What We Do In The Shadows Star In Talks To Join Jason Momoa In Minecraft
A new report claims Matt Berry of What We Do in the Shadows fame is in talks to join Jason Momoa in the Minecraft movie.
It looks like the upcoming live-action Minecraft adaptation could be joined by a What We Do in the Shadows star. According to Deadline, Matt Berry — who plays Laszlo Cravensworth in FX’s horror mockumentary series — is in talks to star opposite Jason Momoa (Fast X) in Minecraft. The news comes not long after the reveal that What We Do in the Shadows will return on July 13 for its fifth Season.
Berry’s potential addition to Minecraft makes him one of the few names confirmed for the video game adaptation. Along with Jason Momoa attached to lead the film, Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite) will direct, and in early April GIANT FREAKIN ROBOT exclusively reported that Sydney Sweeney was in talks to play the female lead. Minecraft‘s theatrical release date is currently April 4, 2025.
No details about the plot of Minecraft have surfaced, but it seems likely that Matt Berry could very well be playing the villain working against Jason Momoa’s hero. In What We Do in the Shadows and Berry’s other work, including the hilarious BBC comedy Toast of London, he often plays well-spoken, egotistical characters who ultimately fall short of their inflated visions of themselves. His talents would seem to make him a perfect choice for the villain of a film that will clearly make humor a priority, considering the involvement of Hess.
The Jason Momoa-led Minecraft will represent Jared Hess’ first cinematic directorial effort since 2016’s Masterminds. He’s kept working, but mostly on TV projects; almost all of them comedies like Fox’s Son of Zorn and The Last Man on Earth. The one interesting outlier is the acclaimed Netflix miniseries Murder Among the Mormons, a true crime documentary.
Hess has endured an interesting and difficult career path. His feature directorial debut, Napoleon Dynamite, was a runaway hit and remains a cultural touchstone. Jack Black starred in Hess’ 2006 follow-up, Nacho Libre, which made even more money but was torn to pieces by critics.
Since then Hess continued to helm comedy films which have proven to be both critical and commercial bombs, with features like 2009’s Gentlemen Broncos and 2015’s Don Verdean making so little money you’ll be shocked to realize they weren’t released during the pandemic.
Working with a superstar like Jason Momoa, along with talent like Matt Berry and Sydney Sweeney, in a blockbuster based on one of the most popular video games ever represents a possible huge comeback for the director who helped immortalize lines like “Your mom goes to college” and “Tina, you fat lard, come get some dinner!
