A Minecraft Movie delivered a blockbuster opening, earning an astounding $157 million in the U.S. and Canada over its first weekend, with an additional $144 million from international markets. This brings its global debut to an impressive $301 million, significantly narrowing Hollywood’s box office deficit for the year.
Warner Bros. executives expressed their excitement over the film’s success. “We’re thrilled that audiences are responding, and people are heading to the theaters,” said Pamela Abdy, co-chair and CEO of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group.
Not only did A Minecraft Movie achieve the biggest opening of 2025, but it also set a new record for video game adaptations, surpassing the previous record held by The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which earned $146 million. Analysts had initially predicted around $80 million, but the film nearly doubled that expectation.
Michael DeLuca, also co-chair and CEO, emphasized the appeal of feel-good cinema: “You can’t underestimate the value of earnest, entertaining, joyous cinema. People really want an escape, especially when it involves the whole family.”
Directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite), the PG-rated film was a collaboration between Legendary Entertainment and Warner Bros., with a reported budget of $150 million, excluding marketing expenses. The cast includes Jack Black and Jason Momoa, who voice characters transported to the imaginative Overworld for a silly, adventurous quest.
Critically mixed reviews didn’t hinder its success, as audiences responded positively with a B+ CinemaScore and 4/5 stars in exit polls. Younger viewers made up a significant portion of the audience, with 64% under the age of 25.
Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst, noted the growing trend of younger audiences flocking to theaters, calling the film “a perfect small screen-to-big screen alliance.”
With video game adaptations like Sonic and Five Nights at Freddy’s also performing well, the success of A Minecraft Movie signals a turning point for the genre.
Top 10 Domestic Box Office (Friday-Sunday):
- A Minecraft Movie – $157 million
- A Working Man – $7.3 million
- The Chosen: Last Supper – Part 2 – $7 million
- Snow White – $6.1 million
- The Woman in the Yard – $4.5 million
- Death of a Unicorn – $2.7 million
- The Chosen: Last Supper – Part 1 – $1.9 million
- Hell of a Summer – $1.8 million
- The Friend – $1.6 million
- Captain America: Brave New World – $1.4 million
This success not only boosted the box office but also reduced the year’s deficit from 13% to just 5%, signaling a strong start to the summer movie season.