From left, Jack Black, Jason Momoa and Sebastian Hansen. Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures/The Associated Press
The box office is bracing for a major boost as Warner Bros. and Legendary’s A Minecraft Movie gears up for a massive global debut. The highly anticipated film, based on the best-selling Mojang video game, is expected to bring in $140 million worldwide in its opening weekend.
A Much-Needed Hit for Warner Bros.
The film industry has been struggling with underwhelming box office numbers, with multiple weekends failing to cross the $100 million mark. Now, all eyes are on A Minecraft Movie, which is projected to earn $65 million domestically and another $65 million internationally, giving overseas markets a slight edge.
This release comes at a crucial time for Warner Bros., which recently faced two major flops—Barry Levinson’s The Alto Knights ($50 million budget) and Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17 (over $100 million budget). With Minecraft, the studio is hoping to turn the tide.
Actress Emma Myers stars an an influencer whose backstory the movie doesn’t bother fleshing out. Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures/The Associated Press
A Massive Gaming Audience
The Minecraft franchise is one of the most successful in gaming history, with over 300 million copies sold and 140 million active players worldwide. The film, directed by Jared Hess, is expected to draw strong interest from both legacy fans and younger audiences, particularly those under 25 years old.
Industry insiders are comparing its opening performance to Sonic the Hedgehog ($58M debut) and Jumanji, both of which saw strong support from video game fans and family audiences.
Jason Momoa is ready to build a better box office with 'A Minecraft Movie’. Warner Bros.
Global Release Strategy
A Minecraft Movie is launching in 75 international markets across 32,000 screens this week. The rollout includes:
- France (Wednesday)
- Germany, Italy, Australia (Thursday)
- UK, Spain, China, Brazil, Mexico (Friday)
However, the film will not debut in Japan or South Korea during the initial release phase.
The international hype is already strong, with Minecraft leading pre-sales in China. In addition, a star-studded world premiere in London and a highly successful fan event in Mexico indicate strong overseas demand.
Other Releases This Weekend
Also debuting in U.S. theaters is Neon’s Hell of a Summer, a teen horror film co-written, co-directed, and starring Finn Wolfhard. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023 and is expected to earn over $1 million across 1,250 theaters.
Hell of a Summer follows 24-year-old Jason Hochberg (Fred Hechinger), a camp counselor dealing with workplace drama—until a masked killer starts hunting down his colleagues. Despite mixed reviews (50% on Rotten Tomatoes), the film is expected to find a niche audience.
(L-R) Billy Bryk and Finn Wolfhard in ‘Hell of a Summer‘Neon
A Turning Point for the Box Office?
With spring break still in effect, A Minecraft Movie has the potential to overperform expectations. The industry is hoping for a strong domestic rebound, as box office numbers have dropped 11% in Q1 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
As the weekend unfolds, Warner Bros. will be looking for Minecraft to not just win at the box office, but to kickstart a much-needed theatrical revival.
