‘Minecraft’ Movie: Release Date, Cast, and Everything We Know About Jason Momoa’s New Film

With over 140 million monthly active players, Minecraft is the best-selling video game ever, captivating audiences for over a decade since its launch in 2011. Now, the beloved block-building phenomenon is heading to the silver screen! Hot on the heels of recent video game adaptations like The Super Mario Bros Movie and The Last of Us, the upcoming Minecraft movie aims to be just as successful.

Slated to star Jason Momoa, the project has faced numerous delays over the years. However, it seems like things are finally picking up steam, with production starting before the end of the year. Here’s everything we know so far about the upcoming film.

The Trials and Tribulations of the Minecraft Movie

Plans for a Minecraft movie were first announced in 2014 by Warner Bros. and Mojang. However, the project dates back to 2012, when development first began.  After several cast and crew changes, Warner Bros. seems like it has finally landed its stars and its director for the film.

Shaun Levy was originally on board to direct with a script by Kieran and Michele Mulroney. But all three left in 2014 due to “creative differences” with the video game’s creators. Almost two years later, Rob McElhenney was signed on to direct the movie, with a script he co-wrote with Jason Fuchs. McElhenney revealed that their project was nearly finished. But following the change of studio heads, his version of the movie was no longer in line with what the studio wanted.

In 2018, Adam and Aaron Nee were tasked to pen the script for the film, and Peter Sollett was brought in to direct in early 2019. However, months later, Allison Schroeder was announced to take over for the Nee Brothers in writing the script. Ultimately, Warner Bros. brought on Jared Hess to direct the film with a script written by Chris Bowman and Hubbel Palmer.

Who Is in the Minecraft Movie Cast?

Steve Carrell was among the stars originally attached to be part of the Minecraft movie. Carell has long been reported to be part of the film since 2016. However, since the numerous iterations of the project, Carell is no longer attached to the upcoming release.

In April 2022, Jason Momoa was announced as joining the project. While there isn’t much information about who Momoa will be playing, IMDB lists his role as “Steve.” This is the most recognizable player avatar from the games, as the default feminine avatar is Alex.

In May 2023, Matt Berry was announced to be joining Momoa in the Minecraft movie. Deadline reported that Wednesday star Emma Myers was also cast for the movie. Additionally, the outlet also reported that Danielle Brooks and Eugene Hansen have joined the cast for the upcoming film. Brooks is said to play a character named Dawn, and Hansen will play Henry.

Momoa, Roy Lee, Jon Berg, Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Torfi Frans Olafsson, Vu Bui, and the late Jill Messick are producing the Minecraft movie. The executive producers are Todd Hallowell, Kayleen Walters, Brian Mendoza, and Jonathan Spaihts.

What Is the Plot of the Minecraft Movie?

Plot details for the Minecraft movie are scarce, especially since the adaptation has undergone many changes with many directors over the years.

IMDB’s description for the project reads: “The malevolent Ender Dragon sets out on a path of destruction, prompting a young girl and her group of unlikely adventurers to set out to save the Overworld.”

An early version of the film was supposed to focus on the concept of “people taking agency over their experience in the digital landscape.” Another version of the movie was supposed to be centered around “a teenage girl and her unlikely group of adventurers” who must save their Overworld from an Ender Dragon.

But, especially for those who have played the game, Minecraft is more of an open world-building and survival game. Players, alone or with friends, are tasked to create very detailed structures. All the while trying to survive attacks from enemies such as creepers, zombies, and skeletons. The different modes of the game allow the players to focus on the aspects of the game they prefer.

What Can Fans Expect from the Film?

When Levy was originally directing, he had described his iteration as an adventure movie with “a bit of a Goonies flair.” For Sollett’s approach, fans at the time had an idea of what the Minecraft movie was going to be about.

“So, what do you have to look forward to, roughly 25,000 hours from now? Well, as you devour your movie snack of choice (we like a suspicious stew with a side of square watermelon), we’ll tell you the story of a teenage girl and her unlikely group of adventurers. After the malevolent Ender Dragon sets out on a path of destruction, they must save their beautiful blocky,” said the blog post announcing the 2022 release date.

It is confirmed that the current script for the film is finished, according to Variety. And that the script had been completed before the WGA strike, which started in May 2023.

What Is the Minecraft Movie Release Date?

The Minecraft movie is set to premiere on April 4, 2025, exclusively in theaters. While the film will eventually go to a streaming platform, it might take some time before it will happen. Since this is a Warner Bros. production, it will likely end up on HBO’s streaming platform Max.

Production is expected to begin in late December 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand, and Canada.

Before the 2025 release date, the Minecraft movie went through several release date announcements with every director previously on board. McElhenney’s movie iteration was originally slated to premiere on May 24, 2019. When Sollett was brought on board, the Minecraft movie was up for a March 4, 2022, date. The 2022 release date was eventually removed from the studio’s calendar.

Warner Bros. recently announced the project’s 2025 release date, which will hopefully be the final one. Variety also reported that the Minecraft movie is one of the studio’s highest-priority releases besides the upcoming DC Studio projects. So, we’ll keep our fingers crossed that this 2025 release date will stick!