April 8, 2025, 1:55 AM PDT — Four days into its theatrical run, A Minecraft Movie continues to smash expectations, cementing its status as 2025’s first bona fide blockbuster. Warner Bros. Pictures’ live-action adaptation of the world’s best-selling video game raked in an estimated $42 million on Monday, pushing its domestic total past $200 million and its global box office to a staggering $355 million. With spring break crowds fueling its surge and a viral theater trend amplifying its cultural footprint, the film—starring Jason Momoa and Jack Black—is proving that Minecraft’s pixelated charm translates to cinematic gold, even as critics remain split.
A Record-Shattering Start
After a colossal $157 million domestic opening weekend—the biggest ever for a video game adaptation—A Minecraft Movie showed no signs of slowing down on Day 4. Monday’s $42 million haul, bolstered by school holidays across the U.S., outpaced even The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s $37 million Monday in 2023, which went on to gross $1.3 billion worldwide. Internationally, the film added $12 million from 55 markets, with China ($17 million total) and the UK ($24 million) leading the charge. “This is lightning in a bottle,” Warner Bros. distribution chief Jeff Goldstein told Deadline, crediting the film’s broad appeal and impeccable timing.
The numbers tell a story of runaway success. Debuting April 4 across 4,263 domestic theaters and 36,000 screens globally, the Jared Hess-directed adventure—produced with Legendary Entertainment—opened with $58 million on Friday alone, including a record $10.6 million in previews. By Sunday, it had clinched $157 million domestically and $301 million worldwide, shattering projections that started at a modest $65-$70 million. Monday’s haul pushed it past the $200 million domestic mark faster than any 2025 release, narrowing the year’s box office deficit from 13% to 5%, per Comscore.
The Theater Chaos: Cheers, Claps, and Crackdowns
Beyond the dollars, A Minecraft Movie has sparked a cultural phenomenon dubbed “Minecraft Mania.” Audiences—especially kids and teens—have turned screenings into interactive events, erupting into cheers, claps, and even standing ovations whenever Jack Black’s Steve name-drops game staples like “flint and steel” or “the Nether.” Posts on X capture the frenzy: “Theater lost it when Steve said ‘chicken jockey’—popcorn everywhere,” one user wrote. Another noted, “Kids screaming ‘Punch the tree!’ like it’s a live concert.”
The viral trend, fueled by TikTok and X clips, has prompted some theaters to issue warnings or enforce zero-tolerance policies after reports of thrown snacks and drinks. A Regal Cinemas chain in Texas reportedly called authorities Saturday when a screening spiraled into chaos, though no arrests were made. “It’s a Minecraft movie—I still had fun,” one X user shrugged, echoing the sentiment of fans unfazed by the disruptions. The rowdy reactions nod to the game’s 204 million monthly active players, a built-in audience that’s turned theaters into blocky battlegrounds.
Plot and Performances: A Mixed Bag
The film follows four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Momoa), Natalie (Emma Myers), Henry (Sebastian Eugene Hansen), and Dawn (Danielle Brooks)—who stumble through a portal into the Overworld, a cubic wonderland of infinite possibility. Guided by Steve (Black), a quirky miner obsessed with crafting, they battle Malgosha (Jennifer Coolidge), a gold-hoarding piglin queen plotting to conquer their new reality. It’s a Jumanji-style romp with Minecraft skin—bright, silly, and packed with Easter eggs like pink sheep and potato launchers.
Critics remain divided. Rotten Tomatoes sits at 48% from 126 reviews, with a 5/10 average—praise for the cast’s energy clashes with gripes over a predictable plot and uneven CGI. “Jason Momoa shines,” AP News raved, while IndieWire called it “an affront to Minecraft’s creative freedom.” Audiences, though, are all in: a B+ CinemaScore and 86% Rotten Tomatoes audience score reflect a younger crowd’s delight, with 64% of ticket buyers under 25 and 13-17-year-olds giving it an 85% grade, per PostTrak.
Black’s over-the-top “Jack Blackness” and Momoa’s battered-but-heroic Garrett anchor the fun, while Coolidge’s campy villainy steals scenes. “It’s not perfect, but it’s the people you watch it with that make it,” one X user mused, a nod to the communal joy driving its success.
Behind the Blocks: A Decade in the Making
A Minecraft Movie’s journey to the screen spans 11 years. First teased by Mojang’s Markus “Notch” Persson in 2014, it cycled through directors (Shawn Levy, Peter Sollett) and scripts before landing with Hess in 2022. Momoa signed on that April, with Black joining in January 2024. Filmed with practical sets by Lord of the Rings designer Grant Major, it blends live-action and animation to mirror Minecraft’s blocky aesthetic—a choice that dazzled some and unsettled others after a “divisive” September 2024 trailer.
The $150 million budget, modest by blockbuster standards, looks like a steal as the film nears double its cost in four days. With a soundtrack featuring Benee, Dayglow, and a Depeche Mode cover, plus free in-game DLC like elytra races and piglin battles, Warner Bros. has leaned hard into the Minecraft ecosystem—Adidas even dropped a chaotic movie-inspired clothing line.
What’s Next: A Franchise in the Making?
As Trump’s tariffs tank markets—a $5 trillion S&P 500 hit—and Hollywood craves a win, A Minecraft Movie’s Day 4 triumph is a lifeline. Analysts predict a $500 million-plus global run, with a billion not out of reach if it mirrors Mario’s legs. “Video game movies are the new sweet spot,” Fandango’s Shawn Robbins told CNN, pointing to a genre shift from superhero fatigue.
Warner Bros. execs Pamela Abdy and Michael De Luca hailed the “tremendous response,” thanking Hess, the cast, and Legendary’s Mary Parent, who pushed for Hess’s quirky vision. A sequel feels inevitable—rumors swirl of an Ender Dragon tease in the credits—especially with Minecraft’s sandbox offering endless stories. For now, Day 4 proves the Overworld’s allure is unbreakable, one block at a time.
