Minecraft: The Movie has found its visual effects supervisor in Jim Berney, as the acclaimed artist has joined the production crew of the upcoming Warner Bros. video game movie, according to Discussing Film. Berney previously worked on many high-profile films, including The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Eagle Eye, The Polar Express, Green Lantern, Pacific Rim: Uprising, and James Wan's Aquaman.
The video game adaptation was originally scheduled for release in May, with actor and director Rob McElhenney (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Fargo) at the helm, but he has left the project, just like Minecraft: The Movie's original director Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum, Stranger Things). The film’s latest draft was written by Aaron and Adam Nee, the directors of Sony’s Masters of the Universe movie.
Current reporting seems to be assuming that Minecraft: The Movie is going to be a live-action project with Steve Carell (The Office, The Big Short) in the lead role, but WB. had no comment on the casting.
Minecraft debuted in 2009, allowing players to create their own avatars and build their own structures using textured cubes in a 3D environment. Since its release, Minecraft sales have reached an all-time high with 144 million copies having been sold across all platforms with 74 million monthly players. Microsoft acquired game developer Mojang and the rights to Minecraft for $2.5 billion in 2016.