Minecraftis the latest addition to the list of Jack Black video game movies, and his history with the genre traces back to a failed Tenacious D animated series. Award-winning comedy actor and musician Jack Black is beloved by audiences and has established himself as a reliable and multi-talented performer, butwith a current streak of roles in video game movies, Black has also made a major splash in the gaming community. His vocal performance as Bowser in the 2023 animatedSuper Mario BrosMovie was a viral sensation that led to the adaptation’s $1 billion box office domination and award-winning run.
Black has since appeared as Claptrap in the 2024Borderlandslive-action movie, with critics praising his commitment, despite the commercial failure and negative reception of the project. To continue this monumental trend in the actor’s career, Black is set to portray Steve in Warner Bros. and Mojang Studios'2025Minecraftmovie, a live-action adaptation of the massively popular game. Jack Black’s takeover of video game media has been years in the making, following an extremely successful venture into YouTube gaming with Jablinski Games, a channel that the Tenacious D member’s son credits to the band’s failed animated series,Post-Apocalypto.
Every Minecraft Video Game Character Confirmed For The Live-Action Movie
A Minecraft Movie brings several video game characters to the live-action film adaptation, including Jack Black’s debut as Steve. But there’s more.
Jack Black’s Pride And Joy, Post-Apocalypto, Was Rejected By Major Studios
The Backup Plan Was A YouTube Gaming Channel With His Teenage Son
FromSchool of RocktoKung Fu Panda, Jack Black has been a major force in Hollywood. An important part ofJack Black’s careercomes from the comedy rock duo Tenacious D, alongside acoustic guitarist Kyle Gass. Known for songs like “Tribute” and “Kickapoo,” the unique band has released four studio albums, and were the stars, writers, and producers behind their cult-classic musical fantasy movieTenacious D in the Pick of Destiny.Black and Gass ideated a hand-drawn animated sequel series calledPost-Apocalypto, inspired by political events, that became a passion project for the duo.
Tenacious D
2001
The Pick of Destiny (soundtrack of Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny)
2006
Rize of the Fenix
2012
Post-Apocalypto (soundtrack of the animated web series Post-Apocalypto)
2018
In 2015, Tenacious D pitched the series to major studios like Netflix, Amazon, and HBO, but Jack Black’s proclaimed pride and joy was met with nothing but rejection. The mock rock duo was forced to release their creation as a web series on YouTube, which didn’t conjure up the widespread attention and success that a streaming platform could’ve. All the profits from their heavily hyped dream project came from the corresponding album, also titledPost-Apocalypto.When the animated series didn’t work, Jack Black teamed up with his son, Sammy, to kickstart a journey into YouTube gaming.
Jablinski Games Was A Huge YouTube Success
Jack And Sammy’s Gaming Channel Led To A Hit Tenacious D Music Video
Sammy Black, who was only 13 at the time, had envisioned a YouTube gaming channel as a successful venture for his father, and a great bonding opportunity between the two. He spent months before the 2018 launch trying to convince Jack, but the actor was hard at work on bringing Post-Apocalypto to life and kept denying the proposal to protect his brand.Chatting with host Geoff Keighley live on stage at 2019’sE3, Sammy poked fun at the situationand reminded the gaming media that his father only agreed to launch the channel in despair ofPost-Apocalypto’s failure.
The gaming community welcomed Jack Black with open arms, and the channel currently stands with over 229 million views.
Jack Black Solidified Himself As A Video Game Icon In The Super Mario Bros Movie
Minecraft’s Steve Probably Won’t Be The Last Game Character That Black Is Offered
Jablinski Games was an impressive outing that gave Jack Black a newfound appreciation for video games, and he used the momentum to launch into the world of Nintendo.The Super Mario Bros Movie, in which Black plays the villainous turtle, Bowser, was released in 2023 and had the highest-grossing opening weekend domestically for any animated movie ever untilInside Out 2swooped in to break some of its records. “Peaches,” the comedic tune that Jack Black created for his character, debuted at #56 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for Best Original Song at the Golden Globes.
Jack Black, who is now a legend among gamers and gaming media, went on to accept the role of the iconicBorderlandsrobot Claptrap, offering energy and commitment to an otherwise lackluster experience. His upcoming portrayal as the face ofMinecraft, Steve, confirms that Black is embracing his success with the gaming community. He will probably return as Bowser in theupcomingThe Super Mario Bros Moviesequel.Jack Black’s history with video games continues, all thanks toPost-Apocalypto’s unfortunate demise.
