Released on April 4, 2025, ‘A Minecraft Movie’ soared to the top of charts and collected a global opening of $301 million. This comes as no surprise considering the amount of attention the film received on social media prior to its release, coupled with its enormous fanbase.
The movie follows the story of Steve (Jack Black) as he protects the Overworld from the beasts of the Nether. Under a unique set of circumstances, the financially-burdened, video game-aficionado Garett (Jason Mamoa) gets dragged into the Overworld with three acquaintances. The group must work alongside Steve to recover the relics needed to return home.
As someone who grew up watching a variety of Minecraft YouTubers, this movie hit me with a wave of nostalgia. The film was riddled with a number of easter eggs including a feature of DanTDM and an homage to the late Technoblade. On top of these exciting elements, director Jared Hess had some of his own unique details to hide. Best known for his film ‘Napoleon Dynamite,’ Hess gave a nod to himself by including a llama as a nod to Tina from his magnum opus.
Prior to its release, ‘A Minecraft Movie’ took the internet by storm. A large number of social media users created content that reviewed quotes from the movie such as “flint and steel,” “I am Steve” or my personal favorite, “chicken jockey.” Ultimately, turning the movie into a meme seems to have enticed more people to see it. Fast food chain McDonald’s has also promoted the movie through its ‘Flint and Meal’ combo.
While I hate to admit it, I caught myself laughing during this movie on numerous occasions. Each scene was filled with offbeat jokes and impeccable comedic timing, sure to entertain kids and adults alike. One of my personal favorite celebrities, Jennifer Coolidge, makes appearances throughout the film as a recently-divorced school administrator who has found love with a villager from the Overworld. I couldn’t help but laugh during her moments on screen, especially her post-credits scene.
While the film was far from perfect, ‘A Minecraft Movie’ served as a reminder to me of how quickly time passes. It seemed like yesterday that I was sitting on the floor with my legs crossed, building houses and crafting weapons. In reality, those same worlds that I would create are older than some of the kids in that theater. After a promising post-credits scene, we can only hope that a sequel is in the works. Until then, maybe it’s time I play ‘Mice on Venus’ and dust off the cover of my redstone handbook.
