Minecraftis just one of those things that’s become bigger than its original source material. From its humble days as an indie game created by one person toone of the biggest gaming franchises in history, it’s grown into quite the behemoth over its 15-year lifespan.
And now it’s coming to reality. According to a recent report fromTheGuardian, Minecraft is getting not one but two theme park adaptations. Helmed by Merlin Entertainment – responsible for Legoland, the London Eye, Sea Life, and many more attractions – there will be one park in the UK and one in the US, both styled after the game.
While we can’t say for certain what these theme parks will contain that relate toMinecraft, we can expect to see them in 2026 and 2027, respectively. Merlin is said to be investing more than $110m into the project and may well lead to parks in other countries if all goes well.
Imagine being greeted by a blocky Jack Black
I’m just trying to imagine some of the rides and attractions theseMinecrafttheme parks will feature. Cave exploring, no doubt. Maybe a haunted ghost train ride straight into the Nether. Cotton candy that explodes like a creeper? Look, I’m spitballing here.
Alongside this, Mojang also recently sent out the latest trailer for theupcoming live-actionMinecraftmovie, which will star Jack Black and Jason Momoa. You know, the two most obvious candidates to play key characters in an adaptation of a blocky video game. Natch.
Whether you’re looking forward to the film or the upcoming theme parks, one thing’s for certain:Minecraftis not going anywhere for a while. According to the most recent data at the time of writing, over 188,000,000 users have been playing over the last 30 days, and over 960,000 of them within the last hour or so. Those are the types of numbers that ensure longevity for a franchise. Natch x2.
