Warner Bros has launched the highly anticipated Minecraft Movie, successfully raking in around $300 million (£233 million) globally during its opening weekend. This release comes after several delays, and features a notable cast including Jason Momoa, Jack Black, and Jennifer Coolidge. The film's earnings significantly outpace its reported production budget of $150 million. Close to 50% of its earnings were recorded in North America, according to EntTelligence.
Although critics have given the film mixed reviews—The Telegraph awarded it two stars, expressing disappointment that the game's charm was absent, while The Guardian rated it only one star, criticizing it for feeling disjointed—audience turnout remained robust. Steve Buck, chief strategy officer at EntTelligence, noted that the film exceeded industry expectations, with a notable surge in late ticket sales.
The film attracted a diverse audience, with approximately 25% of viewers under 13 and over half being male. "When dads like a family film, that’s a good indicator," Buck remarked in a conversation with BBC News, highlighting its broad appeal as the largest domestic opening of 2025 and the best for Warner Bros since 2023.
Minecraft, renowned as one of the best-selling video games globally with over 300 million copies sold according to Statista, serves as the film's inspiration. Its narrative follows four misfits drawn into the Overworld—an area familiar to Minecraft players. Historically, adaptations from games to films have seen mixed success, with examples like Sonic and The Super Mario Bros Movie achieving significant box office triumphs. Prior to the film's debut, Jack Black recognized the immense expectations from fans of the beloved game, emphasizing its importance across generations.
