Minecraft Film's Hilarious Scene Draws from The NeverEnding Story

Minor spoilers ahead for A Minecraft Movie.

The creators of A Minecraft Movie shared with IGN that a standout comedic moment in the video game adaptation was inspired by The NeverEnding Story.

In a memorable scene from A Minecraft Movie, Jack Black's Steve must ride on Jason Momoa's Garrett due to a shortage of Elytra wings, which only Garrett and Sebastian Hansen's Henry possess. This leads to a hilarious display of physical comedy as Steve scrambles to avoid plummeting hundreds of feet. The moment, however, carries deeper inspiration beyond mere humor.

"We aimed for a Falkor-like moment from The NeverEnding Story—something grand and beautiful that quickly takes a chaotic turn," said Jared Hess, director of A Minecraft Movie.

"Between takes, it was pure comedy," producer Torfi Frans Ólafsson noted. "Jack was perched on Jason in this complex rig, and when they called cut, Jack started singing The NeverEnding Story theme, riding Jason like he was Falkor."

The nod is especially fitting since Jack Black portrayed Slip in The NeverEnding Story 3. For Momoa, the scene was a collaborative highlight, as he helped shape its creation.

"I had a hand in writing that scene, and Jack was all in," Momoa said with a chuckle. "This was post-Top Gun: Maverick, so I wanted to throw in a brake-hit moment where they slide and I flip the dynamic. We were at the hotel, cracking up over this stunt idea, and it made the final cut—it’s fantastic."

"I’m not sure if every version of the scene stayed in, as some cuts pushed R-rated territory," Jack Black added. "But we kept it family-friendly in the end!"

A Minecraft Movie Gallery

Momoa also gave a lively reenactment of their on-set dynamic (watch the video for the full experience!).

"Follow my hips! You can’t just ride me like I’m some majestic creature," Momoa laughed. "I was losing it, man. I was losing it."

For more, dive into our A Minecraft Movie review, learn about the private server the team played on during production, and explore our breakdown of the film’s ending and post-credits scene.