Minecraft Movie Surpasses Super Mario Bros. with Record Video Game Film Debut

The Minecraft Movie has soared to unprecedented heights at the box office, eclipsing The Super Mario Bros. Movie to claim the title of the largest domestic debut for a video game adaptation. Starring Jason Momoa and Jack Black, who also featured in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, this Xbox game adaptation has shattered expectations by raking in an astounding $157 million in North American theaters. For context, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which currently holds the record as the highest-grossing video game adaptation, opened with $146 million domestically back in April 2023.

Internationally, A Minecraft Movie has added another $144 million, bringing its global opening weekend total to an impressive $301 million. With a production budget of $150 million, not including marketing costs, the film is already on the path to profitability for Warner Bros.

Based on Mojang's Minecraft, the best-selling video game of all time, the film taps into the enduring popularity of the Microsoft-owned sandbox game. To further leverage the movie's release, Minecraft has introduced movie tie-in DLC.

IGN's review of A Minecraft Movie awarded it a 6/10, noting that "Napoleon Dynamite director Jared Hess injects a surprisingly specific and humorous comic flair into A Minecraft Movie's kid-friendly adventure, particularly in its more subdued first half."

For those who have seen the film, IGN offers an in-depth analysis of A Minecraft Movie's ending and post-credits scene, featuring insights from director Jared Hess and Minecraft's Torfi Frans Ólafsson.

In contrast, Disney's live-action Snow White has faced a disappointing opening weekend, grossing $168.4 million globally ($77.5 million domestically and $90.9 million internationally). With a hefty $250 million production budget, the film may struggle to achieve a Mufasa: The Lion King-style turnaround.