, Philza, and Stampy) were set to make their own cameo appearances in the film. Dream announced his official cameo appearance at the end of his YouTube video Minecraft Speedrunner VS 5 Hunters GRAND FINALE, the last in the main Minecraft Manhunt series on his channel.
When Minecraft: The Movie was acquired by Warner Bros. in 2017, YouTube personality Technoblade jokingly tweeted out: "any chance i can get put into the minecraft movie? kinda wanna get more attention over here lol". Then, in October 2020, three years after he had made the initial tweet, McElhenney confirmed he would have a cameo appearance in the film. Technoblade tweeted out "i'm in the movie", in response to him getting the cameo role, and had began recording his lines. In August 2021, he would announce that he was diagnosed with sarcoma, a rare form of cancer, which would ultimately impact his recording sessions due to needing to get treatment for the disease. Techno finished recording his lines by April 2022, after having needed to re-record his lines due to being provided with a new draft of his lines, which would end up being the final version of them.
On the evening of June 30, 2022, it was announced on Technoblade's YouTube channel that he had died from metastasized sarcoma, two months after he finished recording his lines. McElhenney, the team, and the film executives were reportedly heartbroken at the news of his passing. Warner Bros. Pictures released a press statement on their X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube accounts about Technoblade's passing on July 1. The team made the film as a dedication to Technoblade's legacy and impact on the Minecraft community.
Animation and visual effects[]
The animation and visual effects for the film were produced by Sony Pictures Imageworks in Vancouver, British Columbia. In order to boost work efforts, and to make sure that the animation closely resembled the game, Imageworks recruited several key artists and animators who worked at Mojang Studios. Jens Bergensten served as the lead character designer, with Theo Bialek serving as the visual effects supervisors Joshua Beveridge, Sacha Kapijimpanga, Peter Nash, and Daniel Pozo served as the heads of character animation at Imageworks. Additional production was handled at Imageworks' Culver City and Chennai facilities. The animation process began on August 27, 2022, and wrapped up on July 17, 2024.
Post-production[]
Additional visual effects and previs work were handled at DNEG and Blur Studio. Joe Walker, Christopher Rouse, and Debra Neil-Fisher served as the film's editors.
Music[]
- Main article: Minecraft: The Movie/Soundtrack
In 2023, John Powell was confirmed to compose the film's musical score. Powell worked close with Mojang Studios music executives, and incorporated themes from C418's Minecraft soundtracks, Volume Alpha (2011) and Volume Beta (2013). Karyn Rachtman served as the executive music producer on the film's soundtrack. Rappers Wiz Khalifa, Lil Wayne and Jelly Roll performed an exclusive song for the film, titled "Mining All Night", which served as the song for the end credits. It was released by Atlantic and Warner Records on November 28, 2024, a day after the film's theatrical release. The soundtrack was released by WaterTower Music on November 20.
Marketing and release[]
The film was originally scheduled for release on April 19, 2024, but was shifted to Thanksgiving of that year in December 2023. The first teaser trailer for Minecraft: The Movie was released on May 19, 2024, to commemorate the 15th anniversary of Minecraft. It depicted a large grass block against a black background as a light shines in the corner, before it zooms closer to the top, where a creeper walks to the front. It then explodes, revealing the film's logo and release date. The teaser sparked a wide positive response from critics and fans of the video game for being incredibly faithful to the material. The film's theatrical trailer was later released on YouTube on July 16, 2024.
Premiering in Stockholm on November 5, 2024, the film was theatrically released on November 27 in the United States, by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film was rated PG by the Motion Picture Association for "mild language, action/violence, and some mild peril".
Home media[]
Minecraft: The Movie will be released on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Ultra HD on March 18, 2025, by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.
Reception[]
Box office[]
As of December 4, 2024, Minecraft: The Movie has grossed $287.1 million in the United States and Canada, and $234.8 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $521.9 million, against a reported production budget of $165 million. It is currently the third-highest-grossing film of 2024, as well as the fourth-highest-grossing film of the year, behind Kung Fu Panda 4.
In the United States and Canada, Minecraft: The Movie opened alongside Disney's Moana 2, and was initially projected to gross $45-55 million in its opening weekend. On its first day, it made $57.1 million with $6.5 million in Tuesday night previews. It then made a further $34.4 million at the box office, making it the highest Thanksgiving opening for a Warner Bros. film, and overtook Moana 2 in the race. In its opening weekend, it opened to a further $157.2 million (for a total of $248.6 over the first five days of release), becoming the best opening weekend for a Thanksgiving release in North America. With a worldwide total gross of $396.7 million over the Thanksgiving weekend ($248.6 million domestically and $148.1 million overseas), it dethroned The Super Mario Bros. Movie to become the all-time biggest opening weekend for an animated feature film.
Critical response[]
Based on 189 professional critic reviews, the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 88% of those reviews were positive, with an average rating of 7.2/10. On the website, the critics' consensus reads, "Even if you have never heard of the game, Minecraft: The Movie's heart pounding action, top tier acting and gorgeous animation will get anybody interested." Using a weighted average calculator, Metacritic assigned the film a score of 69 out of 100, based on 35 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.
Future[]
Following the film's release, Rob McElhenney stated that Warner Bros. Pictures and Mojang Studios were interested in making a sequel to Minecraft: The Movie, with McElhenney saying he was considering returning to direct it.
Notes[]
- ↑ Messick died by suicide on February 7, 2018; she received a posthumous credit for her work in the film, and the film was dedicated to her in her memory.
- ↑ Original themes from Minecraft composed by Daniel Rosenfeld