A Minecraft Movie, the cinematic adaptation of the global sandbox phenomenon, has redefined how we perceive video game aesthetics on the big screen. To bring the iconic, blocky world of Mojang Studios to life, the production team didn't just rely on green screens and digital assets. Instead, they traveled to some of the most diverse and striking landscapes on Earth to ground the "Overworld" in reality. If you have been wondering exactly where was A Minecraft Movie filmed, the answer lies primarily in the breathtaking vistas of New Zealand, supplemented by high-tech studio work and secondary locations in Canada.

The decision to shoot in Aotearoa New Zealand

When director Jared Hess and production designer Grant Major—famous for his Oscar-winning work on The Lord of the Rings—began scouting locations, they needed a place that offered both a sense of primordial wonder and a sophisticated film infrastructure. New Zealand provided exactly that. The production, which took place throughout early 2024, utilized the country's unique topography to represent both the "real world" town of Chu Glass, Idaho, and the early biomes the protagonists encounter in the Overworld.

New Zealand's film industry offered more than just scenery; it provided a crew that was already accustomed to massive fantasy world-building. With over 85% of the crew being local New Zealanders, the film became a massive domestic project for the region, leveraging the same creative energy that once built Middle-earth.

Huntly: The transformation into Chu Glass, Idaho

one of the most recognizable real-world locations in the film is the town of Huntly, located in the Waikato region. For those trying to pinpoint where was A Minecraft Movie filmed for the early urban scenes, Huntly served as the primary stand-in for the fictional American town of Chu Glass.

Specifically, the town's American-style streets and its looming power station were instrumental. The production team reimagined Huntly’s industrial backdrop as the setting for the potato chip factory and the surrounding quirky small-town environment where Garrett "The Garbage Man" Garrison (Jason Momoa) runs his struggling arcade. Local residents saw their familiar streets transformed with American signage, vintage cars, and specialized props that hinted at the 1980s gaming culture central to Garrett’s character.

Helensville and the "Game Over" Arcade

Further north in the Auckland region, the town of Helensville played a pivotal role. The production team utilized locations here to portray the retro "Game Over" arcade and the mobile petting zoo operated by Dawn (Danielle Brooks). Helensville’s heritage buildings and slightly weathered, rustic aesthetic fit perfectly with the film's vision of a town stuck in a nostalgic time warp.

Filming in Helensville allowed the production to capture authentic textures that CGI often struggles to replicate. The tactile nature of the old wood and brick in these buildings provided a sharp contrast to the perfectly sharp, cubic edges of the Minecraft universe that the characters would eventually fall into.

Settlers Country Manor and Waimauku

In the Waimauku area, the production made use of the Settlers Country Manor, a heritage estate with over a century of history. This location provided the Manor Arch Hall, which was used for specific interior scenes that required a vintage, atmospheric feel. The expansive grounds and landscaped gardens of the manor also served as the staging ground for several transition sequences before the characters enter the portal.

Waimauku’s winding roads were also featured in the road scenes involving the protagonists' journey through Idaho. The lush, green backdrop of this part of New Zealand was carefully color-graded to match the high-saturation, vibrant look of the Minecraft game, bridging the gap between the mundane real world and the fantastical Overworld.

Auckland Film Studios: Building the Overworld cube by cube

While the external landscapes provided the soul of the film, the heavy lifting of creating Minecraft's physics occurred at Auckland Film Studios (AFS). This is where the physical sets for Midport Village, the Woodland Mansion, and the Nether were constructed.

Grant Major insisted on building as much as possible practically. This meant that the "blocks" were not just digital overlays but physical objects that the actors could touch and interact with. The studio housed massive builds of forests and specific biomes, where every tree, dirt block, and flower was crafted to obey the "cubic rules" of the Minecraft universe. The Woodland Mansion set, in particular, was a feat of engineering, featuring massive obsidian-like structures and intricate redstone-themed hallways that were built to scale.

Actor Jack Black, who played Steve, frequently praised the tactile nature of these sets. Being able to physically stand in a square-edged forest helped the cast navigate the bizarre physics of the world, making their performances feel more grounded despite the fantastical environment.

The role of Wētā FX and the digital merge

No discussion of where was A Minecraft Movie filmed is complete without mentioning the digital landscapes crafted in Wellington. Wētā FX, the powerhouse behind Avatar and King Kong, handled the monumental task of merging the New Zealand practical footage with the digital blocky aesthetic.

While the actors stood on physical sets in Auckland or in the fields of Huntly, Wētā FX expanded these environments into the infinite horizons fans recognize from the game. They were responsible for the "mob" designs—the Creepers, Piglins, and the Great Hog—ensuring they looked like living, breathing creatures made of voxels. The seamless integration of New Zealand’s natural light with the digital glow of redstone and lava was a primary focus for the visual effects team, ensuring the film didn't feel like a standard animated feature, but a true live-action adaptation.

Secondary locations in Canada

While New Zealand was the primary hub, production records also indicate that secondary units and specific technical shoots took place in Canada, specifically in Calgary, Vancouver, and Montréal. These locations were largely used for pick-up shots, specialized motion capture sequences, and certain laboratory-based post-production processes.

Montréal, known for its world-class VFX houses, contributed to the complex rendering of the Nether sequences. Calgary’s rugged terrain was reportedly used for some plate shots (background footage) that required a different geological look than what New Zealand could provide, specifically for the more arid or mountainous biomes seen during the characters' journey across the Overworld.

Why the location choices mattered

The choice to film in New Zealand was a strategic move that paid off both creatively and financially. The New Zealand Screen Production Rebate made the $150 million budget more manageable, but more importantly, the country’s geography acted as a natural canvas. The contrast between the organic curves of the real world and the rigid lines of the Minecraft world is a central theme of the film, and New Zealand’s landscapes provided the perfect starting point for that contrast.

By choosing Huntly and Helensville over a generic Hollywood backlot, the film achieved a sense of place. Viewers can feel the history in the buildings and the grit in the air, which makes the eventual transition into the cubic world all the more jarring and magical.

Technical specifications and production trivia

For those interested in the technical side of where was A Minecraft Movie filmed, the production utilized ARRI Alexa 35 cameras paired with Panavision Pana Speed and Primo lenses. This high-end kit was essential for capturing the extreme detail of the practical sets while ensuring the footage was robust enough for the heavy VFX work required by Wētā FX.

A fun piece of trivia for fans: during the filming in Auckland, several famous Minecraft content creators, including DanTDM and Mumbo Jumbo, visited the sets. Some of them even filmed their cameos during the storage auction scene, which was shot on location in New Zealand, further cementing the film's connection to the actual player community.

Summary of key filming sites

To recap the primary locations for those planning a "Minecraft" pilgrimage:

  • Huntly (Waikato): The real-world town of Chu Glass, Idaho.
  • Helensville (Auckland): The Game Over arcade and rural town scenes.
  • Auckland Film Studios: The Overworld biomes, Woodland Mansion, and the Nether.
  • Waimauku & Settlers Country Manor: Transition scenes and road sequences.
  • Wellington: Home of Wētā FX (Digital environments).
  • Canada (Various): Supplemental technical shoots and pick-ups.

The legacy of A Minecraft Movie is tied to these locations. The film’s success as a Gen Z phenomenon is partly due to its unique visual identity—one that was built block by block in the heart of New Zealand. As the sequel prepares for its 2027 release, it is expected that the production will return to these iconic sites to continue the story of Steve and the misfits who mastered the cubic world.