Minor spoilers ahead for A Minecraft Movie.
The creative team behind A Minecraft Movie shared with IGN that one of the film's most humorous scenes drew inspiration from The NeverEnding Story. In a particular sequence, Jack Black's character, Steve, must ride on Jason Momoa's character, Garrett, due to a limited supply of Elytra wings, which are only available for Garrett and Sebastian Hansen's character, Henry. This scene showcases a delightful moment of physical comedy as Steve clings to Garrett to avoid a perilous fall. However, the scene's inspiration runs deeper than just comedy.
"We definitely wanted a Falkor moment from The NeverEnding Story that was both majestic and beautiful, but also one that goes south pretty quickly," explained A Minecraft Movie director Jared Hess."It was hilarious during breaks between takes," added producer Torfi Frans Ólafsson. "Jack was perched on top of Jason in this intricate rig, and he started singing the theme from The NeverEnding Story, playfully pretending to ride Jason like Falkor."
This scene holds a special nod to Jack Black, who previously portrayed Slip in The NeverEnding Story 3, adding an extra layer of humor. Jason Momoa also played a significant role in bringing this scene to life.
"I had a hand in writing that scene, and Jack was all in," Momoa shared with a chuckle. "This was right after Top Gun: Maverick came out, so I wanted to incorporate a stunt where I could hit the brakes and have Jack slide down, pulling off a switcheroo. We were brainstorming this at the hotel, and it turned out phenomenally in the movie."
"I'm not sure if our most daring version made the final cut because there were several takes of that scene, which could have pushed the rating to R," Jack Black remarked. "Ultimately, we opted for a family-friendly approach!"
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Momoa also humorously reenacted their on-set antics (watch the video for a firsthand look!).
"Let my hips guide you! You can't just ride me like I'm majestic," Momoa quipped. "I was dying, man. I was dying."
For more insights, read our A Minecraft Movie review, discover how the team utilized a private server during production, and explore our explanation of the film's ending and post-credits scene.
