A Minecraft Movie is just weeks away from hitting theatres, and a big question has finally been answered: Why isn't it just called "Minecraft"?
The film, based on the hugely popular video game, stars Jack Black as expert crafter Steve and is directed by Napoleon Dynamite's Jared Hess.
Alongside Black, the film also stars Jason Momoa, Sebastian Hansen, Wednesday’s Emma Myers and Peacemaker’s Danielle Brooks as the four who will enter the Overworld and encounter Steve.
Now, speaking to Variety, Hess has explained why the film is titled A Minecraft Movie instead of the more direct Minecraft.
"We’re calling it A Minecraft Movie because we’re respecting the fact that there’s no one story that drives the game," Mary Parent, chairman of worldwide production for Legendary, explained.
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Hess added: "We’re not the official story. We’re not canonising anything. We’re just one of a zillion stories."
The synopsis for A Minecraft Movie reads: “Four misfits find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination.
"To get back home, they'll have to master this world (and protect it from evil things like piglins and zombies, too) while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve.
"Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative ... the very skills they need to thrive back in the real world."
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The film also stars The White Lotus’ Jennifer Coolidge, Barbie’s Kate McKinnon and What We Do in the Shadows’ Jemaine Clement.
Meanwhile, fans of Minecraft have even more to look forward to, as Netflix announced an animated TV series based on the game last year.
According to the streamer, the series will "feature an original story with new characters that shows the Minecraft world in a new light".
A Minecraft Movie is due to be released in cinemas on April 4, 2025.
Reporter, Digital Spy
Stephanie is a freelance news writer, who previously covered WWE and AEW for Digital Spy.
After graduating with a degree in history from Queen Mary University, London, she studied journalism at Birkbeck University.
Outside of her work at Digital Spy, she writes about pop culture, with a special focus towards Irish media and how it intersects with politics.
You can read more of her work on her Substack page.
