In early September, Warner Bros. unveiled a teaser for A Minecraft Movie, a cinematic adaptation of Mojang’s beloved sandbox game, which has captivated audiences for nearly 15 years. Directed by Jared Hess, known for his work on Napoleon Dynamite, the trailer presented a whimsical and somewhat absurd portrayal of the iconic game. Jack Black took on the role of Steve, while Jason Momoa sported an unusual hairstyle that drew attention. The overall tone seemed to suggest that the cast and animated characters were participating in a different narrative altogether.
However, the focus of online discourse quickly shifted from the film’s quirky presentation to the casting choice of Danielle Brooks, known for her role in Orange Is the New Black. As the trailer garnered a wave of dislikes, right-wing influencers, including Elijah Schaffer and Nick Fuentes, targeted Brooks with disparaging remarks, framing her inclusion as an example of “forced diversity” and “woke” Hollywood. This backlash echoed sentiments reminiscent of Gamergate, a decade-old campaign against diversity and inclusion, but this time directed at a children’s film.
Wendy Via, cofounder and CEO of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, noted that while large-scale campaigns against trailers are a relatively new phenomenon, the strategy of portraying “wokeness” as an insidious force infiltrating the entertainment industry is not. She pointed out that similar tactics were employed earlier in 2023 when the far-right X account End Wokeness criticized a brief appearance of a “Protect Trans Kids” flag in the trailer for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. These campaigns target genres like sci-fi and gaming that resonate with younger, predominantly white male audiences, using social media platforms to spread racist and homophobic narratives.
The backlash against diversity in entertainment is not isolated to A Minecraft Movie. Earlier this year, the Disney+ series The Acolyte faced similar criticism, with star Amandla Stenberg subjected to a barrage of racist comments. Kelly Marie Tran, who portrayed Rose Tico in the recent Star Wars trilogy, also experienced online harassment, particularly after her character’s diminished role in The Rise of Skywalker. The unrest surrounding Star Wars can be traced back to Gamergate, with influencers harnessing the movement’s energy to convince discontented fans that their beloved franchises were being compromised.
As the Minecraft Movie trailer was released, the groundwork for the response had already been laid. Influencers merely needed to select their lines from a pre-established script. The current iteration of Gamergate appears to pivot from a broader misogynistic and racist agenda to a more focused critique of what they term “DEI hires”—individuals from marginalized backgrounds who are perceived to be undermining traditional narratives. This rhetoric has been employed against various figures, including Vice President Kamala Harris and female Secret Service agents, as well as against the inclusion of diverse characters in video games.
Earlier this year, the Canadian consultancy Sweet Baby Inc. became a focal point for players who felt that the gaming industry was succumbing to “wokeification.” The company faced intense online harassment, particularly from a Steam curation group that aimed to boycott games they believed had been influenced by Sweet Baby Inc. Despite the firm’s assertion that they do not advocate for forced diversification, the harassment persisted.
On the same day the Minecraft Movie trailer was released, the US Department of Justice unsealed an indictment against two employees of the state-backed Russian news network RT, alleging their involvement in funding the right-wing influencer network Tenet Media. The DOJ claimed that Tenet Media disseminated Kremlin-approved talking points, although individual influencers associated with the network denied knowledge of these ties. An analysis of Tenet’s now-removed videos revealed a pattern of frequently used phrases, including “Black Lives Matter,” “diversity equity inclusion,” and references to Sweet Baby Inc.
As Adrienne Massanari, an associate professor at American University, points out, the Minecraft franchise already has a segment of right-leaning fans. Its creator, Markus “Notch” Persson, has made controversial statements regarding race, contributing to the game’s association with far-right ideologies. The upcoming film adaptation, therefore, seems to have activated a certain type of fan response, reminiscent of past controversies.
In August, reports indicated that The Acolyte would not be renewed for a second season, a decision that Stenberg later remarked was “not a huge shock” given the online backlash. While some speculated that the show’s high production costs and lack of viewership were to blame, the far-right interpreted its cancellation as a victory for their “go woke, go broke” narrative. Via suggests that the campaign against A Minecraft Movie may be an attempt to replicate this perceived success, allowing the far-right to shape the narrative around the film’s performance and potentially justify calls for more media that excludes diverse representation.
Loose Threads:
- Everyone is freaking out over AI-generated podcasts. Google recently launched a feature for its NotebookLM tool that allows users to create AI-generated podcasts from uploaded research material. The tool has sparked creativity, with users crafting humorous podcasts that summarize notes or playfully engage with absurd topics. One particular bot-cast went viral when its hosts discovered, mid-show, that they were not human.
- Someone is Shazaming songs played in San Francisco’s Mission District. Riley Walz devised an innovative project by placing a solar-powered Android phone on a pole to Shazam songs in the Mission District. The initiative, dubbed Bop Spotter, has been tracking the area’s diverse music scene, even attracting playful interactions like Rickrolling.
- AI artist Jason M. Allen says not being able to copyright his work is costing him money. The artist behind a prize-winning piece at the Colorado State Fair, created using Midjourney, has expressed frustration over the inability to copyright his work, leading to concerns about theft and financial loss.
- Here’s a baby dancing to the Halloween theme. Happy Spooktober!
The Trolling of the ‘Minecraft Movie’ Trailer Isn’t Exactly What You Think
In early September, Warner Bros. unveiled a teaser for A Minecraft Movie, a cinematic adaptation of Mojang’s beloved sandbox game, which has captivated audiences for nearly 15 years. Directed by Jared Hess, known for his work on Napoleon Dynamite, the trailer presented a whimsical and somewhat absurd portrayal of the iconic game. Jack Black took on the role of Steve, while Jason Momoa sported an unusual hairstyle that drew attention. The overall tone seemed to suggest that the cast and animated characters were participating in a different narrative altogether.
However, the focus of online discourse quickly shifted from the film’s quirky presentation to the casting choice of Danielle Brooks, known for her role in Orange Is the New Black. As the trailer garnered a wave of dislikes, right-wing influencers, including Elijah Schaffer and Nick Fuentes, targeted Brooks with disparaging remarks, framing her inclusion as an example of “forced diversity” and “woke” Hollywood. This backlash echoed sentiments reminiscent of Gamergate, a decade-old campaign against diversity and inclusion, but this time directed at a children’s film.
Wendy Via, cofounder and CEO of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, noted that while large-scale campaigns against trailers are a relatively new phenomenon, the strategy of portraying “wokeness” as an insidious force infiltrating the entertainment industry is not. She pointed out that similar tactics were employed earlier in 2023 when the far-right X account End Wokeness criticized a brief appearance of a “Protect Trans Kids” flag in the trailer for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. These campaigns target genres like sci-fi and gaming that resonate with younger, predominantly white male audiences, using social media platforms to spread racist and homophobic narratives.
The backlash against diversity in entertainment is not isolated to A Minecraft Movie. Earlier this year, the Disney+ series The Acolyte faced similar criticism, with star Amandla Stenberg subjected to a barrage of racist comments. Kelly Marie Tran, who portrayed Rose Tico in the recent Star Wars trilogy, also experienced online harassment, particularly after her character’s diminished role in The Rise of Skywalker. The unrest surrounding Star Wars can be traced back to Gamergate, with influencers harnessing the movement’s energy to convince discontented fans that their beloved franchises were being compromised.
As the Minecraft Movie trailer was released, the groundwork for the response had already been laid. Influencers merely needed to select their lines from a pre-established script. The current iteration of Gamergate appears to pivot from a broader misogynistic and racist agenda to a more focused critique of what they term “DEI hires”—individuals from marginalized backgrounds who are perceived to be undermining traditional narratives. This rhetoric has been employed against various figures, including Vice President Kamala Harris and female Secret Service agents, as well as against the inclusion of diverse characters in video games.
Earlier this year, the Canadian consultancy Sweet Baby Inc. became a focal point for players who felt that the gaming industry was succumbing to “wokeification.” The company faced intense online harassment, particularly from a Steam curation group that aimed to boycott games they believed had been influenced by Sweet Baby Inc. Despite the firm’s assertion that they do not advocate for forced diversification, the harassment persisted.
On the same day the Minecraft Movie trailer was released, the US Department of Justice unsealed an indictment against two employees of the state-backed Russian news network RT, alleging their involvement in funding the right-wing influencer network Tenet Media. The DOJ claimed that Tenet Media disseminated Kremlin-approved talking points, although individual influencers associated with the network denied knowledge of these ties. An analysis of Tenet’s now-removed videos revealed a pattern of frequently used phrases, including “Black Lives Matter,” “diversity equity inclusion,” and references to Sweet Baby Inc.
As Adrienne Massanari, an associate professor at American University, points out, the Minecraft franchise already has a segment of right-leaning fans. Its creator, Markus “Notch” Persson, has made controversial statements regarding race, contributing to the game’s association with far-right ideologies. The upcoming film adaptation, therefore, seems to have activated a certain type of fan response, reminiscent of past controversies.
In August, reports indicated that The Acolyte would not be renewed for a second season, a decision that Stenberg later remarked was “not a huge shock” given the online backlash. While some speculated that the show’s high production costs and lack of viewership were to blame, the far-right interpreted its cancellation as a victory for their “go woke, go broke” narrative. Via suggests that the campaign against A Minecraft Movie may be an attempt to replicate this perceived success, allowing the far-right to shape the narrative around the film’s performance and potentially justify calls for more media that excludes diverse representation.
Loose Threads: