9) Minecraft (2018)
Okay, a Minecraft movie might sound like a terrible idea at first glance. It’s based on a property that involves nothing more than playing with blocks, and there is no story involved whatsoever except what the player imagines. Sounds like a cynical, shameless cash grab, right? But keep in mind, that exact description also applied to The LEGO Movie, which ended up being one of the funniest and most heartfelt animated comedies of the past few years despite primarily existing to sell toys.
We mentioned that an issue with these movies is often that the source material doesn’t offer much story, but another problem can be that there is just enough present in the games that the filmmakers feel they have to somehow work it in on screen. Super Mario Bros, for example, involved a wacky plot about dinosaurs and alternate dimensions, but every little element of the game, from the pipes to the Goombas, still had to show up in an incredibly awkward fashion.
With Minecraft, the slate is so blank that the filmmakers can do basically anything they want as long as it’s in the spirit of the game. The situation is similar to The LEGO Movie, where the movie can express the joy and creativity of the source material without having to be bogged down by any need to adapt stories or characters.
At the moment, Minecraft is scheduled to be directed by Rob McElhenney, a very funny dude known for creating and starring in It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Clearly, Warner Bros. has got some serious comedic chops on board, and so they’re not just interested in a phoned-in ad for Minecraft products. It’s also being produced by Roy Lee, who worked on The LEGO Movie.
The studio is definitely hoping to recapture that film’s success with Minecraft, and considering the talent involved here, there’s reason to believe they can pull it off again.