Netflix is teaming up with Microsoft and Mojang to craft a Minecraft animated show, and the timing couldn’t be worse

A TV show reveal that didn’t mind creeping up on us

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Netflixis teaming up withMinecraftcreator Mojang to craft an animated TV series based on the incredibly popular sandbox video game.

Revealed via a 20-second teaser on its social media channels, the streaming titan revealed it was developing an animated TV show that’ll be set in the block-based world that’s owned by Mojang and parent companyMicrosoft.

Few details about the in-development series have been revealed, such as a confirmed release date and/or voice cast. However, Netflix and Mojang provided a little insight into its creation via a brief news post on theofficial Minecraft website, including which animation studio will lead development on the forthcoming project and the fact that it won’t feature everyone’s favorite block star, Steve.

NETFLIX & CRAFT! ⛏️ From Netflix & Mojang Studios, an animated Minecraft series is officially in the works. pic.twitter.com/yo41rEmAPnMay 30, 2024

“We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve joined forces with Netflix to produce an animated series set in our blocky universe,” writer Per Landin said.

“The series will tell an original story with new characters and reflect the world ofMinecraftin a new light. It is currently in development by the talented studio WildBrain (creators ofSonic Prime,Ninjago: Dragons Rising, andCarmen Sandiego) and will debut exclusively on Netflix. We couldn’t be more excited, so stay tuned for more information!”

Netflix’sMinecraftseries is just the latest animated production to be announced for and/or be in development at the world’sbest streaming service.Ultraman: Rising, one of next month’snew Netflix movies, will be the next one to emerge off the streamer’s animated production line, with the flick set to fly onto the platform on June 14.

On the TV front,Arcaneseason 2, the next entry in one of thebest Netflix showsever, will debut in November. Other highly anticipated animated shows includeA Devil May Cryseries, aTomb Raidershow, and an animated spin-off of the incredibly popular Netflix TV OriginalStranger Things.

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Mining the adaptation well

With its cute, block-based graphics and family-friendly appeal, some people (myself included) have found it bizarre that an animatedMinecraftseries hasn’t been attempted before. The fact that we’re finally getting one from Netflix now feels long overdue.

That said, in some ways, Netflix’s announcement couldn’t have come at a worse time. For one, the reveal comes 13 days afterMinecraft’s 15th anniversary – its actual birthday took place on May 17, for those wondering – which would’ve been a more fitting date to make this announcement on. Unless work is well underway on the animated series, it won’t launch on Netflix until after Warner Bros' live-actionMinecraftmovie arrives in theaters, either. The long-gestating film, which will star Jack Black, Jason Momoa, and Kate McKinnon, among others, is currently slated to arrive in cinemas worldwide in April 2025.

If that movie fails to leave its mark on audiences, there might not be much of an appetite for Netflix’s animated offering from viewers whenever it’s released. Indeed, few otherMinecraftspin-offs or adaptations –Minecraft Dungeons,Minecraft Legends, and Telltale’s narrative-drivenMinecraftvideo game adaptation to name three – have struggled to match the original game’s unprecedented success. There’s little guarantee, then, that its forthcoming movie and TV reworkings will do likewise. We’ll find out if Netflix and Warner Bros. have built adaptations befitting Mojang’s universally adored video game in the months and years to come.

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As TechRadar’s senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You’ll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.

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