Earlier this week, while meeting up with some of my friends for a drink, I found myself getting grilled about A Minecraft Movie. As a tech enthusiast and storyteller for Digital Tech Explorer, I often share my takes on game-to-screen adaptations. I had shared my lukewarm opinions about this particular film and how, in all honesty, Jack Black’s performance as Steve, while energetic, waned on me slightly. So my mates all wanted to know who I would’ve cast in his stead, and I had no clue—not until I saw the news that Matt Berry was originally in contention for the role of Steve. Now, that would’ve been gold.
According to Puck, Matt Berry, best known for his role as Laszlo Cravensworth in the vampire comedy “What We Do in the Shadows,” was originally considered to play Steve in the Minecraft film. Unfortunately, this didn’t end up happening due to scheduling issues. At the time of filming for the movie, Berry was reportedly busy shooting the last season of his vampire series.
Exploring the Ever-Evolving World of Minecraft
The Minecraft universe is vast and constantly expanding. Here at Digital Tech Explorer, we’re always excited to delve into the latest developments and creative avenues within the gaming world, especially for iconic titles like this. Some key areas that capture the community’s imagination include:
- The latest Minecraft updates and the new features they introduce.
- Creative Minecraft skins for personalizing your gameplay.
- Game-changing Minecraft mods that take the experience beyond vanilla.
- Stunning Minecraft shaders that enhance visual fidelity.
- Unique Minecraft seeds for discovering fresh new worlds.
- Diverse Minecraft texture packs for a different aesthetic.
- Connecting with others on Minecraft servers and exploring online worlds.
- Mastering Minecraft commands and cheats for enhanced control.
- Inspiring Minecraft build ideas for your next creative project.
Matt Berry’s Cameo and Jack Black’s Suitability for the Role
Despite not getting to take on the mantle of Steve, Matt Berry still does make a small appearance in the Minecraft movie. I won’t spoil anything here, as it’s a neat little cameo, but I will say that Berry was still able to steal the show, even with only a few minutes of screen time.
While Jack Black may not have been my first pick for Steve, I can’t deny he’s still a good fit for the film, if only for how much he genuinely seems to love Minecraft.
Jack Black’s On-Set Dedication to Minecraft
One of the biggest talking points during the marketing for the Minecraft movie was how much Minecraft Jack Black was playing while shooting the film. Apparently, he became obsessed with lapis lazuli and spent most of his breaks mining for the ore. Director Jared Hess mentioned, “He was in his trailer anytime he had a break—he was just slaying it in the Overworld.” Hess continued, “[The producer and Minecraft senior director Torfi Frans Olafsson] put together a special server just for the crew. Jack got obsessed with searching for lapis lazuli, as he calls it. I mean, every day, it was like, I’d pop in there to go over the scene in the morning, and he would be dressed as Steve playing the game. It was kind of a surreal thing to behold.”
Reflections on a Missed Casting Opportunity and Multiverse Musings
But no matter how much Minecraft Jack Black plays, as a fan of unique comedic talents, I can’t help but mourn a reality that never was: Matt Berry and his potentially extraordinary line deliveries of Minecraft item names.
Physicist Hugh Everett III first proposed the idea of “many worlds” in his 1957 PhD thesis. This concept later became a cornerstone of the multiverse theory—the idea that there are multiple universes, each with its own laws of physics and different realities. It’s a fun thought for us tech and entertainment enthusiasts at Digital Tech Explorer: somewhere out there in the infinite expanse of space, beyond our comprehension, there’s a universe where Matt Berry ended up playing Steve in the Minecraft movie. It’s not much, but it’s a delightful “what if” to hang on to.