Latest news with #NachoLibre
Los Angeles Times
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Jack Black says hold the popcorn: ‘Minecraft' fans get a message about messy ‘chicken jockey' trend
Jack Black delivers the viral 'chicken jockey' line in 'A Minecraft Movie,' but he doesn't sign off on the chaotic fan behavior surrounding it in theaters and on social media. The comedian and 'School of Rock' star surprised moviegoers at a showing of 'Minecraft' over the weekend and encouraged them to be on their best behavior, according to video shared Sunday by the Hollywood Handle. Disguising his voice as that of a theater spokesperson, Black can be heard telling fans 'for today's presentation of 'A Minecraft Movie,' please no throwing popped corn.' 'And also no lapis lazuli. And absolutely no...,' he continues his message before, screaming, 'chicken jockeys!' In the video, Black introduces himself to the group of young, excited moviegoers. 'I am Steve,' he tells them, referencing his character in Warner Bros.' film adaptation of the popular video game franchise. Black also shows off his prop pickax and runs across the theater hyping up fans before the showing starts. So what was the deal with his popcorn disclaimer? The 'Kung Fu Panda' star encouraged audience members to restrain themselves after several videos showed 'Minecraft' viewers at various showings throwing objects, screaming and loudly cheering during a viral scene. In the film, which premiered earlier this month, Black and Jason Momoa's characters find themselves in the middle of a boxing ring. Their foe, in true 'Minecraft' fashion, is a blocky baby zombie riding a cubist chicken: a 'chicken jockey,' as Black's Steve properly notes. Since its creation more than a decade ago, the 'Minecraft' franchise has spawned countless memes among fans and the rare combination of a chicken and a zombie in the game is among those inside jokes. The movie's nod to that bit of fan lore only took the meme to the next level. In several viral social media videos, moviegoers break out into chaos during the 'chicken jockey' scene: They flash their phone lights, launch their popcorn and drinks toward the screen and scream throughout the fight sequence. In one video, a masked audience member can be seen holding a live chicken as they sit atop another moviegoer's shoulders. As a result of the raucous crowds, theater workers — often left to deal with the messy aftermath — are also tasked with encouraging moviegoers to avoid throwing objects at the screen. Police officials have been recruited to escort some audience members out for their behavior. Beyond the chaos of 'chicken jockey,' some 'Minecraft' viewers have also personalized their showings with preshow speeches. 'It's been way too fun,' director Jared Hess told Entertainment Weekly. Hess, who directed Black in 'Nacho Libre' and broke out with 'Napoleon Dynamite,' said he didn't see the harm in the trend and finds it funny 'that cops are getting called for popcorn.' 'I'm just glad people are making memories with their friends and families,' he said. On its opening weekend, 'A Minecraft Movie' earned a record-breaking $157-million domestic and $144-million overseas. A clear winner amid Hollywood's continued push for video game adaptations, the action-comedy bested 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' for the highest-performing video game film adaptation. In her review, Times critic Amy Nicholson wrote that 'A Minecraft Movie' was 'essentially a meathead version of 'The Wizard of Oz.' ' The film stars Black, Momoa, Sebastian Hansen, Emma Myers and Danielle Brooks.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Minecraft director confirms sequel is already being talked about after record-breaking opening
A Minecraft Movie director Jared Hess has confirmed that work on a sequel is already underway following its record-breaking success. The fantasy adventure film, based on Mojang Studios' 2011 video game, has proved to be a huge financial success thus far, with the film already the fourth highest-grossing of the year despite only being released on Friday (April 4). Furthermore, A Minecraft Movie also boasts the biggest three-day opening for a video game adaptation in the US, with the enormous commercial success leading producers to already begin work on a sequel. Related: In an interview with Deadline, Hess expressed his excitement for the potential follow-up film, teasing that there were several elements from the game that could be incorporated into the sequel. 'Oh, man. Well, it would be so much fun,' the filmmaker said. 'We had so much fun making this movie, and it's such an expansive world in the game, and there were so many things that we didn't tap into that we wanted to. Related: 'I would have a blast doing the sequel, and it seems like there's already talk about it happening, so I'm super excited. It'll be so much fun to go back into the world. The fans are just having such a good time. We teased it in the end credits, and the fans seem to be going wild for it.' Hess, who previously directed Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre, confirmed that Alex – who was voiced by Kate McKinnon in the post-credits scene – would be a figure who they 'bring to the table' for the sequel, describing them as a 'critical character' from the franchise. A Minecraft Movie follows a group of misfits – played by Jason Momoa, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks and Sebastian Hansen – as they are pulled through a portal into a strange cubic world, embarking on a quest back to the real world with the help of expert crafter Steve (Jack Black). A Minecraft Movie is in cinemas now. at at Pandora at at at at at Apple at at at You Might Also Like PS5 consoles for sale – PlayStation 5 stock and restocks: Where to buy PS5 today? IS MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 7 THE BEST IN THE SERIES? OUR REVIEW AEW game is a modern mix of No Mercy and SmackDown
Express Tribune
06-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Sebastian Hansen inspired Technoblade tribute in Minecraft movie, confirms director Jared Hess
The upcoming Minecraft movie pays a heartfelt tribute to late YouTuber Technoblade, and fans have actor Sebastian Hansen to thank. According to director Jared Hess, the tribute was not initially part of the script but was added after Hansen suggested the idea during production. In an interview with Collider, Hess revealed that Hansen approached him early in filming, expressing his admiration for Technoblade, a legendary Minecraft content creator who passed away in 2022. 'He was like, 'Look, there's this amazing Minecraft player named Technoblade who passed away, and I would love to be able to honor him somehow in the film,'' Hess recalled. Taking Hansen's heartfelt request seriously, the filmmakers included a subtle but meaningful Easter egg in the movie—a pig wearing a crown—an unmistakable nod to Technoblade's famous Minecraft avatar. The tribute appears in one of the village scenes, and while it's a quiet moment, it carries significant emotional weight for longtime fans of the game and the creator. This decision highlights not only the influence Technoblade had on the Minecraft community but also the passion and respect the young cast brought to the project. With Minecraft: The Movie hitting theaters on April 4, 2025, audiences will get to experience the tribute themselves—and for many, it will serve as a powerful reminder of Technoblade's enduring legacy. The movie stars Emma Myers, Sebastian Hansen, Jason Momoa, Jack Black, and Danielle Brooks, and is directed by Jared Hess, best known for Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre.
Asharq Al-Awsat
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Jack Black, Jason Momoa Enter the Minecraft Universe as the Video Game Phenom Hits the Big Screen
When Jack Black got the call to star in the "Minecraft" movie, the perks were plenty. He got to work alongside Jason Momoa, reunite with "Nacho Libre" director Jared Hess and engulf himself into a beloved gaming universe. But before agreeing, Black turned to the real decision-makers: his sons, who are avid Minecraft players. They didn't just give their approval, but practically begged him to take the role. Like his sons, Black has noticed the buzz since the release announcement of "A Minecraft Movie," which hits theaters Friday. The actor was already familiar with the video game, having played it occasionally with his sons while preparing for the live-action adaptation. "My boys were playing it, and I wanted to speak their language," said Black, who stars as the main protagonist Steve, who becomes an expert Minecrafter after being sucked into the Overworld dimension. His character eventually teams ups with a band of misfits who are mysteriously pulled through a portal into this new realm by a cubic object that thrives on imagination. The film also stars Momoa, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Coolidge and Sebastian Hansen. Before his character found himself in the Overworld, Black immersed himself in the Minecraft gaming world alongside his sons. He spent over 100 hours playing the game while on set. "I put the work in," he said. "You got to put the days of work in. Watch YouTube videos to get some tips on how to survive that first night in the Overworld. I was pretty versed in it." After Minecraft's 2009 release, it took only two years to reach a million players. Since then, it has sold over 235 million copies across various gaming platforms, cementing its status as a global phenomenon with its blend of creativity, exploration and survival elements. The game's open-ended design lets players carve out their own experience, whether it's surviving against mobs, mining for resources, farming or using block-based structures to craft artistic masterpieces. It has also fostered a thriving multiplayer community where players collaborate to build their worlds together, while its educational applications extend to coding, architecture and problem solving. At its core, Minecraft is a limitless digital sandbox, where imagination transforms simple blocks into everything from cozy homes to sprawling cities. Minecraft creators' gameplay videos have generated millions of pageviews on YouTube. Those are some of the elements that drew Myers and Hansen into the game during their childhoods. "I played a lot during COVID," said Hansen, 14, who plays Henry, a shy but creative and intellectual kid trying to navigate his new high school. Once his character gets thrown in the Overworld, he feels comfortable with the environment. "I played it a lot during my childhood, watching videos and stuff all the time," he said. Myers began playing the pocket edition with her friends around age 10. She said the digital and real-world elements seamlessly complement each other. "I think it's very versatile," said the 22-year-old actor who plays Natalie, a character who put her life plan's on hold to take care of Henry, her younger brother. "I think Minecraft kind of forces you to be creative and ... problem solve in ways that you probably wouldn't think of in the first place." The road from console to cinema hasn't always been smooth. Many video game adaptations have struggled at the box office, but recent hits like the "Sonic" series, "Five Nights at Freddy's" and "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" have proven the genre's potential. These three films have dominated the box office, with "Super Mario Bros." raking in more than $146 million during its 2023 opening weekend, according to Comscore. The three "Sonic" films have debuted between $58-72 million, while "Five Nights at Freddy's" pulled in more than $80 million. That's a significant leap from other adaptations like "The Angry Birds Movie 2," which Comscore records show had a lukewarm $10 million opening in 2019. Other attempts such as "Mortal Kombat ($23 million in 2021) and "Resident Evil: Welcome to Racoon City" ($5.3 million that same year) struggled to gain traction. Black, who has starred in popular films like "School of Rock" and the "Kung Fu Panda" series, said he's never been a part of such a highly-anticipated movie as "Minecraft." If you ask Hess, it's certainly not. For him, the game is a family affair, woven into his household dynamics as he and his kids frequently explore the Overworld together. That made it an easy sell for him to direct "A Minecraft Movie." "The game is one of my favorite games of all time, and it was such an important part of our family life," said Hess, 45, who directed films including "Napoleon Dynamite,Masterminds" and "Nacho Libre." The game doesn't have a storyline, so Hess wanted to help create one for the movie based on his knowledge after playing it for hours. "This world of Minecraft is so bonkers in such a perfect setting for an epic adventure movie that was really ridiculously funny," he said. "There's so many places you can go with it. There's no story to the game, so there was a lot of creative license to kind of come up with." Torfi Frans Ólafsson said he's got thousands of hours clocked in on Minecraft, sometimes playing an entire night until 5 a.m., even if he has an 8 a.m. meeting. He recalled an entire weekend playing with his son, who was 6 at the time. "I don't think we did anything else," said Ólafsson, a creative director at Minecraft and a producer of the film. "We had a mission. We're trying to kill the dragon. It was just a lot of work and he kept messing up. ... But it was a wonderful bonding moment between father and son." Ólafsson added: "That's the thing that matters. This game brings people together and creates shared memories and give meanings to things."
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jack Black, Jason Momoa enter the Minecraft universe as the video game phenom hits the big screen
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When Jack Black got the call to star in the 'Minecraft' movie, the perks were plenty. He got to work alongside Jason Momoa, reunite with 'Nacho Libre' director Jared Hess and engulf himself into a beloved gaming universe. But before agreeing, Black turned to the real decision-makers: his sons, who are avid Minecraft players. They didn't just give their approval, but practically begged him to take the role. Like his sons, Black has noticed the buzz since the release announcement of ' A Minecraft Movie,' which hits theaters Friday. The actor was already familiar with the video game, having played it occasionally with his sons while preparing for the live-action adaptation. 'My boys were playing it, and I wanted to speak their language,' said Black, who stars as the main protagonist Steve, who becomes an expert Minecrafter after being sucked into the Overworld dimension. His character eventually teams ups with a band of misfits who are mysteriously pulled through a portal into this new realm by a cubic object that thrives on imagination. The film also stars Momoa, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Coolidge and Sebastian Hansen. Before his character found himself in the Overworld, Black immersed himself in the Minecraft gaming world alongside his sons. He spent over 100 hours playing the game while on set. 'I put the work in,' he said. 'You got to put the days of work in. Watch YouTube videos to get some tips on how to survive that first night in the Overworld. I was pretty versed in it.' What's the craze behind Minecraft? After Minecraft's 2009 release, it took only two years to reach a million players. Since then, it has sold over 235 million copies across various gaming platforms, cementing its status as a global phenomenon with its blend of creativity, exploration and survival elements. The game's open-ended design lets players carve out their own experience, whether it's surviving against mobs, mining for resources, farming or using block-based structures to craft artistic masterpieces. It has also fostered a thriving multiplayer community where players collaborate to build their worlds together, while its educational applications extend to coding, architecture and problem solving. At its core, Minecraft is a limitless digital sandbox, where imagination transforms simple blocks into everything from cozy homes to sprawling cities. Minecraft creators' gameplay videos have generated millions of pageviews on YouTube. Those are some of the elements that drew Myers and Hansen into the game during their childhoods. 'I played a lot during COVID,' said Hansen, 14, who plays Henry, a shy but creative and intellectual kid trying to navigate his new high school. Once his character gets thrown in the Overworld, he feels comfortable with the environment. 'I played it a lot during my childhood, watching videos and stuff all the time," he said. Myers began playing the pocket edition with her friends around age 10. She said the digital and real-world elements seamlessly complement each other. 'I think it's very versatile,' said the 22-year-old actor who plays Natalie, a character who put her life plan's on hold to take care of Henry, her younger brother. "I think Minecraft kind of forces you to be creative and ... problem solve in ways that you probably wouldn't think of in the first place.' Do video game adaptations really work on the big screen? The road from console to cinema hasn't always been smooth. Many video game adaptations have struggled at the box office, but recent hits like the 'Sonic' series, 'Five Nights at Freddy's' and 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' have proven the genre's potential. These three films have dominated the box office, with 'Super Mario Bros." raking in more than $146 million during its 2023 opening weekend, according to Comscore. The three 'Sonic' films have debuted between $58-72 million, while 'Five Nights at Freddy's' pulled in more than $80 million. That's a significant leap from other adaptations like 'The Angry Birds Movie 2," which Comscore records show had a lukewarm $10 million opening in 2019. Other attempts such as 'Mortal Kombat ($23 million in 2021) and 'Resident Evil: Welcome to Racoon City" ($5.3 million that same year) struggled to gain traction. Black, who has starred in popular films like 'School of Rock' and the ' Kung Fu Panda " series, said he's never been a part of such a highly-anticipated movie as 'Minecraft.' Is Minecraft just for children? If you ask Hess, it's certainly not. For him, the game is a family affair, woven into his household dynamics as he and his kids frequently explore the Overworld together. That made it an easy sell for him to direct 'A Minecraft Movie.' 'The game is one of my favorite games of all time, and it was such an important part of our family life,' said Hess, 45, who directed films including 'Napoleon Dynamite,' 'Masterminds' and 'Nacho Libre.' The game doesn't have a storyline, so Hess wanted to help create one for the movie based on his knowledge after playing it for hours. 'This world of Minecraft is so bonkers in such a perfect setting for an epic adventure movie that was really ridiculously funny,' he said. 'There's so many places you can go with it. There's no story to the game, so there was a lot of creative license to kind of come up with.' Torfi Frans Ólafsson said he's got thousands of hours clocked in on Minecraft, sometimes playing an entire night until 5 a.m., even if he has an 8 a.m. meeting. He recalled an entire weekend playing with his son, who was 6 at the time. 'I don't think we did anything else,' said Ólafsson, a creative director at Minecraft and a producer of the film. 'We had a mission. We're trying to kill the dragon. It was just a lot of work and he kept messing up. ... But it was a wonderful bonding moment between father and son.' Ólafsson added: 'That's the thing that matters. This game brings people together and creates shared memories and give meanings to things.'
