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[edit | edit source]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Part I" | Freddie Goodwin | Freddie Goodwin & Jackson Greene | June 10, 2022 | |
| Twelve years into their journey through a vast multiverse, siblings Steve Stonecutter and Alex Stonecutter confront unforeseen challenges. Steve is haunted by visions of a malevolent doppelgänger, a "glitch," that mirrors his every move. In this turbulent world, they encounter Derp, a committed ally, who pledges to protect them from relentless threats like Zombies, Skeletons, and Spiders. Derp, a secret member of the Good Justice Society (GJS), a formidable force combating dimensional hostiles, particularly from the Nether, unveils their ongoing battle against the ominous Angel of Death (AOD). A catastrophic assault by AOD forces Derp into the open, sparking a fierce confrontation. Steve, Alex, and Derp engage in a desperate struggle against AOD, eventually triumphing by banishing him to the Nether. However, in the shadowy recesses of the End dimension, a sinister twist emerges as Steve's evil twin, distinguished by chilling white eyes, materializes, signaling a new and darker chapter in their adventure. | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Part II" | Freddie Goodwin | Freddie Goodwin & Jackson Greene | June 10, 2022 | |
| In the throes of a mysterious conflict, the enigmatic Null is commanded by an unseen figure to eliminate the heroes. He vanishes abruptly, leaving Steve, haunted by persistent visions, grappling with an inner turmoil that hinders his progress. Amidst this chaos, Derp persuades Steve to embark on a mission to safeguard Diamond Hill Village from imminent threats. Upon their arrival, they confront a formidable Witch, intent on harnessing the village's honey to concoct potent potions and amplify her powers. In a decisive battle, Steve emerges victorious, but the Witch's cryptic final words hint at a greater force behind her attack. That night, the village endures another onslaught, this time from a horde of mobs, which Steve, Alex, and Derp valiantly repel. However, in the aftermath, Steve is enveloped in a mysterious light and vanishes, leaving Derp to disappear in similar fashion. Alex finds herself stranded in a Hypixel server lobby, alone and bewildered. Meanwhile, Steve awakens to find himself in an unfamiliar world, isolated and far from home. | ||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Part III" | Jackson Greene | Jackson Greene | June 10, 2022 | |
| Null summons an army of mobs and unleashes them to destroy Hypixel server, leading to Alex and Derp to devise a plan to stop him. Steve learns that he is at the start of time and must somehow return to the present. During their mission to save Hypixel, Alex and Derp manage to get into contact with the GJS and asks for backup. Null summons Warewolf and Reaper to hunt down the two remaining heroes and sends them away. The Hypixel lobby is destroyed. Steve manages to teleport to the Hypixel lobby, but is knocked unconscious by the villains. While dragging Steve to the boss entity, Alex scares them away and saves Steve. Derp comes up with a plan and has a dream of a guy next to a gate, but when it opens, fish fall out of it. In the end, the entity is revealed to be Herobrine. | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Part IV" | Freddie Goodwin | Freddie Goodwin | June 10, 2022 | |
| Herobrine, motivated by a desire for recognition, plots to eliminate Steve and seize his deserved fame. The origin of this conflict traces back to a glitch in the world's creation by Notch, who intended Steve and Alex to be the primary rulers. This glitch resulted in an undeletable duplicate of Steve, who, suppressed and banished by Notch, harbored a deep hatred towards his original counterpart. Villains Null, Entity 303, Warewolf, and Reaper, intent on destruction, are ultimately defeated by Steve, although Null escapes. The heroes' journey leads them to the End dimension, where they defeat a Wither and forge a beacon gun from a Nether Star. This weapon proves pivotal in defeating the End Dragon, but the victory is short-lived as an empowered Null confronts them, sending Steve back in time, destroying the weapon, and abducting Alex, leaving Derp stranded in the void. | ||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Part V" | Freddie Goodwin | Freddie Goodwin | June 10, 2022 | |
| Herobrine, driven by his determination to eliminate Steve, unveils a sinister plan. The plot unfolds with Derp returning to the GJS, while Null pursues Steve back through time. In this timeline, Steve befriends and names a wolf Jerry, only to witness Null's brutal attack that results in Jerry's death. This traumatic event forces Steve to flee. Meanwhile, Alex reunites with her friend Nova, disclosing the harrowing events involving Steve. Concurrently, Derp uncovers that AOD is neither in the Nether nor the Overworld. Steve, narrowly escaping Null, finds himself amidst the spirits of Hypixel's deceased, realizing he's in the present but separated from Alex and Derp. In a chilling turn, Herobrine terrorizes Alex, probing for Steve's whereabouts, but hastily departs upon sensing Steve's presence. A confrontation ensues between Herobrine and Steve, where Herobrine reveals his murderous intentions. Null, caught in this showdown, is frozen in time by Herobrine, who then abducts Steve. In a dramatic twist, Alex vanquishes Null using an ice sword. The narrative crescendos with Derp's solemn vow to thwart AOD and Herobrine. | ||||||
| 6 | 6 | "Part VI" | Jackson Greene | Jackson Greene | June 10, 2022 | |
| Herobrine unleashes a formidable assault on the Overworld with his fleet and a legion of hostile mobs. Amidst the chaos, Derp and Alex uncover that Steve is trapped in the past, realizing that the Nether holds the key to his rescue. In Steve's tumultuous journey back to the present, Herobrine cunningly induces him into a comatose state, presenting a grim future where Steve's demise seems inevitable regardless of their resistance. Herobrine manipulates the situation, offering to "stop and save" Steve, but Steve, defiant, chooses to escape. Meanwhile, Derp and Alex are shaken by the revelation that the AOD has fallen. Their path crosses with Nova and her associate Jackster, the mayor of Diamond Hill Village, who confront them with crucial information. They learn that their mission to halt Herobrine's malevolent plan to dominate Steve is urgent, but finding Herobrine is their first challenge. Steve, eluding Herobrine's clutches multiple times, eventually finds himself in the Nether, where he encounters a doppelgänger - an eerie version of himself who had once yielded to Herobrine's sinister offer. | ||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Part VII – Agent Derp" | Jackson Greene | Jackson Greene & Wilma Zimmerman | June 10, 2022 | |
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On a quest to retrieve a rare Emerald-styled Diamond, known as the "Demerald," Derp is enlisted by the Good Justice Society with a clear directive: locate and secure the missing jewel. Accompanied by his loyal pet fish, Derp ventures beyond his hometown, diligently tracking down the Demerald's whereabouts. His search leads him to a startling revelation – the Demerald has fallen into the hands of his arch-nemesis, Buddy. A fierce duel ensues, with Buddy initially outwitting and overpowering Derp. However, the tides turn when the adversaries strike an unexpected accord: Derp reclaims the Demerald, and in a surprising twist, Buddy joins the ranks of the GJS. This unusual alliance blossoms into friendship, and the duo begins to collaborate effectively in the field. Two years into this partnership, a mysterious, masked assailant disrupts their harmony, abducting Derp with a cryptic message that his presence is essential. This episode serves as a backdoor pilot for a series based on Derp titled "Agent Derp" that stars Tom Holland as the titluar role. | ||||||
| 8 | 8 | "Part VIII" | Freddie Goodwin | Freddie Goodwin | June 10, 2022 | |
| In the virtual world of Hypixel, Herobrine makes a dramatic entrance, wielding a command block to manipulate the server's database. Amidst this chaos, Steve, Derp, Alex, and Nova reunite, devising a strategy to counter the looming threat. Steve confides in Alex about the harrowing vision Herobrine imposed upon him, while Derp confronts his own "dark" past, choosing to move forward. In a heartwarming twist, Jerry the wolf resurfaces, joyfully reuniting with Steve, and is subsequently adopted by Alex. The confrontation with Herobrine escalates as he challenges the heroes, leading to an unexpected shutdown of Hypixel's server. This dire circumstance forces Steve to engage Herobrine in a solo battle. The clash takes a tragic turn when Herobrine injures Alex, compelling Steve to make a selfless sacrifice for his friends' safety. Steve finds himself in "The Gap," a mysterious realm between dimensions, where he uncovers the startling truth that Herobrine is a future entity, contradicting the belief of his origin with the birth of the multiverse. As Derp, Alex, and Nova pledge to avenge Steve, he reemerges in the Nether dimension, marked by a singular glowing white eye, signaling an unforeseen transformation. | ||||||
| 9 | 9 | "Part IX" | Freddie Goodwin | Freddie Goodwin & Jackson Greene | June 10, 2022 | |
| Derp, sensing Steve's imminent return in the Nether, leads the trio to Diamond Hill Village, where they intend to access the dimension through a portal. In the village, Jackster confides in Derp about the fate of his friend Buddy, hinting at a necessary path to redemption. Meanwhile, Steve, now adopting the moniker "Stevebrine," discovers an Ender Dragon egg on the verge of hatching. When Derp, Alex, and Nova encounter Stevebrine, they are confronted with the reality of his transformation. A dramatic duel unfolds between Stevebrine and Alex, who undergoes her own transformation into Alexbrine, ultimately sending Steve plummeting off a cliff. Miraculously, Steve survives the fall, only to be revealed as having transformed into Herobrine. In a poignant moment, Alex's embrace severs his malevolent connection. However, their brief respite is shattered as Herobrine demands their surrender, calling forth Angel of Death, Entity 303, and Reaper, along with an army, setting the stage for an epic confrontation with the heroes. | ||||||
| 10 | 10 | "Part X" | Freddie Goodwin | Freddie Goodwin | June 10, 2022 | |
| In the face of overwhelming odds, Steve, Alex, and Derp find refuge, rallying to amass their own formidable army. This strategic move sets the stage for a direct confrontation with Herobrine's forces. Amidst the ensuing chaos, Steve and Alex engage Herobrine in a fierce duel. The battle intensifies when the AOD blindsides Alex, rendering her unconscious. As the AOD turns its wrath towards Steve, Derp heroically intervenes, sparing Steve at great personal cost. Although Derp survives the encounter, he is plagued by excruciating visions. The climax of the battle sees Steve facing Herobrine in a final showdown, where, in a twist of fate, Steve turns Herobrine's own sword against him, erasing him from existence. In the aftermath, Derp returns to the decimated Good Justice Society headquarters, grappling with the devastation. Meanwhile, the long-awaited Ender Dragon egg hatches under Nova's guardianship. As Steve and Alex move forward, seeking solace and a peaceful life, a new threat emerges in the Nether dimension: a formidable lava monster, heralding the dawn of yet another adventure. | ||||||
Cast and characters[edit | edit source]
- 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[edit | edit source]
Development[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
Audience viewership[edit | edit source]
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".