🎮Origins of the Property
May 17, 2009
Markus Persson releases first public alpha of Minecraft on TIGSource forums. Originally titled "Cave Game," then briefly "Minecraft: Order of the Stone" before settling on simplified name. Development completed over single weekend in May 2009 while Persson worked day job at jAlbum.
November 18, 2011
Full 1.0 version launches at MineCon in Las Vegas. By this date, over four million copies sold. Persson transfers creative authority to Jens Bergensten shortly after release.
September 15, 2014
Microsoft acquires Mojang Studios for USD 2.5 billion. Persson, Jakob Porser, and Carl Manneh leave company. At time of acquisition, Minecraft had generated approximately USD 70 million in revenue for Persson.
🎥Film Development Commences
February 27, 2014
Persson announces via Twitter that Mojang in talks with Warner Bros. Pictures. Roy Lee and Jill Messick attached as producers—Lee having produced The LEGO Movie same year for Warner Bros.
October 2014
Mojang CCO Vu Bui confirms "early days of development," describes project as "large-budget production." Same month, Shawn Levy hired to direct with Kieran and Michele Mulroney as writers.
December 2014
Levy and Mulroneys exit over creative differences. Studio rejects submitted screenplay.
July 2015
Rob McElhenney signed to direct. Receives preliminary USD 150 million budget from Warner Bros., drawn to open-world nature of property.
June 2016
Release date set for May 24, 2019. October: Jason Fuchs hired for screenplay. November: Steve Carell contracted to voice lead character.
Late 2016
Warner Bros. executive Greg Silverman departs. Successor Toby Emmerich implements different studio vision. McElhenney project stalls. McElhenney later states film "slowly died on the vine."
August 2018
McElhenney officially exits. Aaron and Adam Nee brought in to redevelop screenplay. Film delayed indefinitely.
January 2019
Peter Sollett hired to write and direct, developing entirely different story from McElhenney version. Allison Schroeder joins in June to co-write.
October 2020
COVID-19 pandemic forces Warner Bros. to remove Minecraft from release schedule. Sollett departs to direct Metal Lords for Netflix.
🎬Current Production Phase
April 2022
Legendary Entertainment joins as co-producer through executive Mary Parent. Jared Hess hired to direct. Jason Momoa enters early negotiations. Chris Bowman and Hubbel Palmer (Hess collaborators on Masterminds) rewrite screenplay with additional writers Neil Widener, Gavin James, Chris Galletta.
April 5, 2023
Warner Bros. announces April 4, 2025 release date.
May 2023-January 2024
Casting period: Matt Berry in May. Danielle Brooks and Sebastian Eugene Hansen in November. Emma Myers in December. Jack Black joins January 2, 2024. Jennifer Coolidge added January 17, 2024.
January-April 2024
Principal photography in Auckland, New Zealand. Mark Mothersbaugh composes score. Visual effects by Sony Pictures Imageworks, Wētā FX, Digital Domain.
🎫Release and Reception
March 30, 2025
World premiere at Empire Leicester Square, London.
April 4, 2025
Theatrical release in United States via Warner Bros. Pictures, including IMAX presentation. McDonald's partnership launches "Nether Flame Sauce" promotion. TruMoo releases "creeper green" vanilla milk. Action figures from various manufacturers receive both praise and criticism for "uncanny" appearance.
💰Box Office Performance
Thursday Previews: USD 10.6 million (surpassing Five Nights at Freddy's USD 10.3 million record for video game adaptation)
Opening Weekend Domestic
$162.8M
Opening Weekend Global
$313M
This opening exceeded The Super Mario Bros. Movie domestic debut, establishing new record for video game-based film. Third-highest Warner Bros. opening after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Highest April opening for Warner Bros., surpassing Clash of the Titans. Fourth-highest PG-rated opening after The Lion King, Incredibles 2, Beauty and the Beast.
📊As of June 30, 2025
Film ranks as third-highest-grossing film of 2025, second-highest-grossing video game adaptation ever (behind The Super Mario Bros. Movie global total), highest-grossing domestic release of 2025.
May 13, 2025
Digital download release
June 24, 2025
Physical media release on Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD
⭐Critical Response
Rotten Tomatoes
47%
196 reviews
Audience Score
85%
10,000+ verified ratings
Reception divided along demographic lines. Younger audiences and Minecraft players responded positively to game references, visual fidelity to source material, performances by Black and Momoa. Critics cited weak narrative structure, underdeveloped characters, tonal inconsistency between comedy and adventure elements.
🎞️Technical Specifications
Runtime: 1 hour 41 minutes (101 minutes)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Sound: IMAX 6-Track
Countries of Origin: United States, Sweden, New Zealand, Canada
Cast includes Jason Momoa (Garrett "The Garbage Man" Garrison), Jack Black (Steve), Emma Myers (Natalie), Danielle Brooks (Dawn), Sebastian Eugene Hansen (Henry), Jennifer Coolidge, with vocal performance by Rachel House as Malgosha.
Story follows four individuals from fictional Chuglass, Idaho pulled through portal into cubic Overworld. Must master world's crafting mechanics while defending against hostile entities (Piglins, Zombies) to return home.
🎬Sequel Development
April 8, 2025
Director Jared Hess confirms sequel discussions underway.
April 12, 2025
Multiple outlets report sequel in early development. Warner Bros. CEO confirms studio commitment.
July 23, 2027
Sequel scheduled for theatrical release.