The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Jason Momoa is in final negotiations to star in a live-action adaptation of Microsoft and Mojang Studios’ popular sandbox video game, Minecraft. Directing the project for Warner Bros. will be Jared Hess, the filmmaker behind one of 2004’s biggest comedies, Napoleon Dynamite.
There’s no indication yet as to who Momoa might be playing in the film, but most of the bets so far seem to be on Steve, one of Minecraft’s playable protagonists and default character skins. Alex could also be a possibility, although it’d be kind of weird to see the actor, who’s traditionally hired to play tough guys, run around as a girl.
Momoa recently starred as warrior Duncan Idaho in Denis Villeneuve’s big-budget adaptation of Frank Herbert’s timeless sci-fi novel, Dune, which released last year. He’ll be back on the big screen for comic book fans in 2023 as Arthur Curry in James Wan’s Aquaman sequel, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
Jason Momoa to Star in ‘Minecraft’ Movie for Warner Bros. (The Hollywood Reporter)
Dune producer Mary Parent and Roy Lee will produce, with Jill Messick receiving a posthumous producing credit for developing the film before her death in 2018. Executive producers include Jon Berg, Cale Boyter and Jon Spaihts. The video game hails from Sweden’s Mojang Studios, with Mojang’s Lydia Winters and Vu Bui also producing the film.
Minecraft debuted in 2011 and allows players to use blocks to create structures and worlds. The game became a sensation, reaching 100 million users just a few years after launch and helping spark Microsoft to acquire Mojang for $2.5 billion in 2014.
Warners has been developing a project based on the game for years, with Shawn Levy and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star Rob McElhenney among those who have been attached to direct.