Minecraft fans 'torn' because another star was in-line for Jack Black's role (2025)

The Minecraft Movie has been a huge hit at the box office, but fans have been left split after realising an iconic actor who was initially cast in the lead role

Minecraft Movie fans were left reeling when they discovered the original actor slated for the film's lead role.

Jack Black is drawing crowds with his performance in the movie that's currently a hit at the box office, but it was industrial action during the development phase that led to his casting.

The star known for Kung Fu Panda and School of Rock assumed the role initially intended for an actor who only recently shot to fame in Hollywood after a lengthy tenure in top-notch UK comedy.

The Minecraft fanbase is divided, with some expressing doubt over whether the first-choice actor would have been a better fit for the movie. Some argue he may be "too good" for such a film, while others speculate on what the movie might have been like if Jack Black hadn't stepped in.

A revelation on X claimed: "Matt Berry was originally going to play Steve in the Minecraft Movie, but couldn't due to scheduling conflicts after the strikes."

The SAG-AFTRA strike in July of the previous year caused delays to various productions, including the Minecraft Movie.

Berry, celebrated for his roles in The IT Crowd, Toast of London, and What We Do in the Shadows TV series, was tapped for the lead as reported by a Puck newsletter but had to pull out due to timings affected by the strikes.

Despite this, Berry does make an appearance in the film as a villager, yet not everyone regrets his smaller part. An X user commented: "Torn between 'Matt Berry's too good for that' and 'I want to hear him say chicken jockey.'"

Some reckon Berry would've been a top-notch pick for the movie, but reckon he's "too good" for it, with one fan saying: "Obviously too good for it but it would have been a genuinely interesting choice."

Another added: "The script being just Steve saying things from Minecraft makes so much more sense now. I could listen to that man read the phone book."

There's chatter that the script might've been penned with Berry in mind. A user speculated: "Honestly this makes Jack Black's line deliveries make a lot more sense. I can imagine Matt Berry saying 'I... am Steve' in his voice I feel like Jack Black was going for that."

Someone else suggested: "Matt Berry would've been a better Steve imo. But that's just because I love Matt Berry."

Despite who's playing who, the Minecraft movie has mined its way to become the tenth highest-grossing video game movie adaptation, raking in a cool $323million worldwide.

But it's The Super Mario Bros. Movie that's smashing records as the top-grossing video game movie, bagging a whopping $1.3billion at the box office.

Meanwhile, the Minecraft Movie, starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa, is causing a stir online, with some fans getting booted out of cinemas. Cinema staff are even saying the film's opening weekend nearly had them handing in their notice.