Entertainment Desk:

Hollywood was in dire need of a success, and “A Minecraft Movie” delivered just that, significantly helping to close this year’s box office gap with its strong opening weekend.

Few anticipated just how massive its debut would be. The film raked in an astonishing $157 million in ticket sales across the U.S. and Canada in its first few days, according to Sunday’s studio estimates. Globally, it brought in another $144 million, bringing the total opening to $301 million. With school spring breaks still ongoing, the film’s run is far from over.

“We’re absolutely thrilled that audiences are turning out and that cinemas are full,” said Pamela Abdy, co-chair and CEO of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group.

Not only does it mark the biggest opening of 2025 so far, but “A Minecraft Movie” also set a new record for the highest-grossing debut of a video game adaptation—surpassing the $146 million launch of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” Prior to its release, industry forecasts estimated an $80 million debut. The actual earnings nearly doubled those expectations.

“You can’t discount the appeal of heartfelt, fun, joyful cinema,” said Michael DeLuca, the other co-chair and CEO. “Audiences are clearly craving escapism, especially when it’s something the whole family can enjoy.”

While success is never guaranteed in the film industry, adapting the world’s best-selling video game was always a promising strategy. The game itself may lack a traditional storyline, but that didn’t stop many of its 200 million monthly active users from turning out in huge numbers.

According to DeLuca, it’s one of the most widely accessible films they’ve ever released, performing well across theatres of all sizes and in markets around the globe.

The PG-rated film, directed by Jared Hess (known for “Napoleon Dynamite”), is a joint production between Legendary Entertainment and Warner Bros. It reportedly had a production budget of $150 million, excluding marketing and promotional costs. Starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa alongside Danielle Brooks, Emma Myers, and Sebastian Eugene Hansen, the film follows a group of characters transported into a fantastical realm called the Overworld, where they embark on a perilous yet hilarious journey to return home.

“We made this for the fans, and they’ve exceeded all our expectations,” DeLuca said.

While critics gave the film mixed reviews, audiences responded more positively, awarding it a B+ CinemaScore and a 4 out of 5 rating in PostTrak exit polls. Around 62% of the audience was male, and 64% were under the age of 25. Warner Bros. went all in for the release, debuting the film at 4,263 domestic locations and on 36,000 screens worldwide.

“You might not expect it, but younger viewers really do enjoy going to the cinema,” noted Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. “This is a prime example of a small screen concept scaling up successfully to the big screen. It became an unmissable cinema event. Awareness was through the roof.”

In recent years, video game adaptations have seen several high-profile wins, including “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” the “Sonic” franchise, and “Five Nights at Freddy’s.”

“Once considered unpredictable at the box office, video game movies have finally found the formula,” said Dergarabedian.

This week’s runner-up at the box office was the Jason Statham-led action film “A Working Man,” which earned $7.3 million in its second weekend. Taking third was “The Chosen: Last Supper – Part 2,” made up of episodes three through five of the series, which brought in $7 million. The final set of episodes is set for release in theatres on April 11.

“Snow White” dropped to fourth place in its third week, earning $6.1 million. The film has now accumulated over $168 million worldwide.

Hollywood has faced a rough start to 2025, with underperformers like “Snow White” and “Mickey 17.” But a major hit like this can quickly shift momentum, especially with theatre marketing now ramping up in anticipation of the crucial summer movie season starting in early May.

Prior to the weekend, the year’s box office was lagging 13% behind 2024. Thanks to “A Minecraft Movie,” that gap has now shrunk to 5%.

Top 10 Films – Domestic Box Office:

Based on Comscore’s estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday across U.S. and Canadian cinemas:

“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