The sequel finally has a name


For months, the sequel to A Minecraft Movie had placeholder names. At CinemaCon in April 2026, Warner Bros listed it as A Minecraft Sequel. Fans joked about that plain label online. Then Minecraft Live on May 30, 2026 gave it a real title. A Minecraft Movie Squared. The joke lands because the game is built from squares. The title also hints at a bigger scale. Squared, not just second.
Warner Bros announced the sequel itself on October 9, 2025, with a poster of two pickaxes and the date July 23, 2027. That date has not moved. The film is set for a theatrical release only, at least at first. No streaming date has been announced. If you want to see it on opening weekend, plan for cinemas.
Jared Hess directs again. He co-wrote the screenplay with Chris Galletta. Both worked on the first film. Hess is known for comedy with odd, deadpan energy. That tone fit the first film. A blocky world with real actors could have felt silly in a bad way. Hess kept it funny and sincere at the same time. The sequel keeps that team in place, which is a good sign for fans of the first film's humor.

Who is back, and who is new


Jack Black returns as Steve. Jason Momoa returns as Garrett, known as The Garbage Man Garrison. Danielle Brooks returns as Dawn. Jennifer Coolidge returns as Marlene. Matt Berry returns, but in a new role that Warner Bros has not named yet. In the first film, Berry voiced Nitwit, a villager. For the sequel, reports say he plays an unknown new character. That gap has fueled fan guesses online.
The biggest new name is Kirsten Dunst as Alex. Alex is one of the default player characters in Minecraft, alongside Steve. In the game, Alex is Steve's counterpart. She builds, mines, fights, and explores just like Steve. Dunst was cast in March 2026. She appeared in the Minecraft Live reveal from the New Zealand set. Her first look shows her in costume, ready for the Overworld.
Note the recast: Alex was voiced by Kate McKinnon in the first film's post credits scene, and Dunst takes over for the sequel.
Filming began in late April 2026 in New Zealand, where the first film also shot. Jack Black marked the start of production with a painting by Kristoffer Zetterstrand, the artist behind many Minecraft game paintings. That detail shows how close the film team stays to the game. The game is not just a brand here. Its art, its blocks, and its community feed directly into the films.

What we know about the story


Plot details are still under wraps. Warner Bros has not released an official synopsis for the sequel. That is normal at this stage. Filming started in 2026 for a July 2027 release. A full trailer will likely arrive in early 2027. Until then, fans have hints, not a story.
Danielle Brooks has said the sequel will take viewers to places they have not seen before. That is vague, but it fits the game. Minecraft has many biomes, from deserts to snowy peaks to the Nether and the End. The first film stayed mostly in the Overworld. The sequel could open up new biomes. The purple glow in the sequel poster and logo has led fans to guess the End dimension may play a role. That guess is reported speculation, not a confirmed plot point. Treat it as a fan theory for now.
Matt Berry's unknown role has sparked another theory. Some fans guess he could play Herobrine, a fan made character from Minecraft creepypasta stories. Herobrine looks like Steve with white eyes. He is not an official game character. Reports note this theory and stress it remains unconfirmed. Do not treat Herobrine as a confirmed villain. The sequel may invent a new threat entirely.
What is confirmed is the core idea. The first film followed four misfits from Chuglass, Idaho, pulled through a portal into the Overworld. They had to find a way home with Steve's help. The sequel continues that world. Steve and Alex are the guides now. The game has no single fixed story, and the films lean into that. Each film is one possible adventure in a blocky world, not the definitive Minecraft tale.

Why the first film earned a sequel


A Minecraft Movie opened on April 4, 2025. It grossed about 960 million dollars worldwide on a 150 million dollar budget, according to reports. That made it one of the highest grossing video game films ever. It also sparked the chicken jockey trend, where young audiences cheered and threw popcorn during one scene. Cinemas even posted warnings about disruptive behavior. That chaos was a sign of how much young fans loved the film.
The sequel has a clear path. Keep the cast. Keep the director. Add Alex. Film in New Zealand. Open in summer. July 23, 2027 is a summer slot with room to breathe. The Simpsons sequel moved off that date, which helps Minecraft avoid a direct clash. For now, the wait is the hard part. Fans have a title, a date, and a new star. The story will come later.
If you play Minecraft, the sequel is a must watch. If you loved the first film's humor, the same team is back. If you are new, watch the first film first. It sets up Steve, Garrett, Dawn, and the Overworld rules. Then July 2027 will feel like a return, not a cold start.

Sources and reporting

  1. Polygon — 30 May 2026 · Verifies Squared title, Minecraft Live reveal, July 23 2027 date.
  2. GamesRadar — 2026 · Verifies July 23 2027 date, Hess returning, New Zealand filming from April 2026, returning cast.
  3. The Playlist — 1 Jun 2026 · Verifies Squared title, Hess and Galletta screenplay, July 23 2027 theatrical release.
Unconfirmed or reported, not stated as confirmed fact: plot details, new biomes, and Matt Berry's role are unconfirmed, and Herobrine casting talk is reported fan speculation, not a confirmed announcement. The July 23, 2027 date is the current confirmed theatrical date and could still move.