The Adaptation of A Minecraft Movie: A Delicate Approach to Gaming Narratives

“You have to take some swings.”

Adapting A Minecraft Movie posed a challenge in understanding both child and adult audiences. The film’s director, Jared Hess, expressed, “I think the biggest thing just for all of us was to have fun. We all had a personal relationship with the game, and so when we put together the movie, we all wanted to bring details that we love about the game and celebrate them.”

The creative team strived to respect the game’s vibrant community while making it accessible to all ages. This balance was particularly emphasized by Torfi Ólafsson, the producer, who stated, “I’ve been playing the game for 13 years…So I tried not to just use my experience as an adult at Mojang, but also see [the film] through the eyes of my kids.”

Despite being primarily targeted at younger audiences, many elements of the film aim to engage older fans. Hess cautioned against minimizing the game’s expansive nature, suggesting, “You’re never going to be able to take the infinite expanse of the game and put it all into a finite hour and a half. So you have to take some swings and really curate and pick your favorite things.”