Jack Black and Jason Momoa Dive Into the Minecraft Universe: The Video Game Megahit Hits the Big Screen

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Upon Jack Black received the invitation to starred in the "Minecraft" film, with numerous advantages. He had the opportunity to collaborate Jason Momoa , reconnect with "Nacho Libre" director Jared Hess and dive deep into a well-loved gaming world.

However, before giving consent, Black pivoted towards the genuine decision-makers: his sons, who are fervent enthusiasts of Minecraft. Not only did they approve, but they also enthusiastically pleaded with him to accept the position.

Similar to his sons, Black has observed the excitement since the release announcement of “ A Minecraft Movie ," set to debut this Friday. The actor was acquainted with the video game beforehand, as he had played it from time to time with his sons during the preparation for the live-action remake.

"My kids were enjoying it, so I decided to learn their language," explained Black, who plays the lead role of Steve—a character who turns into a skilled Minecraft player after getting transported to the Overworld dimension. In this new world, his character joins forces with a group of unlikely allies who are unexpectedly drawn through a portal by a cube-shaped entity fueled by creativity.

The movie also features Momoa, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Coolidge, and Sebastian Hansen.

Prior to having his character enter the Overworld, Black delved into the Minecraft universe with his boys. During filming, he dedicated more than 100 hours to gameplay.

I've invested the effort," he stated. "You have to dedicate many days to working at it. Check out some YouTube tutorials for survival strategies during your initial nights in the Overworld. I had become quite skilled at it.

What's driving the popularity of Minecraft?

Following Minecraft’s launch in 2009, it reached one million players within just two years. From that point onward, it has racked up more than 235 million sales across multiple gaming systems, solidifying its position as an international sensation thanks to its mix of creative building, adventurous exploration, and challenging survival features.

The game’s open-world structure allows players to shape their individual experiences, which can range from battling mobs for survival to gathering resources through mining, tending farms, or constructing elaborate artworks with blocks. Additionally, it has cultivated an active multiplayer scene where participants team up to jointly develop new realms. Its learning potential spans areas such as programming, architectural design, and critical thinking skills.

Fundamentally, Minecraft is an endless virtual playground where creativity turns basic blocks into anything from charming houses to vast metropolises.

The gameplay videos created by Minecraft developers have attracted millions of views on YouTube.

These were some of the factors that attracted Myers and Hansen to the game when they were children.

"I spent a lot of time playing during the pandemic," stated Hansen, aged 14, who portrays Henry — an introverted yet imaginative and cerebral boy attempting to adjust to his new high school. Upon entering the Overworld, he starts feeling at ease within this setting.

"I spent a significant amount of time playing with it as a child, constantly watching videos and such," he mentioned.

Myers started playing the pocket edition with her buddies when she was about 10 years old. She mentioned that the virtual and physical aspects blend together perfectly.

The 22-year-old actor portraying Natalie stated, “It offers great versatility.” This character temporarily shelved her life plans to look after Henry, her younger sibling. She added, “Minecraft essentially compels you to unleash your creativity and tackle problems in innovative ways that might not occur to you initially.”

Can video games truly succeed as movie adaptations?

The journey from console to cinema has not always been easy.

A number of video game adaptations have had limited success when released in theaters, yet recent blockbusters such as the "Sonic" franchise, "Five Nights at Freddy's," and "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" have demonstrated the untapped potential within this film category.

The three movies have topped the charts at the box office, with "Super Mario Bros." earning over $146 million in just its first weekend of 2023, as reported by Comscore. Meanwhile, each film from the "Sonic" series has opened with anywhere from $58 to $72 million. Additionally, "Five Nights at Freddy's" managed an impressive debut exceeding $80 million.

That's a significant leap from other adaptations like “The Angry Birds Movie 2," which Comscore records show had a lukewarm $10 million opening in 2019. Other attempts such as “Mortal Kombat ($23 million in 2021) and ”Resident Evil: Welcome to Racoon City" ($5.3 million that same year) struggled to gain traction.

Black, who has starred in popular films like “School of Rock” and the “ Kung Fu Panda series, mentioned he has never been involved in such an eagerly anticipated film like 'Minecraft.'

Is Minecraft solely intended for kids?

If you inquire of Hess, it definitely isn’t. To him, the game is part of family life, integrated into his home environment as he often embarks on adventures in the Overworld with his children.

This made it a simple pitch for him to helm "A Minecraft Movie."

The game ranks among my most beloved titles ever, and it played a significant role in our family dynamics," stated Hess, aged 45, who has helmed movies like "Napoleon Dynamite," "Masterminds," and "Nacho Libre.

Since the game lacks a narrative, Hess aimed to contribute to crafting one for the film adaptation using his insights gained from extensive playtime.

This universe of Minecraft is utterly absurd yet perfectly suited for an incredible adventure film that would be incredibly hilarious," he remarked. "The possibilities are endless. Since the game doesn’t have a storyline, there was ample room for creativity to develop one.

Torfi Frans Ólafsson mentioned that he has spent thousands of hours on Minecraft, often staying up all night until around 5 a.m., despite having meetings as early as 8 a.m. He recounted spending an entire weekend gaming with his son when the child was just six years old.

I believe our only task was," stated Ólafsson, who serves as a creative director for Minecraft and also produced the movie. "Our objective was to slay the dragon. There was considerable effort involved, but he continually made mistakes... Still, it turned out to be an incredible shared experience for both father and son.

Ólafsson added: “That's the thing that matters. This game brings people together and creates shared memories and give meanings to things.”