We're bearing witness to a proper resurgence of video games in movies and TV shows, with some major successes... And some not-so-great entries. Microsoft is actively expanding into new mediums with its vast catalog of Xbox franchises, too, and that means another new way to step into the Minecraft universe.
Minecraft is everywhere, and now it's coming to the big screen with a live action adaptation. We've known about 'A Minecraft Movie' for years, but we only just recently got our first peek and a proper release date.
Now, Warner Bros. and Mojang Studios have released the third trailer for the Minecraft movie, once again prominently featuring its star cast, including Jack Black and Jason Mamoa.
The final trailer for your viewing pleasure
Laying the groundwork for the action-packed plot
Minecraft has been far more than just one video game for many years now, and many of you may be aware of the unique action-strategy game Minecraft Legends. The first Minecraft game with a proper voiced cast to go alongside its story, the basic plot was this: the Piglin armies of the hellish Nether are seeking to invade and conquer the Overworld.
More or less, that also seems to be the overarching storyline of the Minecraft movie. Mysterious circumstances lead to a group of four strangers getting lost in the uncanny, blocky world of Minecraft, and there they discover that another human has already been here for a very long time.
Yes, it's Jack Black as the infamous Minecraft Steve, although it's mostly Jack Black.
Steve takes it upon himself to guide his fellow humans through surviving the weirdly video game-y world they now find themselves in, including how to craft, interact with the local inhabitants, and crack a Minecraft pun here and there.
Somewhere along the way, though, the group discovers the nefarious plot manifesting in the Nether and must work together to save the Overworld and all the life it holds from the Piglin hordes.
It's a very safe story for the first live action Minecraft movie, and sets the movie up well for success if it can stick the landing. Of course, 'A Minecraft Movie' also needs to somehow nail the specific, tongue-in-cheek vibe that will justify its odd CGI-heavy visuals.
I'm still not entirely sold on the Minecraft movie
Minecraft is one of the biggest media franchises on the planet, and the Minecraft movie stars some of the most recognizable names in acting. It's going to take more than that to make this project a runaway success, though.
People have little patience for haphazard adaptations of their favorite franchises, and even after three trailers I'm still not completely convinced that the team behind 'A Minecraft Movie' has taken the right approach.
At the very least, though, there's clearly passion here. This latest trailer is packed with easter eggs that show there's at least a few people working on this movie that are intimately familiar with the Minecraft universe.
Using a bucket of water to cushion a fall, creating iron golems out of iron and pumpkins, the mysterious circle of life that materializes children when there's food around — the detail is there.
It's just going to be difficult for 'A Minecraft Movie' to walk the line between cringey and hilarious writing, and that line is fine with this kind of movie.
It may surprise you to hear, but this isn't even the only attempt to bring Minecraft into the real world right now. There's also the "Minecraft Experience," touring the globe to take people on interactive Minecraft adventures. That, at least, is easier to swallow.
Dropping Apr. 4, with an in-game bonus for ticket purchasers
'A Minecraft Movie' officially releases in theaters worldwide on Apr. 4, 2025, so we're only a few months away from being able to see the finished project.
You can already purchase 'A Minecraft Movie' tickets at Fandango.com, and a purchasing bonus was announced today for those who grab their passes early.
Starting today (Feb. 27), anyone who purchases tickets for the Minecraft movie at Fandango will receive an in-game Minecraft code for a Jetpack Add-on, of all things. Hey, at least it's not another random cosmetic item, this jetpack is actually functional.
Catch the first two trailers
If you're wanting to get caught up on all three trailers for the Minecraft movie, Windows Central has you covered.
We wrote about the debut 'A Minecraft Movie' trailer (and how cursed it is), and then followed up with the minor redemption of the second 'A Minecraft Movie' trailer (and the accompanying behind-the-scenes look).
Now that we're dealing with the full trilogy of trailers and have a fair amount of footage from the Minecraft movie, I'm cautiously optimistic that this will at least be a fun movie to go see with friends or family, even if it's not a cinematic masterpiece that'll monopolize all the accolades and awards for the year.
I'm curious what your thoughts are on the 'A Minecraft Movie,' especially with the latest trailer. Do you have hope, are you confident this movie is going to join 'Cats' as one of the worst movies of all time, is there a grey area you reside in?
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