The second trailer for A Minecraft Movie is better than the first, but it's so low a bar that I don't believe it counts much

The official trailer of the upcoming Minecraft film, creatively titled A Minecraft Movie, is now available. It gives us a more detailed story and an April 4, 2025 release date. It continues to look bad. Take it for what you're worth.

The plot is basically a reskinned version of Jumanji. Four misfits from their real-world lives are taken to the Overworld where they embark on a quest to save the realm against the forces of evil. They discover their inner qualities and beauty and are then sent home to have a second chance at breaking out of their shells.

Am I being cynical? I think it's not entirely fair, but maybe. Because the film looks so cynical. The whole thing screams design by committee. There's that guy you like, and that guy who anchors the movie because he's comfortable doing the same thing every time, and, of course, an origin story, because we can't help but include that somewhere. Add some slapstick and snarky remarks leading to--I haven't even read the script, but I am pretty confident that this is the one--forged relationships and a hero's arc where everyone learns about themselves and eachother, and you've got yourself the next big Hollywood success--or, at least, a reliable moneymaker. Right?

Despite my misgivings the reaction to this new trailer seems to have been much more positive than that of the first. The first video has more than 1.8 millions dislikes compared to 730,000 likes. But there is also genuine enthusiasm for certain details, such as the reference to "children yearning for the mines".

A Minecraft Movie is not a good film, but there is a sense that the production team is aware of the game, its culture, and has incorporated some of it into the movie. The "Minecraft Trailer, Take Two" opening is a clear indication that Warner is working hard to make things right after the disastrous initial reveal.

Warner has done me a favor by raising my expectations. I am now willing to consider the possibility that A Minecraft Movie will not be worse than Borderlands. I still think the movie is going to be bad, but a Rotten Tomatoes rating of more than 10% seems possible. Hey, take whatever you can.

The A Minecraft Movie will be released in North America on 4 April 2025. It will be released internationally two days earlier on 2 April. I still hope that we can make Joshua Wolens see it.