Minecraft Movie'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 film, adapted from the popular video game, was inspired by The NeverEnding Story.

In a memorable scene, Jack Black's character Steve must ride on Jason Momoa's Garrett, as only Garrett and Sebastian Hansen's Henry have Elytra wings. This leads to a hilarious display of physical comedy, with Steve scrambling 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, blending majesty and beauty with a quick turn to chaos," said Jared Hess, the film’s director.

"Between takes, it was pure comedy," producer Torfi Frans Ólafsson recalled. "Jack was perched atop Jason in this intricate rig, and during a break, he started singing lyrics from The NeverEnding Story, riding Jason like he was Falkor."

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

"I had a hand in crafting that scene, and Jack was all in," Momoa said with a chuckle. "This was post-Top Gun: Maverick, so I wanted to add a brake-hitting moment where they slide and I flip the dynamic. We were at the hotel, cracking up over the idea of Jack and me pulling off this stunt, and it made it into the film—it’s fantastic."

"I’m not sure if it stayed in the final cut, as we had different versions, but it could’ve gone full R-rated," Jack Black added. "Ultimately, we kept it family-friendly!"

A Minecraft Movie Gallery

Momoa also reenacted their on-set dynamic with hilarious flair (watch the video for the full experience!).

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

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