Minecraft, to be blunt, is a giant toy box. That’s not to deride one of the most financially successful video games of all time – quite the opposite, actually. The game arguably became such a smash hit with just about everyone because of how approachable it is and how the experience can be melded and shaped into just about anything you desire. Do you want a hardcore survival experience? Do you want to just build stuff with your friends? Anything and everything in between is possible, no doubt compounded by its unique cubic visuals.
Obviously, that means alive-action movie with Jason Momoaneeds to be made aboutMinecraft. No, this isn’t a late joke or some satire piece meant to entertain. This is an actual announcement, and as of now, it’s happening. Frankly, we shouldn’t have to explain why making aMinecraftmovie – one in live-action, no less – is a terrible idea. But, seeing as how the film is happening regardless, there are more than a few reasons why it shouldn’t ever come to fruition.
Why Make a Live-Action Movie?
RememberThe Lego Movie? Remember how the gimmick of the whole movie beingfilmed with digital Lego pieceswas actually utilized in an interesting way? It was less a movie about the Lego pieces themselves and more about how the pieces serve to facilitate imaginative thinking instead of strict adherence to models. We mention this because, realistically, what else could a live-actionMinecraftmovie be about?
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We’re not saying it wouldn’t be entertaining to see Jason Mamoa take on the rugged wilderness, craft weapons and armor, and ultimately cross dimensions to fight a monstrous dragon. That’d be fantastic, actually. But it’s an idea on parwith an SNL skitin terms of ingenuity. In something as stylized and iconic asMinecraft, translating it to live-action will inherently present issues in replicating the original experience. What can be done with the property, then? AreMinecraftcharacters going to cross over into real life? Is it going to be like theSonic the Hedgehogmovies, or more like Adam Sandler’sPixels?
The creative forces behind the film likely haven’t found an answer either, seeing as how it has been in development hell for almost a decade at this point.Rob McElhenney spoke about his original plansfor the film in 2020, where its focus would be placed on people “taking agency over their experience in this digital landscape.” However, despite promising something at least partially in the original game’s spirit, it was unfortunately scrapped due to unknown circumstances.
Minecraft Doesn’t Have a Narrative
Minecraftdoesn’t have a story. That’s just it – even insomething likeSuper Mario Bros., there’s a setup. There’s an end goal. There’s a protagonist and antagonist. However, in the context ofMinecraftitself, there is no narrative. There are things to do, yes – you may build structures and try and fight a giant dragon – but how these events are presented lacks a functioning narrative. Of course, you can fabricate a narrative within the context of the game itself, but this is entirely personalized for whoever is experiencing it.
The problem in turningMinecraftinto a movie is that it goes directly against the spirit of the original game’s intentions. There is no story because there was never meant to be one – the “story” is your experience, the things you construct, the monsters you fight, and even the world you load into. It’s a deliberately open experience that grants players the freedom to do whatever they want. So naturally, in a comparatively constricted medium, that whole concept will be lost.
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It’s worth noting that people have crafted stories out ofMinecraftin a variety of mediums, from books to short films. It should also be worth noting that Mojang, the current studio behindMinecraft, has gone out of their way to define a set of terms that completely disassociate the official game from these fan-made productions, even if they’re sold commercially.
Minecraft Stories Aren’t Great to Begin With
The few times a narrative has been officially force-fed into the world ofMinecraft, the end results weren’t spectacular. What comes to mind, in particular, isMinecraft: Story Mode, an ill-fated entry in the now-defunct Telltale Games' catalog of titles. The episodic-adventure series featured a genuine attempt at establishing an intriguing lore, along with celebrity star-power from Patton Oswalt, Corey Feldman, and Ashley Johnson, among others. Despite the positives, some considered the series limited in its potential due to the source material. Abstract logic and superficial usage of the world’s unique properties clashed with the story’s inconsistent themes.While season two would tremendously improve upon season one, from its themes to its overall storytelling, it still suffers from introducing concepts and ideas that remain thoroughly disconnected from the original game.
Regardless of how you feel about aMinecraftmovie, it will happen no matter what. Given that the recentSuper Mario Bros.movie hasbroken several box-office recordsin just a single weekend, a financial gold mine is lying in wait. Even if Warner Bros. doesn’t have the same golden touch that Illumination Entertainment seems to have mastered over the past few years, there’s a built-in audience that’ll frantically gobble up anythingMinecraftrelated. Thankfully, we’re over two years out from the film’s release – maybe it’ll get delayed another ten years.
