Phil Spencer says more movies and TV shows based on Xbox games are on the way

Xbox head Phil Spencer says the upcoming Minecraft film won’t be the last time we see a movie or TV show based on an Xbox IP.

A Minecraft Movie is set to debut in theaters on April 4, with Jack Black (starring as long-time series hero Steve) appearing alongside Jason Momoa, Danielle Brooks, Emma Myers, and Sebastian Eugene Hansen.

Speaking to Variety ahead of the movie’s launch, Spencer commented on Hollywood’s recent interest in video game properties, with movies like The Super Mario Bros Movie and the Sonic the Hedgehog trilogy among the most successful examples.

Spencer says Xbox is still “learning and growing” through the process of adapting its games to film and TV, and that it’s embracing the Hollywood spirit of trial and error.

“We learned from doing Halo. We learned from doing Fallout. So all of these build on themselves,” Spencer said in the interview. “Obviously, we’ll have a couple that miss. But what I’d say to the Xbox community that likes this work is you’re going to see more, because we’re gaining confidence and we’re learning through this.”

The Halo series debuted on Paramount Plus in 2022, with Pablo Schreiber cast in the lead role of Master Chief. Two full seasons were produced – with the last episode airing in March 2024 – before the series was cancelled in July 2024.

Fallout, meanwhile, premiered on Amazon Prime in 2024 and quickly became one of the streaming platform’s most popular shows. The first season garnered 17 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series and Walton Goggins for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.

A Minecraft Movie first began production in 2015, under the direction of Deadpool And Wolverine director Shawn Levy. The idea was passed to multiple directors – including Rob McIlhenney of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia fame – before landing on Jared Hess, whose previous directorial credits include Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre, and Gentlemen Broncos.