Minor spoilers ahead for A Minecraft Movie.
The creative minds behind A Minecraft Movie shared with IGN that one of the film's most hilarious scenes drew inspiration from The NeverEnding Story. In a standout moment, Jack Black's character, Steve, finds himself in a precarious situation, needing to ride on Jason Momoa's character, Garrett, due to a shortage of Elytra wings. With only enough for Garrett and Sebastian Hansen's Henry, Steve's antics as he clambers around Garrett to avoid a perilous fall provide both laughs and thrills. This scene, however, was more than just a comedic highlight.
"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," producer Torfi Frans Ólafsson added. "Jack perched atop Jason in this intricate rig, and he'd start singing The NeverEnding Story theme, riding Jason as if he were Falkor."
This amusing nod is even more poignant because Jack Black previously portrayed Slip in The NeverEnding Story 3. For Jason Momoa, the scene was a chance to contribute creatively.
"I helped write that scene, and Jack was all in," Momoa shared with a chuckle. "Inspired by Top Gun: Maverick, I wanted to include a stunt where I could brake suddenly and Jack would slide off, only for me to switcheroo on him. We were brainstorming at the hotel, and this idea made it into the movie—it's phenomenal."
"There were different versions of that scene, some of which could have pushed the rating to R," Jack Black mentioned. "Ultimately, we kept it family-friendly!"
A Minecraft Movie Gallery
20 Images
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 said. "I was dying, man. I was dying."
For more insights, don't miss our review of A Minecraft Movie, details on the team's private server used during production, and an explanation of the film's ending and post-credits scene.
