From the immersive blocky world of the best selling video game of all time to the lush landscapes and cutting edge technology of Aotearoa New Zealand, A Minecraft Movie is a cinematic triumph that celebrates New Zealand creativity both on screen and behind the scenes. Shot entirely in New Zealand, this bold adaptation brought the Overworld to life with Kiwi talent, craftsmanship, and the versatile nature of the land.

Director Jared Hess, known for cult classics like Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre, found his ideal canvas in New Zealand. “Shooting in New Zealand was one of the best production experiences of my whole life,” Hess says. “The crew was unbelievable. Everybody was so dialed-in, they were 10 steps ahead of you. All the locations were incredible”​.

From Huntly to Helensville, the production scouted authentic locations to portray both the real-world town of fictional Chuglass, Idaho and elements of the Minecraft universe. Huntly’s American-style streets and towering power station were reimagined as a quirky small town and potato chip factory setting, while Helensville stood in for Garrett’s retro “Game Over” arcade and the mobile petting zoo​.

New Zealand didn’t just provide real world backdrops it also supplied the film’s heartbeat. Approximately 85% of the crew were New Zealanders, including world class department heads across production design, props, and costume.

New Zealand production designer Grant Major (The Lord of the Rings, King Kong) led the charge in reimagining Minecraft’s blocky digital aesthetic into tangible, cinematic sets. “It was very important for us to obey the rules of Minecraft,” said Major. “At the same time, the story has real people in it, so there’s a physical world and digital world crossover that I had to navigate. That was a daily journey”​.

Working alongside Major, New Zealand set decorator Amber Richards and prop master Matt Cornelius brought the world of Minecraft to vivid life. From designing Steve’s iconic stash room to crafting cubic apples and textured dirt blocks, their attention to detail earned praise from Mojang representatives and even Minecraft influencers who visited the set​.

New Zealand’s own comedic icons made cameo appearances: Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement of Flight of the Conchords fame appear as quirky characters in the film. As Hess puts it, “We got Bret McKenzie playing a villager in the film who is Vice Principal Marlene’s love interest, and then we got Jemaine Clement playing Daryl at a storage unit auction Garrett goes to”​.

Jason Momoa, who also served as a producer, found a personal connection to Aotearoa. “The very first moment I landed, it was the first place I've been where I was like, ‘Wow, this is where I want to be,’” Momoa shared. “It made sense for Minecraft to shoot here because it's one of the biggest, most beautiful worlds you can make. And there's a whole lot of behind-the-scenes talent here too”​.

Momoa wasn't the only one moved by the New Zealand experience. Costume designer Amanda Neale, also based in New Zealand, creatively mirrored the environment in her wardrobe designs. “I was obsessed with the fauna, the trees, the flowers and particularly the mushrooms,” she said. These natural elements inspired costume choices that brought warmth and whimsy to the characters' Overworld transformations​.

A film as visually ambitious as A Minecraft Movie needed a VFX team capable of translating a pixelated sandbox game into a fully immersive cinematic universe and New Zealand’s own Wētā FX delivered just that. Renowned for their groundbreaking work on The Lord of the Rings, Avatar, and The Batman, the Wētā team brought a unique blend of technical precision and artistic ingenuity to the project.

Led by VFX Supervisor Dan Lemmon, Wētā FX crafted expansive environments, complex Redstone contraptions, and dynamic mobs like creepers, piglins, and zombie babies all while maintaining the visual spirit of the game. From explosive battles in Midport Village to the fiery depths of the Nether, the visual effects are both thrilling and authentic. The seamless integration of digital and practical elements especially in iconic sequences like the obsidian portal and Steve’s stash room stands as a testament to the collaborative power of Wētā’s world class artists and the film’s New Zealand based creative team.

The film’s monumental task of turning Minecraft’s pixelated world into a fully realised live action universe was achieved through close collaboration with Mojang Studios and New Zealand’s best artists, craftspeople, and technicians. From meticulously designed prop weapons and armor to the biomes and textures of the Overworld, the local crew crafted a visual world both faithful to fans and stunning on the big screen.

A Minecraft Movie is more than just an adaptation of a beloved game, it's a celebration of collaboration, innovation, and imagination. At every turn, the production leaned into the power and potential of New Zealand’s film industry, from crew and craft to community and country.

For New Zealand, it’s another example of how this small nation continues to shape the world’s biggest stories, one block at a time.

  • “Dennis” the Wolf in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “A Minecraft Movie,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
  • (L-r) JACK BLACK as Steve, JASON MOMOA as Garrett and SEBASTIAN HANSEN as Henry in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “A Minecraft Movie,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
  • PANDAS in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “A Minecraft Movie,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
  • A Stash Shop in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “A Minecraft Movie,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
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About the New Zealand Screen Production Rebate 

A Minecraft Movie utilised the New Zealand Screen Production Rebate (NZSPR). 

The NZSPR for International Productions is part of the New Zealand Government’s screen incentives scheme, which includes the Post, Digital and Visual Effects (PDV) Rebate. Eligible productions can access a cash rebate on Qualifying New Zealand Production Expenditure (QNZPE). 

Find out more here. 

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