UB Spotlight + Preview: Danielle Brooks Talks ‘A Minecraft Movie’
In Theaters and IMAX on April 4th
From Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures and starring Jason Momoa and Jack Black, “A Minecraft Movie,” directed by Jared Hess, is the first-ever big screen, live-action adaptation of Minecraft, the best-selling video game of all time.
The film also stars Emma Myers, Oscar nominee Danielle Brooks, Sebastian Hansen, with Jennifer Coolidge.
“A Minecraft Movie” will be released only in theaters and IMAX in North America on April 4th, and internationally beginning April 2nd.
Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft, it’s essential to one’s survival! Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Momoa), Henry (Hansen), Natalie (Myers) and Dawn (Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination.
To get back home, they’ll have to master this world (and protect it from evil things like Piglins and Zombies, too) while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Black). Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative…the very skills they need to thrive back in the real world.
Oscar nominee Hess directed from a screenplay by Chris Bowman & Hubbel Palmer and Neil Widener & Gavin James and Chris Galletta, story by Allison Schroeder and Chris Bowman & Hubbel Palmer, based on the Minecraft video game. Roy Lee, Jon Berg, Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Jason Momoa, Jill Messick, Torfi Frans Ólafsson and Vu Bui produced, and Todd Hallowell, Jay Ashenfelter, Kayleen Walters, Brian Mendoza and Jon Spaihts executive produced.
“None of the characters in the film are your typical heroes,” says Hess. “We weren’t going for what you would expect a superhero to be. Even Jason Momoa, who we know plays Aquaman, he’s playing a really different character. Garrett is a big dork in this movie, and he wants to be cool, but he’s kind of not any of that. All the characters comprise a group of unlikely heroes that are all underdogs in their own way, but who are really coming to their own on this adventure.”
Danielle Brooks portrays Dawn.
Danielle is an Oscar-nominated actress and Grammy Award-winning singer whose immense talent and dedication to her craft continues to pave a way for diversity and inclusion on stage and on screen.
Meet The Characters:
Dawn is Natalie’s realtor—in addition to her seven other side hustles, including her mobile petting zoo. Dawn has dreams, wants to take her shot and follow them, but fear of failure keeps her stuck in neutral.
Dawn embodies the animal lover/mob tamer who is nurturing, always seeking companionship, a true connector with an exploratory spirit. Playing Dawn, the eccentric realtor/petting zookeeper, is Danielle Brooks.
Steve is the Overworld’s most trusted (human) steward and a bona fide wizard of the cube. Luckily, the four misfits have got this new friend and his best friend, a wolf named Dennis, in their corner.
Steve is the adventurer/explorer, he embodies nostalgia, the OG classic player who grew up playing and knows everything about Minecraft as we know it.
Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison—Gamer of the Year 1989—is a maestro at vintage arcades, but a total disaster at everything else in life, a painful reality that’s getting harder to avoid the older he gets. But he’s managing…by living in the past forever.
Garrett embodies the noob who lacks experience and knowledge, makes errors but is up for learning and discovery, making him relatable.
Jason Momoa takes on the role of Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison, a video gaming champ of the late 1980s who owns a game shop and is now living on past glories that no one but himself remembers.
Henry is the new kid in high school, too smart for his own good. Making friends and fitting in is a formula he’s never quite cracked.
Henry embodies the modder community, which respects the core but is rooted in creativity and innovation, collaboration, community and contribution.Vice Principal Marlene is the first to welcome Henry to Chuglass High School. A bit of an over-sharer, recently divorced VP Marlene is a self-described open book. Despite the Idaho school’s published rankings, she is optimistic about Henry’s recent enrollment—and even more cheery about a surprising and promising run-in she has with a mysterious stranger, the strong, silent type who just might change her life.
Natalie has put all her life’s plans on hold to take care of her younger brother Henry. She does a pretty good job of pretending this doesn’t bother her…most of the time.
Natalie embodies any player’s parent or sibling who doesn’t really understand the need for creativity, but who is encouraging, supportive and all for teamwork.Emma Myers takes on the role of Natalie, and the actress has been a Minecraft aficionado since her childhood. She says, “I just liked to make hotels for sheep. Creativity mode was my thing.”
Next Danielle Brooks joins the heist in the animated DreamWorks sequel “Bad Guys 2” as the “snow leopard,” rounding out the new all-female squad opposite Natasha Lyonne. Joining the original cast. “Bad Guys 2” hits theaters August 1st.
Later in 2025, Danielle also returns in Season 2 of James Gunn’s HBO Max and DC spinoff television hit series “Peacemaker” alongside John Cena and a hilarious ensemble cast. She is also set to appear in Amazon MGM Studios “Oh. What. Fun.,” its all-star holiday comedy being directed by Michael Showalter, who is coming off the record-breaking success of the streamer’s romantic drama “The Idea of You.” Michelle Pfeiffer is leading the ensemble that includes Felicity Jones, Chloë Grace Moretz, Denis Leary, Jason Schwartzman, Eva Longoria and Maude Apatow.
On Broadway, Brooks most recently starred in August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway play “The Piano Lesson” opposite Samuel L. Jackson and John David Washington and directed by LaTanya Richardson Jackson. For her performance, she earned nominations for a Drama Desk, Drama League and Outer Critics Circle Award.
Brooks rose to prominence for her portrayal of “Taystee” on the popular series “Orange Is The New Black.” Additionally, Brooks was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for “Best Actress in a Comedy Series” as well as a Satellite Award for “Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture made for Television.”
Furthermore, Brooks was the recipient of the Young Hollywood Award for “Breakthrough Actress”, nominated for an NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series“, and received the Screen Actors Guild Award for “Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series” three years in a row.
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