Summary
A Minecraft Moviehas been a box office sensation,grossing $163 million in its opening weekend, becoming the highest-grossing video game movie ever and the highest-grossing film of the year to this point. The franchise has taken over the world lately, with clips and memes trending all over social media to help it thrive at the box office.
Whether it’s people singing ‘Lava Chicken’ or recreating the chicken jockey,A Minecraft Moviehas become an undeniable success, even after an underwhelming trailer. Jack Black’s eccentric and charismatic performance as Steve has been a highlight ofA Minecraft Movie, and it’s hard to imagine anyone else providing that performance right now. However, that was almost the case, as another actor was originally lined up for this role.
According toPuck, it was Matt Berry who was initially supposed to play Steve. Much like Black, he’s notorious for playing rather over-the-top roles, being best known for his performances inWhat We Do In The ShadowsandThe IT Crowdand for having one of the most iconic voices in Hollywood. He had been cast to play the role of Steve, but unfortunately,the 2023 writers' strike meant he was no longer able to take on the role, as scheduling conflicts meant that he could no longer commit to the part, which forced a major change for one of the lead roles inA Minecraft Movie.
Those who have seenA Minecraft Moviemay have noticedthat Berry is still in the credits, and that’s because he did end up having a role in the film. He voices the character of Nitwit, a Villager with whom Jennifer Coolidge’s character ends up having a romantic storyline. Some fans might have missed that it was Berry in that role since Nitwit only speaks English at the very end of the film when he learns the language. However, it is Berry in the role throughout, as he managed to make his schedule work for the voiceover role.
This was a disappointing situation for Berry, but it did open the door for Black to take on a larger role in the movie.TheJumanjistar was already plannedto be part of the cast as the voice of a talking pig, but after Berry’s schedule clashed withA Minecraft Movie, Warner Bros pivoted, and that has ended up working out as Black brought a tremendous performance that has helped the film reach an unexpected level of popularity.
Black has committed to the role both on-screen and off-screen, with his press interviews and the effort he has put into the marketing of the film helping to drive it forward. He also lent his singing ability to the film, with several moments in the movie and a closing songfeaturing Foo Fighters lead singer Dave Grohlon the drums. Even though he wasn’t the original actor for this role, it’s hard to imagine anyone else playing Steve, and with a potential sequel already being reported, his performance inA Minecraft Moviemight end up being a huge part of his career.
