Summary

Collider’s Steve Weintraub talks with Jack Black and Jason Momoa for A Minecraft Movie.

The movie follows four misfit friends navigating a Minecraft world using creativity to conquer challenges, with Oscar nominee Danielle Brooks, Wednesday’s Emma Myers, and Sebastian Hansen.

Black and Momoa discuss their flipped dynamic and stunts, Momoa teases his role in DC’s Lobo, and Black shares his thoughts on the upcoming Anaconda.

Combining the agile ferocity of comedy legend Jack Black with the brute amazingness and sheer coolness of Jason Momoa in shoulder-length, feathered hair forges as bold and bodacious a team-up the likes of which cinema has not seen in years. Finally, Kung Fu Panda takes on Aquaman with extreme friendship, creativity, and unbelievably unexpected comedy. In a novel stroke of genius, director Jared Hess (of Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre fame) brings Black and Momoa together for his upcoming highly-anticipated film adaptation of everyone’s favorite video game, A Minecraft Movie.
Struggling with their everyday problems and worries, four misfit friends—Garett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Momoa), Henry (newcomer Sebastian Hansen), Natalie (Wednesday’s Emma Myers), and Dawn (Peacemaker’s Danielle Brooks)—find themselves suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal. On the other side: a bizarre, cubic playground and landscape that thrives on imagination. In order to get home, they must master the world while journeying forth on a magical quest, with expert crafter Steve (played by the iconic Black). Challenging their creativity, the team must earn the skills they need to thrive in the real world.
Collider’s own Steve Weintraub was lucky enough to sit down with masters of mining, Black and Momoa, to carve out all things A Minecraft Movie. Together they discuss their beyond rockin’ stunt mastery, along with their electric chemistry overflowing with Minecraft-flavored inspirado. Not to mention, teasing a teensy-weensy taste of James Gunn’s Lobo for D.C., and finding out if Black’s upcoming Anaconda has got buns, hun.
Oh, the Places Jack Black Could Go

‘A Minecraft Movie’ marks the actor’s second journey into a game after ‘Jumanji.’

COLLIDER: You have now gone into the world of Jumanji and into the world of Minecraft. What is the third world you’re going into?
BLACK: Oh my god, the third world? What’s the third world? Shit if I know. I live in the moment. I guess the real world.
JASON MOMOA: Wow, you didn’t use that face in the movie.
BLACK: I know! That’s a new one. This is my third face. What if I did a whole movie like this? I don’t think I could do a whole interview.
I was going to say I don’t think the studio is going to let you pull that one off.
Jack Black Always Secretly Wanted to Be an Action Hero

“Falling on your keister, there’s an art to it.”

One of the reasons I really enjoyed your performance in this is some people who have done action movies don’t like to get beaten up in films. They don’t like to take a punch. They don’t like to get knocked down. What’s really cool about this is that you, [Jason], get beaten up a lot, and you, [Jack], are the action hero. Talk a little bit about that dynamic because it’s not what people are going to expect.
BLACK: You’re right. You’re not going to catch some of those other action heroes willing to get their ass handed to them the way he does in this movie. That’s why I love Jason. He’s not afraid to go there and flip that machismo stereotype on its head. Secretly, I’ve always wanted to be the ass kicker—not that Kung Fu Panda didn’t kick some tush—but full-on, live-action butt-kicking. I don’t get to do that, flex that muscle.
MOMOA: You did great in it.
BLACK: But, dude, you did great getting your ass kicked. I mean, it is hi-lah-rious every time.
MOMOA: I just want to do comedy. I want to do something funny, and he’s the best person to do it with.
BLACK: It’s called pratfalls, dude. It’s as old as cinema. Buster Keaton. Falling on your keister, there’s an art to it, and you did amazing.
MOMOA: Thanks, bro.
Jason Momoa (Sorta) Teases DC’s ‘Lobo’

“Show him! And then let’s kill him.”

Image via DC Comics

Before I run out of time, I’m actually so looking forward to seeing you as Lobo. I’m sure you’ve heard that from a million people.
MOMOA: I wish I could show you the picture on my phone right now.
BLACK: He’d have to kill you.
MOMOA: Fuck, I wish I could show you.
BLACK: Show him! And then let’s kill him. You could show him if you don’t let the camera see it. If you just showed him and then get his reaction. Dude, I know your excitement.
Did he show you the photo?
BLACK: No! But I saw it the way you probably saw it: on Instagram when… What’s his name? My favorite director.
James Gunn.
BLACK: When James Gunn was like, “I can’t wait to see Jason as Low-bow!” I was like, “Fuck, I can’t wait to see Jason as Low-bow.”
I’m just curious, is it your voice or are you doing a different kind of voice?
MOMOA: Oh, we have to wait until the next interview, buddy. We’re doin’ Minecraft right now, buddy.
BLACK: Oh, dude! You thought you was gonna get a free sneak-a-peek?
MOMOA: It’s gonna be good. Don’t worry.
Jack Black’s ‘Anaconda’ “Don’t Want None”

And that’s it.

Image by Jefferson Chacon

I’m going to ask you something individually.
BLACK: Talk to me.
I just spoke to Paul Rudd about Anaconda. What do you want to tell people about this? Because it sounds bonkers in the best way.
BLACK: “My anaconda don’t want none unless you got buns, hun! Boy toy named Troy…” We gotta get that song, that’s all I know. “Because that’s r-r-rare. Gun in my purse, bitch, I came dressed to kill. Who wanna go first? I had ‘em pushin’ daffodils. I’m high as hell! I only took half a pill. I’m on some dumb shiiiiiit…” And that’s all I got to say.

1:36

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“…it’s been a blast.”

This Action Sequence Was Inspired By An Unexpected ‘SNL’ Sketch

“That sequence is worth the price of admish.”

Image via NBC

I’ll ask one last question about the movie. One of my favorite scenes is the two of you having to get close while you’re flying. The whole theater last night when I was watching was laughing hysterically. Talk a little bit about filming that sequence because it plays great.
MOMOA: Great!
BLACK: He wrote it! Did you get writing credit on this movie?
MOMOA: No. There’s just ideas.
BLACK: Because you should. That sequence is worth the price of admish, and it came from the mind of Mamota—credit where it’s due. He’s not going to toot his own horn. I’mma toot it for you, bro.
MOMOA: I’m giving credit to SNL.
BLACK: Oh, Robert Smigel!
MOMOA: Yes. Gary and Ace from “Ambiguously Gay Duo.” I love how they do those things, so it’s basically the cartwheel upside down. They go in, they fight all the bad guys. I thought it would be really funny because Top Gun came out, and I thought when he pulled the pause and hit the Christ, and he slides down my body when I hit the brakes—flip it. Flip it, and then it’s nose to toes. Tip to tip. Know what I’m saying? Man sandwich.
BLACK: Toes to nose. Nose to toes.
MOMOA: And we had to squeeze the cheeks so he can make it through the hole.
BLACK: The only way we could make it through that hole was with “aerodynamic man sandwich,” and we had to go as tight as possible.
MOMOA: Too much brawn up top. So if we’re like this, we’re not going to fit.

7:16

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The director of ‘Leo’ also discusses his career and why he’s proud of this film.

BLACK: Dude, when I read that in the script, I was like, “We’re not doing that.” And by god, we did. I don’t know how. Thanks to your stunt team, that is top-notch, that you’ve worked with several times on several movies, right?
MOMOA: That’s right. They built all the action for us. They do a lot of my movies, and you killed it, buddy.
BLACK: You got a bunch of ninjas on your team.
MOMOA: They are. Jon Valera and his team.
BLACK: Badasses. And you know what? They gave me the sweetest gift at the end. A piece of green stone.
MOMOA: Oh, they did! Yeah!
BLACK: They call it “pounamu” in New Zealand. I was very touched. You got some rad people on your team.
A Minecraft Movie drops on Friday, April 4

A Minecraft Movie

Release Date

April 4, 2025

Runtime

101 minutes

Director

Jared Hess

Writers

Chris Galletta, Gavin James, Hubbel Palmer, Neil Widener, Allison Schroeder, Chris Bowman

Producers

Jason Momoa, Jill Messick, Mary Parent, Roy Lee, Todd Hallowell, Cale Boyter, Jon Berg, Jon Spaihts, Brian Andrew Mendoza, Vu Bui, Lydia Winters