Jack Black is desperate to carry a surprisingly specific detail over from the Minecraft games to the upcoming movie adaptation, which he's just started filming with Aquaman star Jason Momoa.
While chatting with the actor about Kung Fu Panda 4 recently, GamesRadar+ brought up an earlier interview of Black's in which he stated he likes to relax by playing some Xbox. We then asked him outright whether he'd had a chance to brush up on Minecraft given his latest projects, prompting the Jack Blackiest of all replies: "Oh, you know I'm playing Minecraft all the time. Whenever I'm not filming I'm playing Minecraft because an actor prepares.
"I like to be in that Minecraft headspace. I like to know the rules, and I like to get little, like, things like, 'Oh, in the game you pickaxe like this. You hit stuff like that,' then I do that in the movie. I think the members of the Academy will appreciate my research later. I don't want to jinx it, but I'm pretty sure I'm getting an Oscar for this one..."
Sometimes described as "online Lego", Mojang's Minecraft sees players explore various landscapes and use 3D blocks to make things, construct shelters, and even battle mobs depending on which mode they've selected. In survival mode, players are tasked with hunting for resources, while making sure to maintain their health. Elsewhere, creative mode gives players unlimited resources and access to flight.
With production on the movie having only kicked off in New Zealand in January, little is known about the adaptation other than the fact it'll be live-action, Black is playing 'Steve', and Jared Hess, who previously worked with Black on Nacho Libre, is directing. It'll also feature the likes of Barbie's Kate McKinnon, Flight of the Conchords' Jermaine Clement, Wednesday's Emma Myers, The Color Purple's Danielle Brooks, What We Do in the Shadows' Matt Berry, and Jennifer Coolidge. Oh, and Black might have a musical number in it... à la 'Peaches' from The Super Mario Bros. Movie...
"I'm hopefully going to be singing in it," Brooks told IGN last month. "You can't do a movie with Danielle Brooks and Jack Black and not have us do something. I'm having a good time."
Minecraft is scheduled to release on April 4, 2025, while Kung Fu Panda 4 comes out in the UK on March 28. While we wait for both, check out our guide to all the upcoming major movie release dates for everything this year has in store.
