Rob McElhenney’s Gory Game of Thrones Fate Will Make You Feel Grateful That a Failed $150 Million Minecraft Film is the Worst He’s Been Through in Real Life

Rob McElhenney has garnered acclaim for portraying Mac in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which gained a cult following. However, he too, has faced a few unexpected ups and downs in his career. If one would remember, he made a short cameo in Game of Thrones.

While his memorable appearance in GOT left an indelible mark on viewers, he faced extreme disappointment in bringing a Minecraft movie to life.  

Rob McElhenney Made a Brief Cameo in Game of Thrones

The acclaimed HBO series has garnered global attention, running for eight seasons, bringing an ensemble cast that catapulted to fame. However, the show had its moments by inviting renowned personalities for a brief cameo, and Rob McElhenney is one of them.

The Lost actor made an appearance in the first episode titled, The Long Night where he plays an unnamed Greyjoy soldier who meets a gruesome fate.

In the episode, Theon Greyjoy staged a swift rescue to save his sister, Yara Greyjoy, whom their ruthless uncle, Euron Greyjoy held captive aboard his ship.

Theon sneaked into the ship with his small group of allies and used a series of well-placed arrows to take out the soldiers guarding his sister. One of the soldiers was portrayed by the actor, who got shot through the eye with an arrow, leading to a gory, instant death.

It was one of the most unexpected cameos, where he was brutally killed on the show, without even getting a chance to speak, yet he still made it memorable.

The Game of Thrones actor even posted this short-lived moment on his Instagram account, which only showcased that he is willing to give it all no matter how small the role is. While this unexpected cameo earned its space in the entertainment world, his immense hard work for bringing a Minecraft movie turned futile.

Rob McElhenney’s Minecraft Movie Never Came to Fruition

As successful a career as McElhenney made on television, his foray into the big screen didn’t go well. In an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused Podcast, the actor shared that he was once attached to direct the Minecraft film which even got a $150 million production budget from Warner Bros.

However, his vision never came to fruition as the project was scrapped. Had the project been greenlighted, the Minecraft movie would have become a huge departure from his usual comedic work.

The Mythic Quest actor reflected that he worked on the project for several years, but creative differences with the studio led to it getting shelved.

After visiting Pixar regarding the project, he came up with a strong pitch for a story that involved “people taking agency over their experience in this digital landscape.” Warner Bros. went ahead with the project and agreed to spend a good fortune on that concept.  

But in 2016, studio movie chief Greg Silverman exited with Toby Emmerich taking his place. Emmerich had a different vision for the company which did not include McElhenney’s idea for the Minecraft movie.

With Emmerich leading Warner Bros., McElhenney’s vision “slowly died on the vine.” The actor-director stated, “I don’t harbor any resentment. I get it. I get the way that it works.”

While he accepted the unfortunate fate of his project, he was bummed because he was quite close to making the project.

Although he couldn’t get what he envisioned, the video game franchise has eventually brought a live-action project, A Minecraft Movie starring Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, Sebastian Eugene Hansen, and Jennifer Coolidge.

A Minecraft Movie will release in the United States on April 4, 2025.