Wyn Caudle
A&E Editor
On April 4, 2025, “A Minecraft Movie” was released in theaters, including the Lyric Theater in downtown Wooster and Cinemark Movies 10 on Burbank Road. Based on the video game of the same title, the movie depicts protagonist Steve (Jack Black) as he discovers the cube-based world of the game, finding the “Earth Crystal” and “Orb of Dominance.” The movie has nods to popular Minecraft YouTubers, some of whom are seen in the background, such as DanTDM, Aphmau, Mambo Jumbo and LDShadowLady. There is also a reference to Technoblade, a YouTuber who passed away in June of 2022. A pig character wearing a crown references his Minecraft skin, which is regarded as a legend. In a different scene, one of the Minecraft developers, Jeb (Jens Bergensten), is seen serving two of the characters.
The story follows siblings Henry and Natalie, Garrett (Jason Momoa), a past gamer and struggling video game store owner and Dawn, who works with Natalie. The group must navigate the “Overworld” (Minecraft universe) after finding the same Earth Crystal and Orb that belonged to Steve years before. The four find themselves stuck in the Overworld after the Earth Crystal was accidentally destroyed. Guided by Steve, the movie follows the group as they try to obtain a new Crystal from the Woodland Mansion. The main villain is a Piglin named Malgosha, who wants to end creativity by taking over the overworld after stealing the Orb of Dominance from the protagonists. A post-credit scene reveals Alex, one of the game’s other protagonists.
There are a few side stories happening as this main plot line progresses, including a love story between Jennifer Coolidge’s character, who lives in the normal world and is the principal of Henry’s school, and a villager, who escaped the Overworld, after she hit him with her Jeep Grand Cherokee. Overall, this story allows both new Minecraft players and old ones a chance for nostalgia. Through nods to old Minecraft, references to current gameplay dynamics or items that no longer exist, the producers attempt to draw everyone in.