A live-action Minecraft Movie, released in March 2025, has become one of the highest-grossing films of the year in the United States, yet it notably passed over the original director once attached—a filmmaker behind a $1.3 billion MCU success. Despite its commercial achievements, the movie has been outshone on streaming platforms by Ryan Coogler’s HBO Max film, Sinners, highlighting the emerging dominance of Coogler’s work on the service.
Initially set to be directed by Shawn Levy, known for his work on Deadpool and Wolverine, the Minecraft adaptation underwent significant changes when Levy left the project due to creative disagreements. Jared Hess ultimately directed the completed film, which features Jack Black and Jason Momoa, marking the end of a lengthy development phase.
Creative Differences Led to Shawn Levy’s Departure from the Minecraft Project
The Minecraft Movie’s journey began with Warner Bros entering discussions with Shawn Levy in 2014 to direct a live-action version of the video game phenomenon. However, within months, Levy exited the project over differing creative visions and uncertainties about the film’s direction. Levy revealed in an interview with The Wall Street Journal,
“That doesn’t sound like what we want for (Minecraft), if we’re going to see a movie get made, we don’t know what we want, but that doesn’t feel right.” —Shawn Levy, Film Director
Levy, alongside writers Kieran and Michele Mulroney, had developed a concept to transform the non-narrative Minecraft game into a coherent story. However, Mojang Studios, the game’s creators, ultimately rejected their pitch, prompting Levy and the writing team to leave the project. This departure delayed the film’s production for nearly a decade, until Jared Hess took over and directed the final version.
Jared Hess’s Minecraft Adaptation Achieves Box Office Success but Trails Behind Ryan Coogler’s Sinners
After its release, the Minecraft Movie grossed $955.1 million at the box office, according to The Numbers, securing its place among the year’s commercial hits. Despite mixed critical reviews, the film attracted a significant audience, assisted by the star power of Black and Momoa. The lengthy development period saw multiple directors and writers involved before the project reached theaters.
However, on HBO Max’s top 10 streaming charts, Ryan Coogler’s period vampire drama Sinners has surpassed the Minecraft film in popularity. Flixpatrol reports that Sinners holds the number 1 spot in the USA and globally, with the Minecraft Movie occupying the second position.
Interestingly, Coogler’s Sinners is rated R and explores mature themes, contrasting with the Minecraft Movie’s lighter, family-friendly tone. The streaming success of Sinners underlines Coogler’s expanding influence and the growing appeal of his storytelling on HBO Max.
Future Prospects for Minecraft and the Continuing Influence of Ryan Coogler on HBO Max
While the Minecraft Movie has not overtaken Sinners on the streaming charts, its popularity remains significant enough to warrant a sequel currently in development. The contrast in audience reception between these two films illustrates how widely different genres and tones can perform strongly in today’s streaming landscape.
Ryan Coogler’s HBO Max dominance signals the continued rise of auteur-driven, mature content on mainstream platforms, affecting future programming and audience expectations. Meanwhile, Minecraft’s transition from a stalled project under Levy to a commercially successful film under Hess shows how studio decisions and creative direction shape cinematic outcomes.
The Minecraft Movie is currently available for streaming on HBO Max in the USA, where viewers can assess for themselves the film’s adaptation from game to screen and its place alongside Coogler’s influential work.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. What is Ryan Coogler’s religion?
A. In Coogler’s work, religion appears as a fresh theme, though he believes it shapes all his films. Raised as a Baptist, he went to Catholic schools. Before his birth, three grandparents passed away, and he was intrigued by his parents’ stories of staying connected to them.
