live-action Archives

AppWizard

April 26, 2025

The Secret Weapon Behind the VFX of ‘A Minecraft Movie’

Director Jared Hess helmed "A Minecraft Movie," which emphasizes creativity and the struggle between freedom and oppression. The film features a villain named Malgosha, a Piglin ruler from the Nether, voiced by Rachel House, with motion capture by Allan Henry. Production VFX supervisor Dan Lemmon discussed the challenges of integrating live-action actors like Jason Momoa and Jack Black with animated characters while maintaining the game's aesthetic. The team developed a tool called "Bloktz" for achieving the distinctive "Minecraft" look, and twelve variants of the Piglin army were designed. The Creeper character, initially a coding error, underwent numerous design iterations to maintain its pixelated essence. Malgosha's design was inspired by characters like Emperor Palpatine and Mama Fratelli, with adjustments made for expressiveness. The film's conclusion features an improvised moment between Jack Black's character and Malgosha, highlighting the collaborative spirit of the production.

AppWizard

April 26, 2025

‘I, am Steve’: ‘A Minecraft Movie’ review

“A Minecraft Movie” is a live-action adaptation of the popular video game that has finally been released after a decade of anticipation. The film features performances by Jack Black as Steve and Jason Momoa, and it combines humor with adventure, appealing to both young and old audiences. Since its release, it has exceeded box office expectations and generated significant social media buzz.

AppWizard

April 18, 2025

Marketing ‘A Minecraft Movie’: “blockifying’ the world” and …

Warner Bros. Pictures' marketing strategy for A Minecraft Movie focused on engaging the existing fan base and appealing to younger audiences. The campaign included interactive social media experiences, tactile billboards, and cast appearances at gaming events. The film grossed 0 million globally and over 0 million in North America within two weeks of release. The marketing involved collaborations with brands like McDonald's and Adidas, targeting Generation Z, which made up 64% of the audience during the opening weekend. Local-language influencers voiced characters in dubbed versions, and the campaign adapted based on audience feedback. The world premiere occurred in London on March 30, followed by a premiere in Mexico on April 3, generating significant excitement and engagement.

AppWizard

April 16, 2025

‘A Minecraft Movie’ lacks depth necessary to find diamonds

“A Minecraft Movie,” directed by Jared Hess, is the first film adaptation of the best-selling game "Minecraft." The story follows a group of heroes led by Steve, voiced by Jack Black, as they attempt to save the Overworld from the Nether. The film's script has faced criticism for being disjointed and lacking depth, relying more on the game's popularity than on a coherent narrative. Despite this, there are humorous moments and nods to the Minecraft community. The art direction is praised for its vibrant visuals and successful translation of iconic game elements into live-action. The film received a rating of 2 out of 5 Chicken Jockeys.

AppWizard

April 14, 2025

Is seeing ‘A Minecraft Movie’ worth it?

Jack Black attended the world premiere of "A Minecraft Movie" in London on March 30, 2025, with the film set to release on April 4, 2025. The live-action adaptation faced skepticism but found box office success, partly due to a viral TikTok trend. Black's performance as Steve and Jason Momoa's role as Garbage Man received praise, especially for their comedic chemistry. However, child actors Emma Myers and Sebastian Eugene Hansen were criticized for being underdeveloped characters. Danielle Brooks' role as the children's realtor was seen as an afterthought, with concerns about the portrayal of Black women in comedy. The film's plot centers around piglins attempting to plunge the overworld into eternal night, but it was described as predictable and lacking depth. The visual effects and overall aesthetic were deemed unappealing, and the film was criticized for not fully embracing the creativity of the "Minecraft" universe.

AppWizard

April 14, 2025

A Minecraft Movie soars $551M globally as Snow White further drops

A Minecraft Movie has achieved nearly 1 million in global box office earnings and is projected to earn approximately 0.6 million domestically in its second week. The film has screenings in 4,289 theaters in the U.S. and is expected to generate a total of 0.3 million over its first two weekends. It has received mixed reviews, with a score of 45% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 6/10 rating on IMDb. Disney's live-action Snow White has dropped to number eight in the box office, projected to earn only 0.8 million domestically this weekend, after initially opening with 0.2 million and experiencing a 66% drop in its second weekend. It has grossed around 0.9 million domestically against a production budget of approximately 200 million. The King Of Kings, an animated biblical film, has secured the second spot with a domestic earning of 0.05 million and an A+ CinemaScore. The action spy film The Amateur debuted in third place, bringing in 4 million, while the thriller Warfare earned 3.3 million. Other notable releases include Drop, which opened with 1.5 million, and The Chosen: Last Supper Part 3, which made 0.8 million in its opening week.

AppWizard

April 10, 2025

Review: Riding high on memes: ‘A Minecraft Movie’ brings silly, blocky chaos

The author reflects on their childhood connection to Minecraft and their recent experience watching "A Minecraft Movie." The film features animation that showcases the game's elements, although it has some minor issues. The storyline is somewhat disjointed but introduces characters in a way that mirrors a novice player's experience. Jack Black voices a character, and the film includes humorous moments and nostalgic references, such as iconic music and cameos. The author enjoyed the film despite mixed reviews and regrets not attending the opening night screening.

AppWizard

April 9, 2025

‘A Minecraft Movie’ Climbs List of Top 10 Titles That Most Excite Audiences , But ‘Wicked’ Still Holds the Crown

This week, the Top 10 most-discussed entertainment options are as follows: 1. "Wicked" 2. "A Minecraft Movie" 3. "Snow White" 4. "Reacher" 5. "NCAA March Madness" 6. "Stranger Things" 7. "Major League Baseball" 8. "Grand Theft Auto VI" 9. "NBA Basketball" 10. "Severance" "Wicked" remains at No. 1, while "A Minecraft Movie" rises to No. 2 after a successful box office opening. "Snow White" drops to No. 3, and "Reacher" climbs to No. 4. "NCAA March Madness" moves up to No. 5, with Florida and UConn as champions. "Major League Baseball" debuts at No. 7, "Stranger Things" stays at No. 6, "Grand Theft Auto VI" returns at No. 8, "NBA Basketball" falls to No. 9, and "Severance" rounds out the list at No. 10.

AppWizard

April 9, 2025

Why ‘A Minecraft Movie’ Is What The Box Office Needs This Year

Jack Black and Jason Momoa's A Minecraft Movie has achieved significant box office success, grossing 3 million domestically and 0.7 million internationally for a worldwide total of 3.7 million within its opening weekend. The film surpassed initial projections and set a new record for video game adaptations, exceeding the previous record held by The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which opened to 6.3 million. The production budget for A Minecraft Movie was million. In contrast, Captain America: Brave New World earned million domestically and had a total gross of 2 million, while Disney's Snow White opened to .2 million against a 0 million budget. The film's success has generated optimism for future releases in April 2025.

AppWizard

April 6, 2025

‘A Minecraft Movie’ struck box office gold, debuting at No. 1

“A Minecraft Movie” achieved an impressive million on its opening day and is projected to exceed 5 million by the end of the weekend, marking it as the largest opening of the year to date. The film received harsh criticism from The Post, which described it as “imbecilic green-screen gunk,” “idiotic,” and a “cavern of stupidity.” “The Chosen: Last Supper Part 2” garnered over .8 million, marking a notable moment for faith-based films. “A Working Man” brought in nearly million, featuring Jason Statham and directed by David Ayer. “Disney’s Snow White” earned only .5 million, leading to a pause in the live-action remake of “Tangled.” “The Woman in the Yard,” a psychological horror film, rounded out the top five with a take of .32 million.