Minecraft Movie Taps Peter Sollett As Writer & Director
The Minecraft movie has experienced some upheaval in recent months. Rob McElhenney (It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia) dropped out as director in August, the second director to do so. Warner Bros. put the film on hiatus as they searched for someone to steer the project to financial success. They believe that they have found the right man for the job.
An exclusive Variety report stated that Peter Sollett will now write and direct the Minecraft film adaptation. Vertigo Entertainment’s Roy Lee and Jon Berg will serve as producers, with the late Jill Messick also receiving a producing credit following her February death. The game’s developer, Mojang, will remain on as a creative advisor for the film.
According to Variety, the story will follow a teenage girl and her friends on a quest to save Overworld. The evil Ender Dragon aims to destroy their home, leaving the heroes no choice but to stop him.
Sollett is the latest director to move from small-scale films and TV hows to major studio production. He previously directed the underrated Raising Victor Vargas and Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, the properly rated Freeheld, and episodes of Vinyl, The Path, and The Village. That’s a solid list of credits, but none approach the gravity of helming a multimillion dollar video game adaptation. I’m optimistic he can pull it off, though, and hope the film’s tumultuous development comes to an end.
With a director in tow, attention should now turn to casting. Steve Carrell was previously up for a role, but declined due to scheduling conflicts. However, he worked with Sollett on Freeheld, and his schedule may now be open following the delay in filming. We will be sure to keep you updated on the Minecraft movie’s development.
Looking for more news on video game adaptations? Check out some of these articles:
- DOOM Film Reboot Won’t Feature Barons Of Hell, Says Director
- Resident Evil Movie Reboot Announces Film’s Director
- Call Of Duty Sequel Film Already In the Works With Black Panther Writer
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Drew Weissman230 Posts
Drew is a freelance writer for DFTG. He's the former Managing Editor of Haogamers and has been published in the Chicago Tribune and The Paragon Journal. He also edited the novel Three Brightnesses and Artist Journey: Rachta Lin (2016 and 2017 editions).
