The popular survival and adventuring video game, Minecraft, released in 2009, became a reality by the long awaited live-action movie, “A Minecraft Movie,” that was released in theaters on April 4.
The movie begins with four characters, Garrison, Henry, Natalie, and Dawn, who discover a portal to the Overworld when they meet Steve, their only hope of returning to their normal lives. To get back home, they must learn techniques to survive in the world of Minecraft and go on different quests to activate the portal back home.
The movie follows the same elements of the video game like the creativity and skills of building and survival as well as easter eggs and references to lore that only fans of the video game will understand.
Originally scheduled to release in May 2019, the movie was postponed for nearly six years, the main reason being COVID-19, however it was finally released after being anticipated by the public.
The two hour long movie stars Jennifer Coolidge, Jack Black and Jason Momoa. Video game streamers and fans of the video game will expect to see the movie feature famous Minecraft YouTubers and streamers like DanTDM and LDShadowLady. The movie also has a reference to TechnoBlade, a tribute to who was considered to be one of the best Minecraft streamers among fans, as he died from cancer in June 2022.
Senior Jayden Luna saw the film after prom with his friends and enjoyed the film. He was glad to relive nostalgic childhood memories from playing and watching videos of the game and recommends the film to those considering seeing it.
“It was really only a brief second they were there, but I thought it was really cool that they were included. I would say that it’s not entirely based off of childhood references, so I did have that nostalgic feeling, but it was also a new thing, and I like the mix of that. I think it was really good, I recommend it,” Luna said.
The movie has been a big hit since its release, especially among fans of the video game, and has brought the Minecraft fans together to celebrate the movie’s release. According to Internet Movie Database (IMDb), an online database of information related to films, the movie skyrocketed in charts upon its release and is currently ranked as the #1.
According to Screen Rant, a website source for movie and show entertainment, the movie’s budget was $150 million dollars used for props and visual effects, however according to Axios, a breaking news website, the movie “awakened sleepy box office” by grossing a total of $313 million, surpassing the movie’s budget.
The movie brought many fans of the gaming community together, and allowed the hit video game Minecraft to return to peak popularity.
