Jack Black joins the cast of Minecraft

Jack Black, popularly known as the voice of Po Ping from Kung Fu Panda, has joined the cast of the Minecraft feature film. The movie is led by Aquaman star Jason Momoa and is helmed by Napoleon Dynamite director Jared Hess. Black will reportedly be seen as Steve from the Video Game. 

The film also stars Danielle Brooks and Sebastian Eugene Hansen in prominent roles. Wednesday-fame Emma Myers was recently added to the ensemble. While the film will be about a popular videogame, the plot details are still kept under wraps. 

Warner Bros live-action Minecraft film was first announced in 2014. After several announced and missed release dates, the studio recently revealed the film's release date to be April 4, 2025. Filming for the film is set to begin soon in New Zealand. 

Momoa’s casting was announced last year in April, but the film has been dealing with development issues right from the beginning. The film was initially meant to be directed by Shawn Levy. But he left the project due to scheduling issues and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia creator/star Rob McElhenney stepped up to fill in his shoes. But that plan didn’t take, and eventually, Peter Sollett was brought in to work on the project, who finally handed over the reins to Hess.

Lee will produce alongside Mary Parent while 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.