The world is a better place when we're putting our art out there...

The stars and director of A Minecraft Movie tell ELLA WALKER creativity and play are so important whether you're an actual kid, or just a big one...

- ELLA WALKER

IF you're looking to capture the "spirit of Minecraft", the world-building phenomenon and biggest-selling video game of all time, then Jack Black is it.

So says Jared Hess, director of the first big screen, live-action adaptation of the game, A Minecraft Movie. "Black is one of the biggest kids you've ever met," says Jared, 45, describing why he cast him. "His passion for creativity and life in general was contagious."

For Jack himself, signing up was a no-brainer. "My family are Minecrafters," he says. "I played Minecraft back in the day with my sons, because I wanted to speak their language. My boys were like, 'You have to do it. It's Minecraft, Dad, don't be dumb. Do it."

School of Rock star Jack, 55, plays expert crafter Steve, who teams up with four misfits that find themselves pulled through a portal into the Overworld, a cubic realm where imagination and creativity are paramount, especially if any of them are to defeat Malgosha, ruler of the Nether dimension, and make it home.

"It's life or death, because they're going up against the most fearsome monster you've ever heard of," says Jack. "Malgosha is a vicious piggy queen who'll rip you apart and zap you into pork chops. But with a little luck, a little friendship, a little craftiness, and a little mining, our intrepid heroes can save the day. Will they save the day? Spoiler alert, I'm not telling."

Describing Steve as "a bad*** fierce warrior", Jack adds "I don't usually get to play that character".