‘A Minecraft Movie’ Smashes Box Office Records With $301 Million Global Debut

Hollywood’s box office drought finally got a much-needed break with the smashing debut of ‘A Minecraft Movie’, which grossed an astonishing $301 million globally in its opening weekend. Domestically, the film raked in $157 million from U.S. and Canadian theatres, while international markets contributed another $144 million—far surpassing projections of $80 million.

The PG-rated family adventure, directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite), now holds the record for the biggest opening ever for a video game adaptation, dethroning ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ ($146 million). Starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa, along with Danielle Brooks, Emma Myers, and Sebastian Eugene Hansen, the film follows characters trapped in a pixelated world called the Overworld as they attempt a zany quest to return home.

“This is one of the broadest playing movies we’ve ever seen,” said Warner Bros. co-chair Michael DeLuca. “It’s working everywhere—big cities, small towns, globally.”

Despite mixed reviews from critics, audiences responded warmly, giving it a B+ CinemaScore and 4/5 stars on PostTrak. Studio executives credit the film’s success to its family-friendly appeal, the massive built-in fanbase of the best-selling video game ever, and the strategic spring break release. About 64% of the opening weekend audience was under the age of 25.

Warner Bros. released the film in over 4,200 locations domestically and 36,000 screens globally. Industry experts say this could be a game-changer for Hollywood’s slow start to 2025, which was trailing 13% behind last year’s box office figures. That deficit has now narrowed to just 5%.

“This is the perfect small-screen-to-big-screen alliance,” said Comscore’s Paul Dergarabedian. “It became a must-see theatrical event.”

‘A Minecraft Movie’ was produced by Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment on a reported $150 million budget (excluding marketing).