Minecraft’s first movie has smashed box office records, becoming the highest-grossing video game adaptation in its opening weekend.
The film, titled A Minecraft Movie, has earned an astonishing $163m (£128m) in its first weekend at the North American box office, surpassing the previous record held by The Super Mario Bros Movie by nearly $20m (£15.7m). The total global revenue now exceeds $313m (£245m), according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Despite its commercial success, critical reception has been less enthusiastic. The Independent's Clarisse Loughrey described the movie as “underwhelming” and argued that “as an adaptation, it’s flawed from the ground up.” Nevertheless, fan enthusiasm and brand loyalty have fuelled the movie’s widespread popularity, both in the US and abroad.
Minecraft, developed by Mojang in 2009 and acquired by Microsoft for $2.5bn in 2014, is the world’s best-selling video game with more than 200 million active monthly players worldwide.
Anticipation for the big screen adaptation has been over a decade in the making, with early development beginning in 2014 and filming finally starting in January 2024.
The film features an all-star cast including Jason Momoa, Jack Black, and Orange Is the New Black star Danielle Brooks. Black’s performance, in particular, has been praised by fans, prompting social media trends and viral content online.
The film’s popularity has also led to chaotic scenes in cinemas, particularly in the UK. Multiple cinema chains have reported disturbances during screenings, primarily involving young audiences.
Footage shared across social media shows food and popcorn being thrown across the audience, along with loud shouting, some swearing, and general raucousness, with some people jumping out of their seats. Dozens of young people and children are seen laughing with their phones out as they capture the disorder.
One moment, which features prominently in the film’s trailer, sees Black and Momoa confronted in a boxing ring by a cuboid Minecraft chicken, which is ridden around by another character.
“Chicken jockey,” exclaims Black’s character, a reference to the video game that seems to be sending audiences wild. Several videos captured by fans show audiences chanting the line along with Black, before whooping and clapping loudly.
In one cinema in the US, police were called to quell the commotion after viewers refused to calm down. It has prompted REEL cinema in the market town of Fareham to issue a warning to cinema-goers.
