On its 15th anniversary, Minecraft is being turned into a Netflix animated series

Netflix and Mojang Studios are celebrating Minecraft’s 15th anniversary in style – with a new animated series.

Brought to life by WildBrain, the studio behind Sonic Prime, the Minecraft series promises to show the world of Minecraft "in a new light". 

It’s all set to be an "original story" featuring "new characters", so perhaps don’t expect to see the likes of Minecraft mascot Steve rock up on the blocks anytime soon.

The teaser, which you can see above, features the iconic creeper as well as the ominous sounds of the shuffling zombie.

First released in 2009, Minecraft – for the eight people who haven’t yet experienced the mega-hit – is a game that sees players survive, forage, and eventually thrive in a block-filled world made up of destructible building materials, all while flanked by dangerous creatures that go bump in the night. 

Since those early days, Minecraft has transformed into a phenomenon, spawning its own cottage industry of merchandise, YouTube how-to videos for its endlessly imaginative Creative Mode, and even its own upcoming live-action movie, starring Jason Momoa, Jack Black, and Danielle Brooks.

"Oh, you know I'm playing Minecraft all the time," Black previously told 12DOVE. "Whenever I'm not filming I'm playing Minecraft because an actor prepares."

Black continued:  "I like to be in that Minecraft headspace. I like to know the rules, and I like to get little, like, things like, 'Oh, in the game you pickaxe like this. You hit stuff like that,' then I do that in the movie. I think the members of the Academy will appreciate my research later. I don't want to jinx it, but I'm pretty sure I'm getting an Oscar for this one..."

No release date has yet been given for the Minecraft Netflix series. In the meantime, check out more of the best shows on Netflix and best anime on Netflix.

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at 12DOVE, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.