Warner Bros. is making a major awards season push for Jack Black, officially submitting his performance in A Minecraft Movie for Oscar consideration. The studio has launched a “For Your Consideration” campaign for the 2026 Academy Awards, championing Black’s role as the eccentric expert crafter Steve. This move comes after the film became a box office hit, earning over $957 million globally.
The campaign positions Black in the competitive Best Actor category. Warner Bros. is also backing the film for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, among other technical awards. This marks one of the first major studio pushes for a video game adaptation in major Oscar categories.
The Role That Caught Academy Attention
Jack Black plays Steve, a former doorknob salesman who discovers a portal to the cubic Overworld and becomes an experienced survival expert. The character serves as the group’s guide through the blocky landscape, showcasing Black’s signature comedic timing while adding layers of genuine heart to the adventure.
The studio’s official synopsis describes the film’s premise: “Four misfits struggling with ordinary problems are pulled through a portal into the Overworld, a cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination, where creativity is essential to survival. To get back home, they embark on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve.”
A Broader Awards Campaign
Warner Bros.’ Oscar campaign extends beyond Black’s performance. The studio has submitted A Minecraft Movie across multiple categories, highlighting the broad creative effort behind the blockbuster.
The full list of categories includes:
- Best Picture (producers Mary Parent and Cale Boyter)
- Best Director (Jared Hess)
- Best Adapted Screenplay (writing team of Chris Bowman, Hubbel Palmer, Neil Widener, Gavin James, Chris Galletta, and Allison Schroeder)
- Best Supporting Actor submissions for Jason Momoa and Sebastian Hansen
- Best Supporting Actress submissions for Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, and Jennifer Coolidge
- Multiple technical categories including Best Cinematography, Visual Effects, and Original Score
Jack Black’s Previous Award Recognition
While this would be Black’s first Oscar nomination, the actor has substantial awards experience. He previously received a Golden Globe nomination for his breakout role in School of Rock. He earned another Golden Globe nomination for his dramatic turn in Bernie.
Black’s voice work as Po in the Kung Fu Panda franchise has been widely celebrated, and his band Tenacious D won a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2015. An Oscar nomination would represent a significant milestone in his decades-long career spanning comedy, music, and family entertainment.
Critical Reception and Audience Response
The film has generated divided critical opinions but strong audience enthusiasm. On review aggregator sites, critics’ scores sit at mixed levels while audience ratings reach much higher percentages, reflecting the film’s popular appeal.
Some critics have praised Black’s performance specifically, with one review noting: “Jack Black gives an all-out crazy performance as Steve, he puts his heart and soul into this.” Another wrote that Black “understood the assignment,” highlighting his energetic commitment to the role.
The film’s commercial success is undeniable, becoming the third-highest-grossing film of 2025 and the second-highest-grossing video game adaptation in history, behind only 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
What an Oscar Nomination Would Mean
An Academy Award nomination for Jack Black would be significant for several reasons. It would mark one of the first major Oscar nominations for a performance in a video game adaptation, a genre that has historically struggled with awards recognition. For Black personally, it would represent career validation in a year where he also appeared in other successful projects.
The Warner Bros. campaign demonstrates the studio’s confidence in both Black’s performance and the film’s overall quality. As one industry observer noted about the film’s awards potential: “The studio has officially submitted the film and the cast and crew for nominations at the 2026 Oscars, with Black leading the race amid a stacked list of nominees across key categories.”
The nomination process will unfold over coming months, with Academy voters considering the submissions ahead of the official 2026 Oscar nominations announcement.
Also Read: A Minecraft Movie Sets Max Streaming Release Date; Here’s How to Watch the Blockbuster Hit
