the Minecraft movie will be released on April 4, hailing from Napoleon Dynamite director Jared Hess. The film, which features Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks and Sebastian Hansen leading the cast, will see regular people pulled into the Overworld from the titular game and tasked with saving it from hordes of piglins and zombies.

In an interview with Variety, Legendary's Chairman of Worldwide Production Mary Parent and director Jared Hess explained how the movie earned its name. Because the game lacks any inherent story, they decided to honor that fact by showing that the plot is just "one of a zillion stories". As a consequence, instead of simply calling it Minecraft or The Minecraft Movie, they instead went for a more non-specific title. Check out their quotes below:

Mary Parent: We’re calling it ‘A Minecraft Movie’ because we’re respecting the fact that there’s no one story that drives the game.

Jared Hess: We’re not the official story. We’re not canonizing anything. We’re just one of a zillion stories.

What A Minecraft Movie's Title Means

There Could Be More Movies Focused On Different Characters

The Minecraft world is all about creativity, because while there is a loose narrative within the game revolving around defeating the End Dragon, every individual story can continue afterwards, as players continue to develop their realms. Thanks to the entirely open world, even Minecraft's major world seeds can lend themselves to different stories, since each player can adjust the land however they like. As a consequence, it is difficult to canonize any element of a specific story, which is why the movie earned its title.

By retaining the A Minecraft Movie title, there is no true push to canonize the narrative, which makes sense. Even if Jack Black and the other Minecraft stars earn skins in the game, every player will create a different narrative with those skins. The title simply acknowledges a natural aspect of the franchise and does not pretend that it is the only story in the Minecraft world. It also leaves room for a sequel or alternate story in the future, if this movie proves to be the success that Legendary is looking for.

Our Take On A Minecraft Movie's Title

The Sentiment Is Nice, But It May Be Unnecessary

The sentiment behind the name is touching and acknowledges the history of the Minecraft franchise, but, unfortunately, is not wholly necessary. Viewers would likely understand that this is not the only story in this universe, especially considering that the game remains exceptionally popular today, having sold over 300 million copies. The audience would likely not be thrown off by a more traditional title, so while A Minecraft Movie is trying to set itself apart with its name, it feels like little more than a gimmick.

Source: Variety