Microsoft has announced plans to release its upcoming Minecraft movie in 2022, partnering with Warner Bros. for a live-action feature based on the hit voxel-adventure game. While initially slated to launch on May 24, 2019, the three-year delay follows some turbulent years, now securing new director Peter Sollett.
Taking to the Minecraft blog, franchise creator Mojang has committed to a firm launch for the movie, slated for March 4, 2022. Always Sunny In Philadelphia's Rob McElhenney has departed his directorial role, succeeded by Peter Sollett, best known for 2008 comedy-drama, Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist.
Microsoft has also provided a brief synopsis of the live-action project, as detailed below:
So, what do you have to look forward to, roughly 25,000 hours from now? Well, as you devour your movie snack of choice (we like a suspicious stew with a side of square watermelon), we'll tell you the story of a teenage girl and her unlikely group of adventurers. After the malevolent Ender Dragon sets out on a path of destruction, they must save their beautiful, blocky Overworld.
While Minecraft's mindshare has fallen in recent years, the blocky-builder remains a monolith for Microsoft. “Minecraft: Story Mode” has already experimented with a deeper story-driven experience, while upcoming dungeon-crawler “Minecraft: Dungeons” aims to spin the seriesinto a new action-oriented direction.
In the meantime, Minecraft just hit Xbox Game Pass, the Netflix-style subscription service for Xbox One gaming. Priced at a $10 flat monthly fee, the service grants access to over 200 titles in early 2019.
