Benzinga - by Chris Katje, Benzinga Staff Writer.
One of the stars of "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" — an animated adaptation of the classic Nintendo Co (OTC:NTDOY) video game franchise — could soon be turning his attention to another high-profile video game adaptation.
What Happened: Jack Black, who voiced Mario villain “Bowser” in the 2023 hit, has now joined the cast of the upcoming "Minecraft" movie, according to Deadline.
The movie is set to be a live-action adaptation of the bestselling video game of the same name. Vertigo, Legendary and Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ:WBD) are producing.
Not much is known about the "Minecraft” movie beyond its April 4, 2025 release date.
Jason Momoa is set to star in the film. Jared Hess is attached as director.
Black could be playing the role of Steve, a well-known character from the video game.
Other actors set to star in the movie are Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks and Sebastian Eugene Hansen according to the report.
Black is also set to star in yet another video game adaption — "Borderlands," a film from Lions Gate Entertainment (NYSE:LGF)(NYSE:LGF) based on the popular series from Take-Two Interactive Software (NASDAQ:TTWO).
Related Link: Are Minecraft NFTs Coming? Here’s What The Video Game Company Says
Why It's Important: Black has become a staple in children's films, and his role as Bowser in "The Super Mario Brothers Movie" was well-received by critics and fans alike.
Produced by Nintendo and Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) owned Universal Pictures, “Super Mario” was the second highest-grossing film in 2023. It grossed $574.9 million domestically and $1.36 billion worldwide, trailing only the "Barbie" movie in both markets.
Black, who is one half of the rock duo “Tenacious D,” helped steal the show. The song "Peaches," which he sang, became a top 100 hit and charted after the movie's release.
Black is also known for voicing Po in the children's animated series "Kung Fu Panda.”
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) acquired Mojang, the Stockholm-based studio behind “Minecraft,” for $2.5 billion in 2014. It was one of the company’s largest acquisitions at the time.
The deal continues to pay off as the "Minecraft" game grows in popularity. It sold over 300 million copies and reportedly has around 140 million monthly active players.
The video game passed the one trillion views mark on YouTube in 2021 based on views from people talking about the game.
On video game streaming platform Twitch, "Minecraft" continues to be one of the most popular games, ranking eighth in the last seven days and having over seven million hours watched in the time period.
Video game adaptations continue to be a popular source of inspiration for movies and TV shows. Microsoft's hit game "Halo" was turned into a series for streaming platform Paramount+, which is owned by Paramount Global (NASDAQ:PARA)(NASDAQ:PARAA). A second season of the series will premiere in February 2024.
The “Sonic the Hedgehog” movies from Paramount and "The Last of Us" video game adaptation by Warner Bros. have broken records in recent years, helping to lead to an increase in demand for video game titles.
While the movie is more than a year away from release, "Minecraft" could quickly become one of the most anticipated titles of 2025 thanks to the video game's success and the cast led by Momoa and Black.
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