The Minecraft Movie Disaster: How Does This Keep Happening?
Oct 03, 2024
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Featured image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Some movies sound good on paper but have disasters on set. What’s the most recent occasion? While everyone’s already reeling from the disaster that was Borderlands, now we’ve got a new mess to look forward to in “A Minecraft Movie”. This film will premiere in spring 2025 but not without controversy. Here’s what you need to know about the controversy-riddled movie that has people chirping.
What Is the Minecraft Movie?
The creators of “A Minecraft Movie” had concepts of a plan in 2014, though it took a while to come to fruition. Minecraft getting a movie is no surprise, considering its meteoric rise in the video game industry. Experts say it has sold over 300 million copies, making it one of the most successful titles ever. Only Grand Theft Auto V and Wii Sports can compare to this feat.
Mojang Studios — the game’s developer — has contemplated a TV series or movie franchise for a while but has waited for the right time. Rob McElhenney, Steve Carrell and Jill Messick are only a few names connected to the supposed film since 2012. Now, it’s an official movie starring Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Danielle Brooks, Emma Myers and Sebastian Eugene Hansen as the main cast.
How Has the Minecraft Movie Been a Disaster?
Mojang Studios has waited over a decade for this movie, so it should be special. However, some controversies have interfered and created bad news. Here’s what you need to know about the Minecraft movie disaster.
1. Graphics
The new Minecraft film blurs the lines between live-action and animation, featuring the cast among CGI-generated characters. For instance, you can see the game’s famous sheep and other animals. That said, fan reception has been mixed. If you’ve played Minecraft for a decade, you might criticize the drastic change between the video game and the film.
The first criticism is the animal renderings. Why do the creatures have a lot of fur? These illustrations make the creepers and sheep look far different from their game depictions. Some have compared the film to “Sonic the Hedgehog” in 2020. The trailer received negative critiques for adding fur, so the editors redesigned Sonic for a more video game-centric aesthetic. Will the Minecraft Movie get the same treatment?
2. Animation Approach
Mixing live-action and animation is always tricky. However, the Minecraft production team should’ve used animated characters to tell the story. With this method, the focus is less on the odd-fitting people and more on the storytelling. Production teams using live-action films should use “Sin City” or “If” as inspiration, considering their success and seamless integration.
“A Minecraft Movie” has also faced criticism for the characters it uses in the movie. Minecraft is a well-established game with known characters like Steve. You also may recognize Ari, Alex, Makena and Sunny. Why did the writers introduce four new characters in this plot? “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” — another film based on a video game — didn’t need to introduce outside humans to make the movie great.
3. Cast Interaction
One of the most important parts of a film is cast chemistry. You need your actors, directors and producers to get along. Otherwise, you risk poor working conditions, worsened performances and bad stores in the press. Fans can also forget about a sequel if the cast doesn’t like each other. The Minecraft movie has its fair share of poor interactions on the set.
Controversies center around Jason Momoa, according to recent reporting. Rachell “Valkyrae” Hofstetter — a YouTuber with over 4 million subscribers — said Momoa mistreated some crew members and was quite angry during filming. While there are more sides to the story, his behavior likely left a bad taste in the mouths of his colleagues. Should the film have gone a different direction in casting?
4. Casting Choices
Jack Black is one of the most famous actors and comedians dating back to “High Fidelity” and “School of Rock.” However, his fit in this movie has raised some questions. Black’s relationship with director Jared Hess likely influenced his part in the movie, considering they worked together on “Nacho Libre.” Some fans are already saying Black isn’t a good fit as Steve, Minecraft’s protagonist.
Steve is a silent guy with some stubble for facial hair. In contrast, the trailer shows Black with plenty of facial hair and minimal resemblance to the real character. Imagine creating a Pokémon movie and casting Ryan Gosling as Accelgor. Instead of giving him a pink head, the production team goes a different direction. This choice wouldn’t make sense, so the Minecraft movie needs some changes.
5. The Barbie Effect
“Barbie” was a wildly successful movie in 2023, reaching $1.45 billion at the box office. With its success, more filmmakers want to ride the wave of live-action and animation. Reports indicate movies based on Monopoly, Uno and Hot Wheels are in the works. How will audiences react to them? It’s too early to tell, but it seems like crowds are highly critical of these films. It’s not easy going from a toy or a game to a movie.
“Barbie” mixed live-action and animation, but it turned into a cultural phenomenon. 2023 was the summer of pink, whether you related to Ken or Allan more. “A Minecraft Movie” doesn’t have the same juice despite Jason Momoa’s jacket looking like it came from Margot Robbie’s wardrobe. You need creativity and luck with these films to resonate with audiences, so it’ll be an uphill climb from here.
What Other Video Games Turned Into Bad Movies?
The next Minecraft film has yet to hit theaters, so it’s hard to judge it accurately. However, the trailer reviews aren’t off to a good start. It could end up like past video game movies that turned out pretty poorly. What are some of the worst ones? Let’s take a trip down memory lane:
- “Borderlands”: Premiering years after series interest had waned, “Borderlands” showed that some producers still can’t be bothered to understand the games they’re adapting, with casting choices that truly boggle the mind.
- “Super Mario Bros”: If your parents didn’t tell you about “Super Mario Bros.” from 1993, they were probably trying to spare you. This movie had awful writing and is a regrettable piece of cinema.
- “Ratchet and Clank”: PlayStation fans wish this movie hadn’t happened. The Ratchet and Clank movie from 2016 was underwhelming and a copy-and-paste job from the game. If you’ve played the games before, there’s no use in watching the movie.
- “House of the Dead”: Some movies are so bad that they’re worth watching to make fun of. “House of the Dead” from 2003 fits this bill because it’s beyond bad. If you’re looking for a plot and good flow, don’t come here.
Anticipating “A Minecraft Movie” and Its Flaws
Filmmaking is complex, so it’s hard to say the average person could make this Minecraft film better. However, there are specific qualities the producers haven’t considered despite their importance to the film. Modern movie fans are smart and notice the unnecessary fur or the weird graphics. While it will likely do well at the box office, “A Minecraft Movie” isn’t set up for critical acclaim based on the trailer.
