2 weeks Ago
A Minecraft Movie has crafted a box office smash. The long-awaited live-action adaptation of the best-selling video game opened to $58 million U.S.
gross on Friday, including Thursday previews — the biggest opening day of 2025 to date and the highest single-day debut ever for a video game movie, according to Deadline . Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment’s A Minecraft Movie now appears poised for a domestic opening weekend that could reach as high as $150 million, outpacing earlier projections of $70–80 million.
That puts it in contention to surpass The Super Mario Bros. Movie ’s $146 million debut for the top video game movie opening weekend ever. The PG-rated adventure film is directed by Jared Hess ( Napoleon Dynamite ) and stars Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Danielle Brooks, Emma Myers, Sebastian Eugene Hansen and Jennifer Coolidge.
Based on Mojang’s 2011 sandbox phenomenon, the movie marks the end of a decade-long development process that began in 2014. Legendary joined the project in 2019, and the current version gained traction after Hess signed on in 2022. ALSO READ: ‘Devil May Cry’ series review: Heavy metal mythmaking for the age of Netflix Despite early fan skepticism about its live-action style, the film has won over audiences.
Updated trailers emphasising visual effects and game-faithful storytelling helped drive interest. According to marketing data, social media and online trailers played a major role in getting fans to theaters, with strong same-day ticket sales pointing to word-of-mouth momentum. The opening day figure places A Minecraft Movie just behind major April releases like Furious 7 and the Avengers films.
With a marketplace-wide boost that brought total weekend box office estimates up to $197 million, the film has significantly narrowed the year-over-year box office gap, reducing 2025’s deficit compared to 2024 from -11% to -6%. Strong walk-up traffic, an enthusiastic younger audience, and tie-ins like Minecraft-themed Happy Meals at McDonald’s have all contributed to the film’s early success. Whether it overtakes Barbie or The Super Mario Bros.
Movie remains to be seen, but A Minecraft Movie has clearly tapped into a powerful audience base and is building momentum fast. Published - April 06, 2025 12:29 pm IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit English cinema / World cinema / cartoons and animation.
