‘They were taken out of context’: A Minecraft Movie director responds to fan backlash over the film adaptation’s visuals

• A Minecraft Movie‘s director has defended its visuals amid fierce fan criticism
• People have reacted negatively to the film’s art style in various trailers
• Jared Hess said test screening audiences responded more positively to how it looks

Jared Hess has launched a staunch defense of A Minecraft Movie‘s visuals following fierce fan criticism of its art style.

Speaking exclusively to TechRadar, Hess admitted he was always concerned that the live-action-animated hybrid film ran the risk of having its own “Ugly Sonic moment.”

The incident he’s referring to, of course, is the nightmare fuel reveal of a humanoid-looking Sonic the Hedgehog in the first trailer for the Sega mascot’s first movie. A vociferous backlash followed, and after Paramount Pictures saw sense and frantically raced to fix how Sonic looked in his big-screen debut, fans of the Blue Blur were much happier with the final product.

Following the release of A Minecraft Movie‘s first teaser in September 2024, a similarly fierce fan campaign to overhaul the Warner Bros-produced film’s horrifying visuals quickly gained traction online.