What Is The 'I Am Steve' Meme? Jack Black's Viral 'Minecraft Movie' Scene Explained

The Minecraft Movie is still a long way from the theaters, but its recently released trailer is already inspiring a growing pile of memes around the internet over the last several days.

On top of that pile is a series of memes inspired by a scene in which actor and musician Jack Black dramatically says, "I am Steve," revealing himself to be Minecraft protagonist and default player, Steve.

But why has the scene become a meme and what are people saying about it? Here's what you need to know about one of the first big memes from A Minecraft Movie so far.

What Is the "I Am Steve" Meme?

On September 4th, 2024, the teaser trailer for A Minecraft Movie was released to the surprise of everyone. The trailer briefly introduces viewers to the movie's protagonists, art style and world.

Overall, the trailer was met with varied reactions, with some complaining about the mixed live-action and animation approach and the general tone of the teaser.

In particular, one scene in the last half of the trailer has viewers talking. The scene introduces us to Jack Black's interpretation of Steve, the infamous, blue-shirt wearing default Minecraft skin.

In the scene, Black, with a wild beard and battle-hardened look, dramatically says, "I … am Steve," three simple words that have sparked memes across social media.

How Is "I Am Steve" Used In Memes?

The scene has quickly inspired tons of reactions and memes across social media this month, including X / Twitter, YouTube, TikTok and beyond.

Many of the memes edit over Jack Black's Steve to change him into a different character, such as Steven Universe or Homer Simpson.

On TikTok, the scene has become the subject of stylized hype edits and reaction videos, with one video even placing it in all five spots of a "top five cringiest scenes in history" list.

As you might expect, some people find the scene a little cringeworthy and have a lot to say about the film's interpretation of Steve, finding it lazy to just slap a blue shirt on Jack Black and call it a day.

Of course, this short teaser trailer is the only context we have, so it might be fair to wait until April 2025 when the film releases to make a true judgment call.

For the full history of the "I am Steve" meme, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.