As we’ve said before, it’s quite easy to understand why there would be frustration, or even anger, when leaks over entertainment media occur despite every attempt to keep that content under lock and key. This happens with movies all the time. What continues to amaze me are two things, however. First, that movie studios’ response to leaks like this is far too often ham-fisted legal attempts to disappear all leaked content and in some cases even go after those suspected of circulating said leaked content. Going after fans for leaking content about which they are excited is never a good look. Second, it doesn’t fucking work. There is a reason why the Streisand Effect has become a part of the parlance of entertainment law. It would be better if studios took our advice about how to respond to these leaks, which generally amounts to sharing in the excitement of fans while reminding them that they aren’t seeing anything like a finished product.
It appears that this lesson needs to be re-learned, as some group out there has responded to some fairly minor leaks for the forthcoming Minecraft movie by rerunning the same old playbook.
Images showing Jack Black as Minecraft character Steve have leaked online, giving the internet an early look at how the upcoming Warner Bros-backed Minecraft movie plans to stylise Mojang’s blocky world.
The designs, which reportedly first surfaced via notorious webforum 4chan, are now being pulled from social media platform X by copyright claims, Eurogamer has noticed. The takedowns all but confirm the images’ legitimacy.
Photos show a bearded Jack Black wearing Steve’s trademark blue shirt and jeans, holding a blocky pickaxe. Other images show a mossy-looking Creeper, cuboid bee and a rather cross-eyed pink sheep.
Okay, so let’s dive into what’s going on here, as the details matter. To start, I am presuming that it was Warner Bros. that is behind the takedowns of the leaked content, as they are the studio publishing the film. I have not been able to view any of the disappeared content in a form where it says it was taken down via a DMCA complaint with the responsible complainer listed. Instead, there is a whole bunch of 404 errors like this one, or Twitter accounts that are fully suspended. It could also be Mojang taking these actions, but I’d bet good money that it’s Warner Bros.
But while most of the posts on this topic have focused on the leak in terms of Jack Black starring as the game character Steve, there is roughly zero chance that’s the issue here. Jack Black himself put out some social media content months ago that he was going to be in the film as Steve. Instead, this is all probably a result of what are becoming criticized images and plot details that were part of the leak as well.
The comments in the Reddit thread that leaked the image (which has since been removed via copyright strike, essentially confirming its validity) were less than complimentary about the film’s prospects.
“This will be a movie”, dryly stated one commenter. Another commenter was a bit more on the nose with their assessment, saying that “this will be the worst movie of all time and I am SO ready to watch it”.
This has all the look and feel of the reveal of what Sonic would look like in the Sonic the Hedgehog movie from years ago. Which brings us right back to what Warner Bros. should have said about all of this: “Hey! We’re stoked that you all are so excited about this movie. We are too! However, what you’re seeing is not a finished product. We can’t wait for you to check this movie out when it’s in its completed form, because you’re going to love it!”
Instead, the takedowns were issued. Which has led to much more discussion about the leaked content, the exact opposite of what Warner Bros. would have wanted if it indeed did issue the takedowns. And that has led to the proliferation of that leaked content elsewhere, as a game of whac-a-mole ensues.
Warner Bros. should know better at this point. And, no, this isn’t a situation where a studio is using the Streisand Effect to promote their product. None of this is a good look for the movie.
