Minecraft Movie Breaks Box Office Records with $157 Million Opening

LOS ANGELES, CA — In a surprising turn of events for Hollywood, “A Minecraft Movie” has shattered box office expectations, earning an astounding $157 million in its opening weekend in the U.S. and Canada. This marks not only the biggest opening of the year but also the largest debut for a video game film in history.

Initially, analysts at Warner Bros. Pictures predicted that the film, adapted from the popular 2011 video game, would gross between $70 million to $80 million. However, as the weekend progressed, estimates were quickly revised upwards, culminating in a total of $301 million globally with an additional $144 million from international markets.

Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore, noted that the film’s immense success was fueled by pent-up demand from families during spring break. “This is the first major over-performance for a video game movie,” he said. The film was directed by Jared Hess and features stars Jack Black and Jason Momoa, who embark on a whimsical adventure in the animated universe known as the Overworld.

“The film’s ability to resonate with younger audiences made it a must-see event in theaters,” Dergarabedian added. Audience feedback corroborated this sentiment, with a B+ CinemaScore and positive ratings in exit polls, showcasing that despite mixed reviews from critics, moviegoers were excited to experience the film.

David A. Gross of FranchiseRe commented, “When a release catches fire like this, it generates its own momentum; you can set aside all projections.” This sentiment reiterates the unpredictable nature of box office performances, especially for films based on beloved video game franchises.

Video game adaptations have seen a resurgence in recent years, with notable successes like Universal Pictures’ “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” which previously held the record for largest opening weekend for a video game film at $146 million. Gross explained that the trend reflects a broader appeal to a diverse audience: “There’s a treasure trove of storytelling available within these franchises that attract not only fans but new viewers as well.”

The robust performance of “A Minecraft Movie” also provided a much-needed boost to the struggling overall box office. Earlier in the year, box office earnings were down 5% compared to 2024, but recent success has helped minimize that deficit.

Looking ahead, optimism fills the air with upcoming releases, including Disney’s “Thunderbolts” and Paramount’s “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.” With Hollywood aiming to recover from a slow start to 2025, Groussle articulated hope for steady growth as the summer film season approaches.

In second place at the box office this weekend was Jason Statham’s action film, “A Working Man,” grossing $7.2 million, followed by the faith-based series, “The Chosen: Last Supper – Part 2,” which earned $6.7 million. Disney’s live-action adaptation of “Snow White” continued its downward trajectory with a $6 million haul in its third week, while Universal’s horror film, “The Woman in the Yard,” rounded out the top five with $4.5 million.

The remarkable success of “A Minecraft Movie” sets a new benchmark for video game adaptations and indicates a growing trend toward films that engage audiences beyond their initial source material.