Minecraft season 1
| Minecraft | |
|---|---|
| Season 1 | |
 Promotional poster | |
| Starring |
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| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Release | |
| Original network | |
| Original release | June 10, 2022 |
| Season chronology | |
The first season of the American television series Minecraft, which is based on the video game of the same name, released on Netflix on June 10, 2022. The season follows Steve and his best friend Alex facing off against the former's evil doppelgänger Herobrine. It is set in the Craftinverse, sharing continuity with the other television series of the universe. The season is produced by Mob Productions, Mojang and Warner Bros. Pictures. Freddie Goodwin and Jackson Greene serves as showrunner for the season.
The season stars Jack Black as Steve Stonecutter, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jason Momoa, Danielle Brooks, and James Earl Jones. The series was officially announced in June 2017 through a public announcement video from Mob Productions. Development of the first season began in March 2021 and concluded in June 2021. The series takes place in 2022 with the characters exploring the Overworld and Nether dimensions.
The first season premiered on Netflix, Disney+, Max, and Paramount+ on June 10, 2022. It recieved positive reviews, with praise for the cast's performances. The series was renewed for a second season in November 2022.
Zendaya departed the series shortly after, which Amy Poehler replaces Zendaya in the role of Alex Stonecutter for seasons in television show.
Episodes
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Obsidian Line" | Freddie Goodwin | Freddie Goodwin & Jackson Greene | June 10, 2022 | |
| As seismic anomalies spread across a remote overworld region, Steve and Alex investigate an abandoned settlement and discover residual heat and obsidian fragments indicating a recently dismantled Nether portal. Tracking the disturbance underground, they encounter a hostile, obsidian-fissured entity that behaves unlike any known spawn, forcing them to retreat as the surrounding stone begins to anchor and harden unnaturally. They soon meet Derp, who admits to experimenting with chained portals intended to stabilize Nether travel, only to realize his work triggered a wider system designed to synchronize subterranean “anchors.” As tremors ripple outward, the trio uncovers a hidden, still-operational facility built to regulate Nether pressure by bleeding heat and stress into the overworld, causing controlled fractures rather than catastrophic breaches. An unseen authority allows them to observe the system but warns against interference, revealing that the process is active and adaptive rather than failed. Above ground, nearby settlements begin to crack and vent heat in precise patterns, demonstrating deliberate load balancing and testing how much gradual damage can be tolerated. In the Nether, synchronization pulses awaken an ancient platform and manifest Herobrine, a destabilizing corrective force drawn to the anchors, establishing a growing threat as the world settles into a fragile and dangerous equilibrium. | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | TBA | Freddie Goodwin | Freddie Goodwin & Jackson Greene | June 10, 2022 | |
| 3 | 3 | TBA | Jackson Greene | Jackson Greene | June 10, 2022 | |
| 4 | 4 | TBA | Freddie Goodwin | Freddie Goodwin | June 10, 2022 | |
| 5 | 5 | TBA | Freddie Goodwin | Freddie Goodwin | June 10, 2022 | |
| 6 | 6 | TBA | Jackson Greene | Jackson Greene | June 10, 2022 | |
| 7 | 7 | TBA | Jackson Greene | Jackson Greene & Wilma Zimmerman | June 10, 2022 | |
| 8 | 8 | TBA | Freddie Goodwin | Freddie Goodwin | June 10, 2022 | |
Cast and characters
- Jack Black as Steve
- Zendaya as Alex
- Tom Holland as Derp
- Jason Momoa as Jackster
- James Earl Jones as Herobrine
- Danielle Brooks as Nova
Josh Brolin as the Angel of Death (AOD). Other voices include Dylan Buccieri, Assaf Cohen, Jessica DiCicco, Terri Douglas, Karen Huie, Arif S. Kinchen, Austin Madison, Cole Massie, Alisha Mullally, Fred Tatasciore, Kari Wahlgren, and Secunda Wood in undisclosed roles.
Production
Development
In 2012, Mojang received offers from Hollywood producers interested in creating Minecraft-related television shows. However, Mojang stated they would only pursue such projects when "the right idea comes along." In February 2014, an attempt to crowdfund a fan film through Kickstarter was shut down after Markus "Notch" Persson declined to grant the filmmakers a license. Persson explained that the Kickstarter campaign had been launched without any prior agreement with Mojang. Later that month, Persson revealed that Mojang was in discussions with Warner Bros. Pictures about creating adaptations of their game. By October 2014, Mojang COO Vu Bui confirmed the project was in its early stages of development, describing it as a "large-budget" production with an estimated release timeline of 2018. That same month, Warner Bros. hired Shawn Levy to direct the film. However, in December 2014, Levy and screenwriters Kieran and Michele Mulroney left the project due to creative differences. By 2016, plans for the film were canceled and replaced by a proposal to develop a television series adaptation, with Freddie Goodwin leading production.
In September 2017, following the significant growth of Black Plasma Studios (now Squared Media) and its Minecraft-based content, Goodwin collaborated with Warner Bros. Pictures and the leader of Black Plasma Studios to create a television series inspired by their work. Drawing parallels to how DC television series adapt storylines from comic books, Goodwin planned to incorporate narratives from Black Plasma’s animations into the series. Warner Bros. initially agreed to support the project and provided Goodwin with a $300 million budget. In 2019, early production began, and in June of that year, a release date of June 10, 2022, was set. In October 2019, Goodwin announced the writing team, which included himself and Jackson Greene, with Wilma Zimmerman set to co-write the seventh episode.
By 2020, production on the series slowed considerably due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, work on the series continued remotely, avoiding a complete shutdown. The team adopted Unreal Engine to create photorealistic scenery, which allowed production to progress with minimal disruption during the pandemic.
Writing
A writer's room for the series was established in 2017, three years before the official announcement of the project in 2020. In addition to Freddie Goodwin and Jackson Greene, the writers were also named as producers for the first season. In November 2021, it was confirmed that the team would adapt storylines from Squared Media productions as a primary source of inspiration.
Goodwin expressed interest in creating more than one season, stating that the first season would tell "one of many stories." Both Goodwin and Greene likened the season's narrative approach to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), explaining that the team examined multiple storylines from Squared Media and selected specific characters and plots to focus on. Goodwin confirmed that the first season would incorporate elements from Animation Life 1–3 and potentially draw from Minecraft comics for additional depth.
Production of the first episode proved "tricky," according to Goodwin, as it primarily served to introduce the overarching storyline for the first season and set up a potential second season. Goodwin and Greene decided to focus the episode entirely on the heroes, ending with a cliffhanger that hinted at the presence of Herobrine. By episode four, Herobrine is revealed to be a duplicate of Steve, adding a significant twist to the season's plot.
As the season progresses, the universe expands, with episode seven taking a unique direction. Greene explored a spin-off concept titled Agent Derp, centered around the character Derp. While the episode maintains the narrative style of the first six episodes, Greene noted that a dedicated Agent Derp series would lean more heavily into comedic elements, distinguishing it from the main series while adding depth to its world.
Casting
Goodwin revealed plans to cast well-known actors for the lead roles in the series. In March 2018, Jack Black was cast as Steve Stonecutter, followed by Zendaya as Alex Stonecutter and Tom Holland as Derp in April. Herobrine, a key antagonist, was confirmed to appear in the series, with James Earl Jones cast in the role in June 2018. By December 2018, Jason Momoa had joined the cast as Jackster, and Danielle Brooks was announced as the voice of Nova.
Josh Brolin was later cast as the Angel of Death (AOD), adding star power to the cast. Additional voice roles include Dylan Buccieri, Assaf Cohen, Jessica DiCicco, Terri Douglas, Karen Huie, Arif S. Kinchen, Austin Madison, Cole Massie, Alisha Mullally, Fred Tatasciore, Kari Wahlgren, and Secunda Wood, all in undisclosed roles.
Photorealistic animation
The first season was developed entirely in Unreal Engine 4 using Photorealistic animation technology to create realistic scenery.
Unlike other animation, Goodwin wanted to use photorealistic animation for Minecraft. They kept the 3D dimension blocked shapes of the game to keep the feeling of the game theme. However, they weren't strict on what they can add and do within the universe.
Music
In order to keep the theme and music for the series as close to the video game, Goodwin approached C418, Lena Raine, Kumi Tanioka, and Aaron Cherof to make the score for the series.
Marketing
Minecraft was officially announced in 2020, alongside discussions of a potential second season. Squared Media also revealed their plans to continue producing animations for their YouTube channel, which would complement the series.
The first trailer for the debut season premiered on March 15, 2022. Commentators highlighted the heavy emphasis on Steve, Alex, and Derp, with a particular focus on the dynamic between Steve and Alex. Linda Codega of Gizmodo described the trailer as "adorable, fun, and exciting," praising its "absolutely excellent directorial decisions." Codega further noted that the series appeared to be "a tone-perfect mashup of animations and storytelling," capturing the spirit of its source material.
Release
Minecraft was released simultaneously on June 10, 2022 on Netflix. The season released in its entirety on Apple+ and Paramount+ on September 10, 2022.
Reception
Audience viewership
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 98% approval rating, with an average score of 8.90/10, based on 1202 reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Minecraft is a show that explores stories that have been made by fans for the fans." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 99 out of 100 based on 1002 critics, indicating "positive reviews".