Elsewhere, Ryan Coogler’s Sinners continues to sink its teeth into wallets by ending its third week with $46.6M, bringing its domestic total to $193.3M, with $247M+ worldwide. Sinners will cross the $200M domestic mark by the end of Friday, with another $23M-$25M to add to its coffers in its fourth weekend. If you want to see Sinners in 70mm, head to theaters between May 15-21.

After announcing its digital and 4K Blu-ray release dates, A Minecraft Movie leveled up to $401M in domestic dollars, bringing its worldwide total to $876.8M+ as of this posting. The Accountant 2 added $13.1M from its second week, bringing its total to $44.7M. Finally, analysts expect IFC’s Clown in a Cornfield to slash its way to $5M, though it could do more considering its positive buzz from critics. According to Deadline, Clown in a Cornfield did $600K in previews. Lionsgate’s Shadow Force, starring Kerry Washington and Omar Sy, is looking at $3M-$4M at 2,170 theaters after $200K in previews. Vertical’s Fight or Flight, starring Josh Hartnett and Katee Sackhoff, ran with $550K in previews and could pull $2.5M over the weekend. Lastly, Briarcliff Entertainment’s Juliet & Romeo could prove that love isn’t dead with a $1M debut across 1,350 screens.

Have you seen Thunderbolts* yet? Will you go to the movies this weekend? What will you see? Do you think Final Destination: Bloodlines has what it takes to top the box office next weekend? Are you interested in the 70mm presentation of Ryan Coogler’s Sinners? Let us know in the comments section below.

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The description reads,
Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft, it’s essential to one’s survival! Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Momoa), Henry (Hansen), Natalie (Myers) and Dawn (Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they’ll have to master this world (and protect it from evil things like Piglins and Zombies, too) while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Black). Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative…the very skills they need to thrive back in the real world.

The director’s creative team behind the camera includes BAFTA-nominated director of photography Enrique Chediak (“127 Hours,” “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts”), Oscar-winning production designer Grant Major (“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” “The Meg”), editor James Thomas (“Pokémon: Detective Pikachu”, the “Borat” films), Oscar-winning VFX supervisor Dan Lemmon (“The Jungle Book,” “The Batman”), and costume designer Amanda Neale (“The Meg,” “What We Do in the Shadows”). Casting is by Rachel Tenner. The music supervisors are Gabe Hilfer and Karyn Rachtman, and the music is by Mark Mothersbaugh (“Thor: Ragnarok,” the “LEGO®” movies).

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures Present A Vertigo Entertainment/On The Roam/Mojäng Aktiebolag Production, A Jared Hess Film, “A Minecraft Movie.” The film is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures worldwide and by Legendary East in China.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

• DOLBY ATMOS AUDIO TRACK
• Building the World of Minecraft: Block Party – featurette (14:19) – Grant Major’s team brings Minecraft’s Overworld to life with blocky textures, vibrant biomes, and square props. Through practical effects and digital art, they craft a cinematic Minecraft world!
• Creepers, Zombies, and Endermen Oh My! – featurette (13:14) – Explore the unique mobs in A Minecraft Movie, including Creepers, Piglins, and Zombies. The featurette features live action looks and onscreen performances, with expert designers and artists contributing.
• A Minecraft Movie: Block Beats – featurette (9:01) – Music brings A Minecraft Movie to life! Jack Black, Jason Momoa, and Danielle Brooks created fun tunes like “I Feel Alive.” Fans will love behind-the-scenes clips and insights into the film’s music.
• A Minecraft Movie: Pixel Pals – featurette (14:02) – Jack Black and Jason Momoa pour boundless energy into A Minecraft Movie, from Jack’s gaming breaks to Jason’s wardrobe design. Their chemistry and behind-the-scenes fun bring joy to this film!
• Marlene + Nitwit – featurette (5:07) – Marlene and Nitwit’s quirky bond shines in this film! In this piece Nitwit, voiced by Matt Berry, narrates their wild journey, parodying My Name is Earl, with hilarious moments from Jennifer Coolidge.
• Optional English SDH, Canadian French, Parisian French, Latin Spanish subtitles

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“Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures invite fans back to the theater to experience A Minecraft Movie together in a whole new way!” reads the announcement. “You know the moments. You know the lines. You love the songs! Now it’s time to get loose, laugh out loud and belt out those lyrics like a true diamond-tier fan.“

The Block Party Edition screenings will be held on May 2nd in North America and a few select international markets.

While I’m sure theater employees don’t love the extra work, A Minecraft Movie director Jared Hess thinks it’s all in good fun. “It’s been so bananas. It’s been way too fun. People are sending me these really hilarious speeches that a lot of teenagers are giving right before the movie. It’s so hysterical, man. I’m staying up way too late,” Hess said. “It’s funny because I think it’s just literally cheering and throwing popcorn, which is so funny to me that cops are getting called for popcorn. Yeah, it’s hilarious. I’ve seen so many funny videos. It’s great, especially when people are climbing on their friends’ shoulders and standing up and cheering for those moments. It’s like this crazy anticipation. But, man, I’m just glad people are making memories with their friends and families.“

A Minecraft Movie star Jack Black seemed to warn against the behaviour in a video in which he surprised an audience at a screening and told them, “No throwing popcorn! And absolutely no chicken jockeys!“

The film is still doing great at the box office, raking in over $816 million worldwide. Can it reach a billion-dollar blockbuster status? As you might expect, there’s already been talk of a sequel. You can check out a review from our own Alex Maidy right here.

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It looks like our box office predictions for the weekend ended up coming true after all. In a surprise reversal, Sinners, which looked like it was going to have to settle for a second-place debut at the Easter box office, rallied thanks to performing stronger-than-expected on Saturday evening. As it stands, Ryan Coogler’s vampire pic will dominate the weekend box office, with a $45.6 million gross compared to A Minecraft Movie’s still potent $41 million (in its third weekend). Boasting an amazing A CinemaScore rating, word of mouth may well propel Sinners to a stateside finish north of $100 million. Notably, this is the first time a horror film has ever gotten such a strong rating, with only movies like A Quiet Place 1 & 2 managing anything north of a B in the last decade. However, it will likely be up to foreign gross to see if the film ultimately turns a profit theatrically (the $100 million budget is seen as risky for a horror film).

Whatever the case, Warner Bros can claim the two top spots this weekend, with A Minecraft Movie passing $344 million in its third week of release, making it the runaway smash hit of the year (so far). Another studio that has some bragging rights is Angel Studios, whose animated movie about Jesus, King Of Kings, only fell a mere 11% in week two to post a $17.2 million weekend, with a total north of $45 million. It’s already the studio’s second top-grossing movie behind their smash hit Sound of Freedom. 

The Rami Malek thriller, The Amateur, also held up decently, only losing 51% of its audience in week 2 to make $7.2 million, with a $27 million total. While a finish in the $40 million region is nothing to brag about, those are still decent numbers for a low key thriller, with it not too far off from the kinds of grossing routinely pulled in by Jason Statham (although it’s unlikely Malek’s film will have the same kind of international pull Statham’s has). 

Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza’s Warfare rounded out the top five with $4.85 million and a $17.1 million gross, which is mediocre for such a well-reviewed film. A24 has struggled at the box office this year, but hopefully, movies like Friendship and Bring Her Back, which seem more old-school in their appeal, will help them rally. 

Meanwhile, the really solid Blumhouse title Drop has proven to be a flop, with it only grossing $3.35 million for a $13.4 million total, making it a rare misfire commercially for the company. The rest of the top ten is largely filled with specialty releases. The anime musical, Colorful Stage made $2.76 million, while the re-release of Joe Wright’s Pride and Prejudice wasn’t far behind with $2.7 million. Finally, the last round of The Chosen Last Supper episodes was in ninth place with $1.8 million and a $11.6 million total. Finally, Disney’s ultra-flop, Snow White, rounded out the top ten with only $1.17 million and an $84 million total, which is disastrous for a movie that cost over $250 million. 

Next weekend sees the release of The Accountant 2. Will it be able to nab the top spot from Sinners and A Minecraft Movie? Let us know in the comments!

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While Ryan Coogler’s Sinners is on the receiving end of great reviews (including our own) and word-of-mouth, it looks like our prediction that the film would over-index this weekend and beat A Minecraft Movie to take the top spot over Easter Weekend isn’t coming true. According to Deadline, Sinners is on track to gross $40 million, compared to A Minecraft Movie’s $45 million. It’s a rare double whammy for Warner Bros, who own the top spots this holiday weekend. That’s a huge turnaround given how dire their box office situation was just a month ago. Given that Sinners cost in the $100 million range, that’s a very decent start for a movie that should hopefully leg out to consistent business in the weeks ahead. However, it can’t be denied that with the rapturous critical reception, the opening might be a little underwhelming.

Otherwise, Angel Studios’ King of Kings is playing well over the easter holiday, with it looking to only drop about 6% from last week for a $17.5 million weekend, and a $45 million total. It’s already Angel’s second-highest-grossing movie after Sound of Freedom. The Rami Malek vehicle, The Amateur, also had a decent hold, with it looking like it will fall under 50% to a $7.5 million weekend. It should leg out to about $45 million or so at the box office, which isn’t bad for a low-key thriller like this one. A24’s Warfare also showed some staying power, with it looking like it will make about $4.65 million for the weekend with a $17 million total.

Further down the chart, Focus Features’s 20th anniversary re-release of Pride and Prejudice is performing well, with it on track for about a $2.6 million weekend on only about 1300 screens.

What are you going to see this Easter Weekend? Let us know in the comments!

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“Chicken Jockey” has become a public trigger for kids thanks to A Minecraft Movie, with the reactions sparking the target audience of the literal blockbuster to go absolutely insane when the scene arrives. And while some of the kids are just having fun and giving a little audience participation, others are raising hell and even being escorted out by police, forcing some theaters to enact a “no unaccompanied minors” policy. Director Jared Hess found the rowdy theater reactions to be amusing. He said, “It’s funny because I think it’s just literally cheering and throwing popcorn, which is so funny to me that cops are getting called for popcorn. Yeah, it’s hilarious. I’ve seen so many funny videos. It’s great, especially when people are climbing on their friends’ shoulders and standing up and cheering for those moments. It’s like this crazy anticipation. But, man, I’m just glad people are making memories with their friends and families.” Jack Black would get in on the fun as somewhat of an ironic instigator as Variety reports that the Minecraft Movie star personally showed up to a theater, dresses as a theater owner, and warned the audience against acting chaotic.

A viral video shows Black surprising an audience at a screening and telling them, “No throwing popcorn! And absolutely no chicken jockeys!” When Black was revealed to the crowd, they erupted into applause and the comedic actor continued, “Oh yeah! I am Steve. Are you ready to rock? Ladies and gentleman please enjoy, A Minecraft Movie. Roll the projector!”

Now that A Minecraft Movie is a bonafide viral hit thanks to the Chicken Jockey and a number of other fan-favorite scenes, no doubt it will continue its impressive box office haul. So far, it has already taken in around $200 million domestically and will likely end up as one of the highest-grossing movies of the year based on its performance so far. As expected, A Minecraft Movie dominated the box office this weekend. It only fell a modest 51% in week two for $80.6 million over the three-day weekend, which is about what we predicted earlier this week. It’s a terrific showing for a movie no one seemed sure there was an audience for, but it has seemingly grabbed the cultural zeitgeist in a way that’s hard to reverse engineer. It’s undoubtedly a huge win for Warner Bros, with them also opening the buzzy Ryan Coogler vampire epic, Sinners, this coming weekend. If they get two hits in a row, suddenly their iffy box office track record for 2025 will start to look much better.

Here’s video Jack Black’s appearance at the A Minecraft Movie screening:

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As expected, A Minecraft Movie dominated the box office this weekend. It only fell a modest 51% in week two for $80.6 million over the three-day weekend, which is about what we predicted earlier this week. It’s a terrific showing for a movie no one seemed sure there was an audience for, but it has seemingly grabbed the cultural zeitgeist in a way that’s hard to reverse engineer. It’s undoubtedly a huge win for Warner Bros, with them also opening the buzzy Ryan Coogler vampire epic, Sinners, this coming weekend. If they get two hits in a row, suddenly their iffy box office track record for 2025 will start to look much better.

This weekend, another box office success story has to be Angel Studios’ King of Kings, with them posting their biggest hit since Sound of Freedom, with the animated biblical epic scoring a $19.05 million weekend. The studio, which recently lost the rights to The Chosen series has had a mixed track record at the box office recently, but with a hit like this, the studio can boast that they certainly know what their audience likes. In fact, faith-based movies had a bit of a moment this weekend, with not one but two collections of episodes from The Chosen in the top ten, with The Last Supper Part 3 in sixth place with $5.8 million, while its predecessor rounded out the top 10 with just under $1 million. Those may seem like modest numbers but don’t forget that The Chosen is actually streaming online as well.

Overall, it was a pretty good weekend, with 20th Century Studios’ The Amateur, starring Rami Malek, having a surprisingly excellent showing with $15 million. While some may scoff at that number, these are Jason Statham-level numbers, so clearly, audiences still like these meat-and-potatoes-style action flick. Hopefully, the excellent Accountant 2 manages to continue action’s winning streak at the box office.

Sadly, Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza’s excellent Warfare had a more modest opening than expected, only earning $8.3 million, making it the third underperformer in a row for A24 following Opus and Death of a Unicorn. Luckily, the budget was pretty low on this one, and word-of-mouth may give it some legs at the box office. Blumhouse’s rather good thriller, Drop, tanked with a poor $7.5 million, which is a shame. 

Meanwhile, Jason Statham’s A Working Man made about $3 million plus, with the total gross being about $33 million. While it will fall short of The Beekeeper’s $66 million, it should still finish with a solid $40 million or so domestically. Disney’s Snow White continued to die at the box office, with a $2.8 million gross and an $81 million domestic total – pretty bad for a movie that cost at least $250 million. Ouch. Finally, Blumhouse had another movie in the top 10, with The Woman in the Yard making $2.1 million for a $20 million total.

Next weekend is Easter so it should prove to be a good one for Sinners, King of Kings and Minecraft. Could Sinners top Minecraft at the box office? Let us know in the comments!

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The box office juggernaut that is A Minecraft Movie shows no signs of slowing down this weekend. So far, it’s performing in line with what we predicted earlier this week, with a superb $80 million weekend and a drop of only 51%, which is a terrific result for a movie that opened as well as it did. The even better news for WB is that with Easter Weekend coming, family audiences will no doubt keep it performing at an incredibly high level. Warner Bros, who looked to be on the verge of calamity just a few weeks ago, should have a great holiday with the well-reviewed Sinners on track for a good opening, too. It really goes to show you that the whole business can pretty much change just on the merits of one unexpected hit at the box office, with no one expecting A Minecraft Movie to blow up the way that it did.

But that’s not the only good news for theatres. Angel Studios, who’ve struggled to recapture the zeitgeist in the wake of their breakout Sound of Freedom, finally have themselves another hit, with their animated Christian film, King of Kings, on track for a $17 million weekend (according to Deadline). With Easter coming and the kids out of school for a few days, this will undoubtedly be one of the more successful faith-based films at the box office. 

Another movie that hasn’t done too badly is 20th Century Studios’ The Amateur, which should open in the $15 million range. For a mid-budget thriller, that’s a very decent result, especially if you consider that Rami Malek has never really shown much box-office muscle on his own. Those are Jason Statham-level numbers, so it just shows you there’s a dependable theatrical audience for movies like these.

Sadly, two other good new releases, Warfare and Drop, are tanking. Luckily the budgets are low on both, but neither is performing as well as they should. Warfare is doing a bit better than Drop, with an $8 million opening, while Drop should make in the $7 million range. Truth be told, this was a crowded weekend, and Universal should have opened Drop on Valentine’s Day to tie in with the date aspect.

What are you watching this weekend? Let us know in the comments!

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Is A Minecraft Movie this quarter’s box office savior? Since Warner Bros/Legendary’s live-action adaptation of the beloved video game hit theaters, box office numbers are looking up! After a record-breaking debut of $300M+ worldwide, A Minecraft Movie makes headlines again as it crosses the $200M mark in domestic dollars. The family-friendly adventure from Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre director Jared Hess mined $7.1M on Thursday, bringing the film’s global total to $343.9M at this posting. Analysts expect A Minecraft Movie to drop by 60% this weekend. However, Minecraft could come in at $65M to maintain the top spot at the box office.

Meanwhile, Angel Studios’ faith-based animated feature, The King of Kings, blessed the box office with $2M in Thursday previews. At the same time, Rami Malek’s spy thriller, The Amateur, targeted a $2M Thursday launch. The Amateur opens in 3,400 theaters today, including 400 IMAX auditoriums, 300 Premium Large Format screens, and 100 D-Box/Motion screens. Number crunchers say The Amateur could collect $12M+ in its opening weekend.

JoBlo’s Tyler Nichols reviewed The Amateur, giving the movie an 8/10. Tyler says The Amateur has Bourne-like vibes and that Malek’s character breaks the standard action thriller mold. You can read Tyler’s full review here.

Universal/Blumhouse’s Drop took home $730K in previews from 2,600 theaters. Adding Drop‘s Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday totals brings the film to $1.4M. Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza’s Warfare also launched $1.6M for its opening salvo across 2,670 locations.

What do you think about A Minecraft Movie‘s box office success so far? How long will it take for Jared Hess to launch a sequel? Did you expect The Amateur to launch with more significant box office numbers? I wonder if theater owners are still kicking audience members out of theaters for getting out of control during the “Chicken Jockey” scene. I’m interested to see if Minecraft defies expectations in its second weekend. Let us know what you think about its chances in the comments section below.

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A Minecraft Movie scored big bucks at the box office to the surprise of analysts who underestimated the property. The crazy reactions from fans with references and easter eggs, like the chicken jockey, skyrocketed the Jack Black/Jason Momoa film up to a bigger opening than Greta Gerwig’s successful Barbie. A Minecraft Movie earned a whopping $163 million in the U.S. and Canada. The Warner Bros. movie will be followed by another studio film, Sinners, a Michael B. Jordan collaboration with Ryan Coogler, which has been proven to be very profitable in the past, but can it match up to A Minecraft Movie? What was once very reliable was the juggernaut studio of Marvel. However, the past few years have been dodgy for the brand, with the exception of Deadpool & Wolverine, which captured former glory. However, Marvel Studios has Thunderbolts* also on the way, which will further test the current appeal of the company. The Hollywood Reporter is saying that analysts aren’t predicting a Minecraft-type opening, but they are tracking the film’s opening in the $63 million to $77 million range, with the target number perhaps zeroing in at $70 million.

This entry into the MCU has an Avengers-esque hook with various characters from previous entries uniting for a team-up. However, the characters featured are more anti-heroes with lesser popularity than the original core group of Avengers characters. So, it remains to be seen how this combination will fare. One interesting aspect of this film is that it’s being helmed by Jake Schreier, who is known for the A24-produced Netflix show Beef and 2012’s Robot & Frank.

Florence Pugh, who dipped her toe in Marvel films with Black Widow, said that Thunderbolts* has a plucky attitude to it. “It ended up becoming this quite badass indie, A24-feeling assassin movie with Marvel superheroes,” Pugh told Empire. Schreier also said that the studio encouraged him to add “something different” to this movie. He stated, “There’s a certain amount of that Beef tone in it, that does feel different. There’s an emotional darkness that we brought to this that is resonant but doesn’t come at the expense of comedy.”

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With A Minecraft Movie an unexpected runaway smash hit (it opened bigger than Barbie), no one is expecting any of the three major new releases to pose much of a threat to its continued reign at the top of the box office heap. Given how much of a cultural phenomenon it has become, the movie should have no problem grossing about $70 million this weekend, which is what box office forecasters anticipated it would make on its FIRST weekend.

But where does that leave the weekend’s new releases? All four movies – Warfare, Drop, King of Kings and The Amateur – have received decent enough reviews, but none of them really has a chance at opening above the teens. The one most likely to open in second place is Angel Studios‘ The King of Kings, which had a star-studded voice cast and is the highest pre-selling movie for the faith-based studio since Sound of Freedom. These faith-based films can sometimes pull in a crowd, and if Angel can appeal to non-devout audiences as well, they have a great chance at pulling off their biggest hit in a while. 

Third place should go to The Amateur, based on the fact that Disney (which is releasing the movie through 20th Century Studios) has premium formats available. It should open with $12 million, while A24’s Warfare, which has a hot young cast, should do about $10 million. That said, given the similarities between the two films, the fun Blumhouse thriller Drop could pull ahead because it’s a date movie and boasts a performance by fast-rising star Brandon Sklenar. No one expects it to open north of $8 million, but as William Goldman always said, “nobody knows anything.”

Here are my predictions:

1. A Minecraft Movie: $70 million
2. The King of Kings: $18 million
3. The Amateur: $12 million
4. Warfare: $10 million
5. Drop: $8 million

What do you think will top the box office this weekend? Let us know in the comments!

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“Chicken Jockey” has become a public trigger for kids thanks to A Minecraft Movie, with the reactions sparking the target audience of the literal blockbuster to go absolutely insane when the scene arrives. And while some of the kids are just having fun and giving a little audience participation, others are raising hell and even being escorted out by police, forcing some theaters to enact a “no unaccompanied minors” policy. So what does the movie’s director think?

But just in case you haven’t seen A Minecraft Movie yet, here’s a little context: The scene in question occurs a little more than an hour in, with a Frankenstein-styled zombie boy dropping from a box and landing on a chicken inside a ring with Jason Momoa (keeping up here?). At that moment, Jack Black’s character shouts, “Chicken Jockey!” That’s when all hell breaks loose in the theater, made all the worse because it has become a TikTok trend. In other words, the ban could have prevented a severely underpaid usher from cleaning up gallons of popcorn and soda from the floor every showing.

Despite the negative press the Chicken Jockey scene is getting, director Jared Hess is focusing on the positive. “It’s been so bananas. It’s been way too fun. People are sending me these really hilarious speeches that a lot of teenagers are giving right before the movie. It’s so hysterical, man. I’m staying up way too late.” Apparently disregarding the actual disruption and potential danger of the viral reaction, Hess took the “They’re just having fun!” stance. “It’s funny because I think it’s just literally cheering and throwing popcorn, which is so funny to me that cops are getting called for popcorn. Yeah, it’s hilarious. I’ve seen so many funny videos. It’s great, especially when people are climbing on their friends’ shoulders and standing up and cheering for those moments. It’s like this crazy anticipation. But, man, I’m just glad people are making memories with their friends and families.” And to think, The Room fans are only throwing spoons in the theater…

Now that A Minecraft Movie is a bonafide viral hit thanks to the Chicken Jockey and a number of other fan-favorite scenes, no doubt it will continue its impressive box office haul. So far, it has already taken in around $200 million domestically and will likely end up as one of the highest-grossing movies of the year based on its performance so far.

What do you think of the Chicken Jockey reactions in theaters? Is it in good fun or is it doing damage?

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Napoleon Dynamite director Jared Hess is on top of the world after his latest feature, A Minecraft Movie, scored a $301M global debut at the box office this past weekend. The live-action animated hybrid is the smash hit of 2025, surpassing Grega Gerwig’s Barbie in its first few days of release. Like clockwork, Hess is already fielding questions about a Minecraft sequel. While his response is unsurprising, hearing someone so enthusiastic about making a movie that’s fun for the whole family is fantastic.

Speaking with Deadline, Hess commented on Minecraft debuting at the top of the charts and immediately becoming box office gold during its opening weekend, saying, “You just can’t plan for stuff like this. For me, it’s always just trying to make something that you’re passionate about, that’s funny to you, that you’re interested in. And to try to have that integrity as you’re making it. That’s the best you can hope for. You never ever know what’s going to happen with anything, and you just feel immense gratitude that it’s connecting.”

Hess told Deadline he started playing Minecraft alongside his kids. When the game first came out, he watched as his kids became overly excited about the world and everything it offers regarding action and imagination. He wanted to enjoy the fun, so it became their hobby.

The conversation naturally turned to whether Hess plans to create a Minecraft sequel after such tremendous success with the first. Does he have ideas? Would he want to be a part of the process? Sometimes, a one-and-done success is the answer, but Hess is game to stay in Minecraft for a little longer.

When asked if he’d consider making a sequel, Hess said, “Oh, man. Well, it would be so much fun. We had so much fun making this movie, and it’s such an expansive world in the game, and there were so many things that we didn’t tap into that we wanted to. I would have a blast doing the sequel, and it seems like there’s already talk about it happening, so I’m super excited. It’ll be so much fun to go back into the world. The fans are just having such a good time. We teased it in the end credits and the fans seem to be going wild for it.”

I haven’t seen A Minecraft Movie yet, but Hess is already laying the groundwork for the sequel. At the end of A Minecraft Movie, a pivotal Minecraft character, Alex, is teased. Minecraft revolves around Steve (Jack Black) and Alex, so it’s the natural step toward another adventure.

Should Jared Hess direct A Minecraft Movie sequel? Does all the hype around the Minecraft movie make you want to see it? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Jack Black’s Steve isn’t the only person yearning to explore the mines! Shockingly, Warner Bros./Legendary’s A Minecraft Movie is blowing up the box office like no one predicted. The big-screen adventure based on the fan-favorite video game sensation is breaking records with the latest stealing the tiara from Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. According to box office totals, A Minecraft Movie tunneled to $163 million in the U.S. and Canada, beating Barbie’s $162 million domestic opening.

Initially, analysts said A Minecraft Movie would score roughly $65M during its debut. Still, as the weekend progressed, it became clear that Minecraft is a force to be reckoned with, pushing projections to $75M-$80M. A Minecraft Movie is Jack Black’s biggest opening, stomping on the $146.3M opening for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, where Black played the classic villain Bowser.

WB is currently hooting and hollering about the news while determining how to capitalize on Minecraft’s success. I expect the studio to draw up contracts for a sequel, though that’s speculation. A Minecraft Movie is third as WB’s biggest opening after 2011’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 ($169M) and 2016’s Batman v Superman ($166M).

Interestingly, I’ve heard A Minecraft Movie has a Rocky Horror Picture Show component in that it prompts audience participation. There’s no telling how that angle will play with older audiences, but kids are eating it up now.

Here’s the official synopsis for A Minecraft Movie courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures:

“Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft; it’s essential to one’s survival! Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Jason Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers), and Dawn (Danielle Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they’ll have to master this world (and protect it from evil things like Piglins and Zombies, too) while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Black). Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative…the very skills they need to thrive back in the real world.”

Directed by Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre, and Gentlemen Broncos helmer Jared Hess, A Minecraft Movie urges audiences to let their imaginations soar as Jack Black (Steve) welcomes them to a world fueled by big ideas, meticulous planning, and unpredictable outcomes waiting around every corner. Minecraft fans and adults prepare to get lost in a world of danger, mystery, and quirky mobs!

Can you believe A Minecraft Movie surpassed Greta Gerwig’s Barbie at the box office? Let us know in the comments section below.

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There’s going to be a lot of celebrating tomorrow morning at Warner Bros’s Burbank lot. For the first time since Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice in the fall, the studio has a legitimate box office smash, with A Minecraft Movie blowing past industry expectations to make a whopping $157 million this weekend. That’s more than twice what we predicted earlier this week, but even the most optimistic industry forecasts didn’t expect this to make more than $100 million. It’s now the highest opening for a video game movie ever, beating the $146 million The Super Mario Bros Movie earned in 2023.

This comes along at just the right moment for WB, who have suffered from a huge slate of pricey box office bombs, including Furiosa, Joker: Folie a Deux, Alto Knights, and the recent Mickey 17. Will this be enough to turn around the company’s fortunes? It’s hard to say, but one thing is for sure: expect A Minecraft Movie 2 in theaters before long. Notably, the film is also a huge hit for Napoleon Dynamite director Jared Hess, re-teaming him with his Nacho Libre star Jack Black. 

Otherwise, the Jason Statham action flick, A Working Man, had a decent hold this weekend, only falling 53% to $7.276 million, with a $27 million domestic total. That’s not too far off from what The Beekeeper made in its second weekend, with that one legging out to a terrific $66 million domestically. While A Working Man likely won’t have those kinds of legs, it will no doubt turn a solid profit for Amazon/MGM and will be a considerable streaming success once it moves to Prime Video in a few months.

One noteworthy thing about the top 10 is that it features not one but two collections of episodes from the hit Christian series The Chosen. The Last Supper Part 2 opened slightly below expectations with $7 million, while Part 1 was further down the charts at 7, with $1.8 million and a $18 million total. For episodes you can stream, those are mighty respectable numbers. 

Disney’s Snow White proved to be just as much of a disaster as everyone anticipated, with its free fall at the domestic box office continuing this weekend. It fell another 58% to just over $6 million and a $77 million domestic total. There’s little else for Disney to do now but cut their losses and throw the movie on Disney Plus. It’s proven to be one of the biggest bombs of the year – that’s for sure. Blumhouse’s The Woman in the Yard is also proving to be one of its more obscure offerings, grossing $4.5 million for a $16 million plus domestic total. That said, given how low they keep their budgets, that’s not an awful result. A24’s Death of a Unicorn, despite its high-profile stars (Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega), continued to die at the box office, making $2.6 million for a $10.7 million domestic total. Between this and Opus, A24’s off to a rough start at the box office this year – although next weekend’s Alex Garland flick, Warfare, might turn things around. 

Next up on the chart were two Indies that didn’t make much of an impression this weekend. Finn Wolfhard’s Hell of a Summer, from Neon, had a modest $1.75 million opening, while The Friend, starring Bill Murray and Naomi Watts, made $1.6 million, despite rave reviews (including one from us). Finally, the top 10 was rounded out by Captain America: Brave New World, with $1.3 million and a total that’s only a hair away from crossing the $200 million mark.

Next weekend, we see the release of two lower-profile action flicks, Warfare and The Amateur, neither of which is likely to pose much of a threat to A Minecraft Movie’s domination. Will you go see either? Let us know in the comments!

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CinemaCon was this week, and amid all the excitement, it can’t be denied that a certain chill had set in among exhibitors. The fact is, the first quarter of 2025 has been a disaster, with absolutely no hit movies. Sure, Captain America: Brave New World has come close to $200 million stateside, but with the huge budget, it seems on track to lose millions, while Snow White and Mickey 17 were giant flops. There have been some small-scale singles and doubles, like The Monkey, A Working Man and Dog Man, but there have been no blockbusters.

Lo-and-behold, the box office gods have given us the first legitimate hit of the year, and it comes from beleaguered Warner Bros. Deadline is reporting that A Minecraft Movie is far exceeding expectations, with it likely to make over $135 million this weekend. That’s a pretty stunning result (and significantly more than we predicted), with the PG-rated family film perfectly tapping into the cultural zeitgeist (it also helps that stars Jack Black and Jason Momoa have been promoting the heck out of it – including here at JoBlo). Directed by Napoleon Dynamite’s Jared Hess,  this is the first movie this year that will make a boatload of money for exhibitors and the studios – and a rare longshot that paid off for WB. If their next big gamble, Sinners, also makes money, it could turn things around for them.

That said, A Minecraft Movie is pretty much the only movie people are going to see this weekend, with the latest batch of episodes from The Chosen – The Last Supper Part 2 – on track for a softer than expected $7 million weekend. Meanwhile, Jason Statham’s A Working Man looks like it will dip a so-so 56% to a $6.8 million weekend. 

What do you think of A Minecraft Movie’s success? Let us know in the comments!

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Update: Warner Bros. and Legendary are increasing the ticket sales total for A Minecraft Movie‘s Thursday preview from $7 million to an astounding $10.55 million. The new total leaves the $10.3M launch for Universal and Blunhouse’s Five Nights at Freddy’s in the rearview, making Minecraft‘s total the all-time preview record holder for a movie based on a video game.

A Minecraft Movie is doing exceptionally well thanks to a built-in audience of fans and shockingly positive reviews. Industry executives and theater owners are worshipping at the altar of Minecraft after many weeks of false starts and dismal returns for potential blockbusters. Since A Minecraft Movie is performing so well, expect to hear word about more video game adaptations. It used to be that video game adaptations were box office poison, but not anymore. We gamers have finally arrived!

Original Article: It’s only springtime, but A Minecraft Movie is starting to do summer movie numbers. According to analysts, it was being predicted that Legendary’s A Minecraft Movie could earn $140 million worldwide during its premiere weekend. The split looked like $65M stateside and $65M overseas. The extra $10M was padding for a shaky market in the U.S. and Canada. A Minecraft Movie is based on a popular world-building video game that has a sizable following of kids, who are likely on spring break, and with stars like Jack Black and Jason Momoa thrust into the Overworld, it is sure to have crossover appeal. Deadline is now reporting that A Minecraft Movie is surprising box office forecasters by reaching over $7 million in early Thursday preview screenings.

Even the more modest projections have elevated to $75+ million for the weekend and analysts are turning their heads at this surprise jump in numbers as its been quite some time since the industry has had a box office hit. Comparatively, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which had a well-established fan base after two popular movies opened with $6.5 million in early Thursday numbers and took in a $60.1 million opening leading into Christmas.

Another new movie hitting theaters this weekend is Neon’s Hell of a Summer, co-written, co-directed, and starring Finn Wolfhard. The slasher comedy takes an old-school approach to the genre by focusing on summer camp counselors who are terrorized by a masked killer. Hell could make a little over $1M during its wide-release debut.

Our own Alex Maidy had a fun time at A Minecraft Movie and said in his review, “A Minecraft Movie is light entertainment with funny moments and a cast that is more than up to the challenge of acting silly on screen for the benefit of younger audiences. Jack Black and Jason Momoa have not had this much fun on screen in a long time, and director Jared Hess takes full advantage of that. […] Parents will find themselves having more fun than expected with this movie, while kids and Minecraft fans will be pleased to see their favorite game leap onto the big screen.”

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It’s no exaggeration to say that the next few weeks will be pivotal for Warner Bros. While, at CinemaCon, they seemed bullish on the potential of their slate, it’s full of risky, big-budget gambles and following Joker: Folie a Deux, Alto Knights and Mickey 17, they are badly in need of a hit. This month, they have two movies that – if they succeed – could theoretically save the current regime. But, if they fail, it will be a disaster for all involved. The first of these two movies is A Minecraft Movie (the other – Sinners – opens Easter weekend). Based on the wildly popular video game, the movie is a trippy mix of live-action and CGI animation, with our critic, Alex Maidy, giving it a relatively positive review earlier this week.

Given how huge the video game is, industry estimates say the movie has a shot at a $100 million opening. I’m a bit confused by this prediction, as a few weeks ago, the goalpost seemed to be $60 million, which seemed a lot more achievable. Tracking and pre-sales have been strong. That said, I’m expecting the movie to open with $75 million, max, although if I’m wrong, it will actually be something I’ll be happy about, as the industry as a whole could use a legitimate hit right now following a brutal winter of box office disasters.

The Chosen is also releasing another batch of episodes in theaters this weekend. Last week, The Last Supper – Part 1 opened to more than $11 million, and the second part should perform just as well, making it nearly a lock for second place. Last weekend’s champ, A Working Man, with Jason Statham, should easily take third with about $7 million.

Snow White should continue its shocking fall at the box office and plummet to about $6 million, while The Friend, starring Bill Murray and Naomi Watts, could have a shot at about $4 million.

Here are my predictions:

1. A Minecraft Movie: $75 million
2. The Chosen: The Last Supper 2: $11 million
3. A Working Man: $7 million
4. Snow White: $6 million
5. The Friend: $4 million

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Plot: Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft. It’s essential to one’s survival! Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison, Henry, Natalie, and Dawn — find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they’ll have to master this world (and protect it from evil things like Piglins and Zombies, too) while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve. Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative…the skills they need to thrivein the real world.

Review: Minecraft, the best-selling video game of all time, has had a long road to the big screen. While the game has been a global hit since it launched in 2011, the movie has had a rocky journey, passing through projects led by directors Shawn Levy, Rob McElhenney, and Peter Sollett before finally coming together with Napoleon Dynamite helmer Jared Hess. Starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa, A Minecraft Movie blends the unique visual style of the blocky world of the sandbox game with a quirky CGI universe. Audience reaction has been divisive since the first trailers debuted. Still, A Minecraft Movie is a lot more fun than I was anticipating, thanks to Black and Momoa embracing the surreal sense of humor at the core of the film, which will please younger fans and long-time fans of the game who will spot tons of cameos and easter eggs peppered throughout. A Minecraft Movie also has much more edgy humor than I expected from a PG-rated film, which will keep adults as engaged as their kids.

Opening with title cards and credits inspired by the pixelated video game aesthetic, we get a crash course on how Steve (Jack Black) made his way to the Overworld and befriended a wolf named Dennis. When his discovery of a cube-shaped orb is coveted by the villainous pig Malgosha (Rachel House), Steve sends Dennis back to Earth to hide the cube, where it remains for years until it is found by 1980s video game champion Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison. Clinging to his fading celebrity status, Garrett desperately needs money to keep his business going. That is when he comes across Henry (Sebastian Hansen), a bright and creative kid who recently moved to Idaho with his older sister, Natalie (Emma Myers), after the death of their mother. In a similar conceit to Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Henry activates the orb, which draws him, Garrett, Natalie, and their realtor, Dawn (Danielle Brooks), into the Overworld. As they try to understand how the physics and mechanics of Minecraft’s world operate, the quartet comes across Steve, who guides them on their journey.

A Minecraft Movie draws heavily on the formula of the recent Jumanji films but does so with a sense of fun and silliness that never takes itself too seriously. The fully CGI world rarely feels tangible but it evokes the feel of Minecraft enough that you can suspend your disbelief enough to go along for the ride. Fans of the games will recognize many of the materials, techniques, and terminology used in the movie. Jack Black is a great guide as Steve names everything along the way so those unfamiliar with Minecraft can tell an Evoker from an Enderman. The screening I attended had many kids and older Minecraft fans who said the names of things in the game world aloud, along with Jack Black, and applauded when references came up on the screen. The enthusiasm in the audience was noticeable, and applause erupted throughout the movie. The action never gets scary, even if the evil Piglins, zombies, and giant spiders are designed to be. At its darkest moments, A Minecraft Movie never feels like it would scare the youngest viewer.

What surprised me is how funny A Minecraft Movie is. Yes, it is incredibly stupid humor, but it works because Jack Black is in full Nacho Libre mode as Steve. Virtually every line of dialogue from Jack Black is said in a half-yell and over-enunciated for comedic effect. Black does not fit the physical look of the eight-bit video game avatar he is portraying. Black clearly got to do what he wanted with the role, including multiple musical numbers that call on his Tenacious D skills as a vocalist. Sebastian Hansen is a good young protagonist with whom audiences can align, while Danielle Brooks and Emma Myers are woefully underused in their roles. Still, Jason Momoa is hilarious in a role considerably different from any he has had. With a ridiculous wardrobe and hairstyle, Momoa holds his own opposite Jack Black, making for the best onscreen comedy duo since Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill in 21 Jump Street. After a while, I was so entertained by Black and Momoa that I could forgive a lot of the wasted opportunities, like Jennifer Coolidge in a role that serves no purpose to the film outside of adding about fifteen minutes to the running time to pay off a joke in the mid-credit scene.

Written by Chris Bowman, Hubbel Palmer, Neil Widener, Gavin James, and Chris Galletta, from a story by Allison Schroeder, Bowman, and Palmer, A Minecraft Movie gives us a glimpse of the Overworld in the first few minutes of the film before then spending almost half an hour in the real world. For those thirty minutes, I laughed harder than I have in a long time, which is a credit to director Jared Hess. Hess brings the same odd humor from Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre to A Minecraft Movie, including references to alpacas and tater tots. The scene featuring Jason Momoa and Jennifer Coolidge feels far beyond what I expected in a PG-rated film but had the adults cracking up in my screening alongside me. Once the action shifts to the CGI world, the film still highlights the comedy. Any film that blends live action and CGI has the challenge of either feeling too much like a cartoon or not nearly enough. Jared Hess emulates elements from the video game and adds some new twists that keep the momentum moving,g which keeps viewers from poking too many holes in the weak narrative structure of the story. There are so many elements set up in A Minecraft Movie that never come to fruition or fall by the wayside, holding the film back from being better than it is, but it remains a fun popcorn flick.

A Minecraft Movie is light entertainment with funny moments and a cast that is more than up to the challenge of acting silly on screen for the benefit of younger audiences. Jack Black and Jason Momoa have not had this much fun on screen in a long time, and director Jared Hess takes full advantage of that. The story itself is formulaic, but you have to start somewhere when you base your story on a game with no narrative structure. The film’s title hints at the possibility of a sequel going in a totally different direction, or it could revisit these characters for another adventure. Either way, the challenge of even realizing this world on screen has finally been met, and now the creative team behind A Minecraft Movie can try to make the next one even better. Parents will find themselves having more fun than expected with this movie, while kids and Minecraft fans will be pleased to see their favorite game leap onto the big screen.

A Minecraft Movie opens in theaters on April 4th

A Minecraft Movie

GOOD

7

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A Minecraft Movie opens in theaters this weekend. After some unexpected glowing reactions, the live-action animated hybrid from Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre‘s Jared Hess could tunnel to a significant box office debut. If A Minecraft Movie hits, it could be a relief for theater owners, who, after several weeks of underwhelming ticket sales and blockbusters being dead on arrival, are praying to the money gods for blessings of debit card swipes and concession sales.

According to analysts, Legendary’s A Minecraft Movie could earn $140 million worldwide during its premiere weekend. The split looks like $65M stateside and $65M overseas. The extra $10M is padding for a shaky market in the U.S. and Canada. A Minecraft Movie benefits from kids being out of school for Spring Break, and parents are desperate for something that takes their minds away from doom-scrolling and signing at new cycles. Plus, we know how popular Minecraft is. I’d hate to be the kid who goes back to school not seeing the new hotness.

Another new movie hitting theaters this weekend is Neon’s Hell of a Summer, co-written, co-directed, and starring Finn Wolfhard. The slasher comedy takes an old-school approach to the genre by focusing on summer camp counselors who are terrorized by a masked killer. Hell could make a little over $1M during its wide-release debut.

Here’s the official synopsis for A Minecraft Movie courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures:

“Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft; it’s essential to one’s survival! Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Jason Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers), and Dawn (Danielle Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they’ll have to master this world (and protect it from evil things like Piglins and Zombies, too) while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Black). Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative…the very skills they need to thrive back in the real world.”

Directed by Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre, and Gentlemen Broncos helmer Jared Hess, A Minecraft Movie urges audiences to let their imaginations soar as Jack Black (Steve) welcomes them to a world fueled by big ideas, meticulous planning, and unpredictable outcomes waiting around every corner. Minecraft fans and adults prepare to get lost in a world of danger, mystery, and quirky mobs!

Are you going to the movies this weekend? What will you see? Let us know in the comments section below.

The post A Minecraft Movie could tunnel its way to $140M as audiences yearn to work the mines with Jack Black and Jason Momoa appeared first on JoBlo.

I have a confession. I am a bit inexperienced in the world of Minecraft. That made walking into A Minecraft Movie an unexpected ride. And yes, my family had a good time with it. The thing that you cannot deny is the chemistry between Jason Momoa and Jack Black. These two fellas are truly engaging, and they make a charismatic duo. As well, I appreciated what the younger cast brought to it. Sebastian Hansen and Emma Myers are terrific. And Danielle Brooks, who plays a woman of many surprises, is a treat.

Warner Brothers had something special planned for the press day. The studio didn’t just rely on the talent sitting in a room with the journalist. Instead, they allowed us to have a bit of fun. It was my first-time zip-lining, which was awesome. And the impressive studio-size Minecraft set was wildly imaginative.

After a great start, the interviews began. First up was the film’s director, Jared Hess, and producer, Torfi Frans Olafsson. The two talked about their take on the Minecraft phenomenon and how they brought such a cast together. Next came Danielle Brooks, who was a bit of a scene-stealer, not an easy feat opposite Black and Momoa.

As fas as the rest of the cast, I truly enjoyed speaking to the younger talent, Sebastian Hansen and Emma Myers. Both round out a solid cast game for a little Minecraft madness. They were incredibly sweet and it was fun listening to their experiences.

To finish up the interviews, we spoke with Jason Momoa and Jack Black. The two were having a blast promoting this family comedic adventure. They talked about working with each other, and it was clear that they appreciated the experience. Having spoken to both before, I can say both are terrific separately. Yet together, it made for a really engaging exchange.

A Minecraft Movie opens this Friday at a theatre near you.

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If you yearn for more footage of James Gunn’s Superman, prepare for when A Minecraft Movie tunnels into cinemas. Ahead of today’s Warner Bros. panel at CinemaCon 2025, David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nicholas Hoult shared a video message via social media to tell fans about an extended preview playing in theaters before the Minecraft movie unleashes imagination on audiences.

The Superman preview ahead of A Minecraft Movie screenings gives audiences another incentive to see the live-action video game adaptation in theaters alongside the film’s mixed but primarily positive early reactions. JoBlo’s Alex Maidy caught an early screening of A Minecraft Movie, bringing his family along for the fun. On Twitter, Alex said he had way more fun with A Minecraft Movie than expected and praised Jack Black and Jason Momoa’s comedic chemistry. He says there are tons of Easter eggs for fans of the industry-breaking game to find, and the humor is more mature than you’d assume for a PG film.

James Gunn’s Superman soars into theaters on July 11 in different parts of the world. Gunn directs and writes the highly-anticipated feature, with David Corenswet playing Clark Kent/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Isabela Merced as Kendra Saunders, Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Edi Gathegi as Michael Holt, Anthony Carrigan as Rex Mason, Maria Gabriela de Faria as Angela Spica, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord, Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant, Pruitt Taylor Vince as Jonathan Kent, Neva Howell as Ma Kent, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, and more.

We expect more information about DC’s Superman later today when WB takes the CinemaCon stage. Check back with us this evening to learn more about the highly-anticipated film.

Does a Superman preview make you want to see A Minecraft Movie in theaters? Are you surprised by Minecraft’s positive reviews? Which video game would you like to get a live-action adaptation? Let’s see your suggestions in the comments section below!

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I hope haters enjoy the taste of crow because that’s what’s for dinner, as the first reactions to A Minecraft Movie defy expectations! As the quality of video game adaptations continues to improve with Universal’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, and shows like Fallout and The Last of Us, are we beginning to heal from the scars left by 1993’s Super Mario Bros. movie? If critics and fans have anything to say, WB’s A Minecraft Movie is another delightful foray into a prolific gaming platform on the silver screen!

While reactions to A Minecraft Movie remain mixed, most audience members say the film is delightful, surprisingly funny, and better than it has any right to be. One reviewer you can trust is JoBlo’s Alex Maidy, who schlepped the whole family to the cinema to see A Minecraft Movie, including his son, Ben, whose quote is poised to appear in marketing materials.

Here’s the official synopsis for A Minecraft Movie courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures:

“Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft; it’s essential to one’s survival! Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Jason Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers), and Dawn (Danielle Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they’ll have to master this world (and protect it from evil things like Piglins and Zombies, too) while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Black). Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative…the very skills they need to thrive back in the real world.”

Directed by Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre, and Gentlemen Broncos helmer Jared Hess, A Minecraft Movie urges audiences to let their imaginations soar as Jack Black (Steve) welcomes them to a world fueled by big ideas, meticulous planning, and unpredictable outcomes waiting around every corner. Minecraft fans and adults prepare to get lost in a world of danger, mystery, and quirky mobs!

Check out some of the reactions to A Minecraft Movie below:

The post First reactions to A Minecraft Movie say the film is “uneven,” “insanely bonkers,” and better than it has any right to be appeared first on JoBlo.

It won’t be long before A Minecraft Movie builds a bridge to theaters, inviting fans of the action-adventure survival game to experience the wonders and imagination of the Overworld. According to the National Research Group, the movie could make as much as $58M-$60M+ in North America during its premiere weekend.

That’s not too shabby, and it’s excellent news for co-movie chiefs Mike DeLuca and Pam Abby, whose last few movies haven’t fared so well at the box office. To be fair, they had several duds dumped in their laps, but A Minecraft Movie is the first they’ve overseen one voxel brick at a time besides Michael B. Jordan’s upcoming vampire flick Sinners. A Minecraft movie took $150M to produce, so executives hope it has legs. If A Minecraft Movie does gangbusters at the box office, it could prompt Epic to invest in a proper Fortnite movie. I know plenty of players who’d love to see that happen, even Zack Snyder, who in 2023 said he’d jump at the chance to helm a movie based on the brand-happy battle royale.

Directed by Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre, and Gentlemen Broncos helmer Jared Hess, A Minecraft Movie urges audiences to let their imaginations soar as Jack Black (Steve) welcomes them to a world fueled by big ideas, meticulous planning, and unpredictable outcomes waiting around every corner. Minecraft fans and adults prepare to get lost in a world of danger, mystery, and quirky mobs!

Here’s the official synopsis for A Minecraft Movie courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures:

“Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft; it’s essential to one’s survival! Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Jason Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers), and Dawn (Danielle Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they’ll have to master this world (and protect it from evil things like Piglins and Zombies, too) while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Black). Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative…the very skills they need to thrive back in the real world.”

Jared Hess directs A Minecraft Movie from a screenplay by Chris Bowman & Hubbel Palmer and Neil Widener & Gavin James and Chris Galletta, with a story by Allison Schroeder and Chris Bowman & Hubbel Palmer, based on the Minecraft video game.

How much money will A Minecraft Movie make at the box office during opening weekend? Let us know in the comments section below.

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At a time when movies based on video game properties like Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario Bros. continue to take the box office by storm and break the decades-long curse of mediocre adaptations, it’s entirely fitting that one of the gaming industry’s most significant success stories, Minecraft, makes its way to the silver screen. Today, Warner Bros. Pictures is thrilled to present fans of the beloved “forever game” franchise with a brand-new, Easter egg-filled trailer for A Minecraft Movie.

Directed by Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre, and Gentlemen Broncos helmer Jared Hess, A Minecraft Movie urges audiences to let their imaginations soar as Jack Black (Steve) welcomes them to a world fueled by big ideas, meticulous planning, and unpredictable outcomes waiting around every corner. Minecraft fans and adults prepare to get lost in a world filled with danger, mystery, and quirky mobs as WB’s new trailer for A Minecraft Movie delivers the goods gamers have waited for.

Here’s the official synopsis for A Minecraft Movie courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures:

“Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft; it’s essential to one’s survival! Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Jason Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers), and Dawn (Danielle Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they’ll have to master this world (and protect it from evil things like Piglins and Zombies, too) while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Black). Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative…the very skills they need to thrive back in the real world.”

Jared Hess directs A Minecraft Movie from a screenplay by Chris Bowman & Hubbel Palmer and Neil Widener & Gavin James and Chris Galletta, with a story by Allison Schroeder and Chris Bowman & Hubbel Palmer, based on the Minecraft video game.

Today’s trailer for A Minecraft Movie begins with a charming scene of a family of cubic pandas enjoying a sunny afternoon in the Overworld. Then, we spot Steve (Black), Garrett (Momoa), and Henry (Hansen) falling from the sky at an alarming speed. Not to worry, though. Steve’s got his trusty water bucket to help cushion their fall. All is well until Steve introduces his party to The Nether, a hellish underworld devoid of imagination and creativity where sinister forces threaten to upend the balance between good and evil. With the fate of the Overworld on the verge of invasion, Steve and his friends use many tricks of the Minecraft trade to turn the tide of a zany war for control of the land. Today’s final trailer includes tons of Easter eggs for fans to spot, including wingsuits, a feisty Chicken Jockey, Piglin armies, and Jennifer Coolidge! Okay, so Jennifer Coolidge isn’t a part of the Minecraft game, but she could be! You just need to use your imagination and get building!

You can check out a gallery of images from the final trailer for A Minecraft Movie below:

How many Easter eggs can you spot in the new trailer? Let us know in the comments section below.

A Minecraft Movie comes to theaters on April 4, 2025! Tickets are on sale now!

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The trailer for A Minecraft Movie showcases the video game adaptation to be a family-friendly adventure, but with Jack Black and Jason Momoa in the cast, it is surely set to lean the film into some light irreverent humor. The ratings bulletin from the MPA has recently announced that A Minecraft Movie will be an edgier family film with a PG rating for violence/action, language, suggestive/rude humor and some scary images.

From Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures and starring Jason Momoa and Jack Black, A Minecraft Movie, directed by Jared Hess, is the first-ever big-screen, live-action adaptation of Minecraft, the best-selling video game of all time. The film also stars Emma Myers (Wednesday), Oscar nominee Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple), Sebastian Eugene Hansen (Just Mercy, Lisey’s Story), with Jennifer Coolidge.

Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft, it’s essential to one’s survival!  Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Momoa), Henry (Hansen), Natalie (Myers) and Dawn (Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination.  To get back home, they’ll have to master this world (and protect it from evil things like Piglins and Zombies, too) while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Black).  Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative…the very skills they need to thrive back in the real world.

Oscar nominee Hess (Ninety-Five Senses, Nacho Libre) directed, with Roy Lee, Jon Berg, Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Jason Momoa, Jill Messick, Torfi Frans Olafsson and Vu Bui producing, and Todd Hallowell, Kayleen Walters, Brian Mendoza, Jonathan Spaihts, Pete Chiappetta, Andrew Lary and Anthony Tittanegro executive producing.

The director’s creative team behind the camera includes BAFTA-nominated director of photography Enrique Chediak (127 Hours, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts), Oscar-winning production designer Grant Major (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Meg), editor James Thomas (Pokémon: Detective Pikachu, the Borat films), Oscar-winning VFX supervisor Dan Lemmon (The Jungle Book, The Batman), and costume designer Amanda Neale (The Meg, What We Do in the Shadows).  Casting is by Rachel Tenner.  The music supervisors are Gabe Hilfer and Karyn Rachtman, and the music is by Mark Mothersbaugh (Thor: Ragnarok, the LEGO® movies).

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With 2024 coming to a close, it’s time to start looking to the future for our cinema needs. What does the year hold in store for us cinephiles? While 2024 held some surprise hits, giant blockbusters, and small films that could, it’s looking like 2025 movie releases will hold more of the same. We can hope that the good fortune that Hollywood has brought us will continue into the new year and keep theater attendance up. Here’s our 2025 Movie Preview:

Den Of Thieves: Pantera – January 10

Gerard Butler is back chasing down diamond thieves on the streets of Europe. He stumbles across the planning of the largest diamond heist ever planned. If you liked the first movie, then this will probably be more of the same. I’m personally happy that Gerard Butler is making some fun B-movie action films like back in the day. Plane was fun, and I’m excited to see these types of films at the theater again.

Better Man – January 10

A biopic about UK pop star Robbie Williams as we see his childhood all the way through his superstardom. Robbie will be playing himself, but how do you do that without it being weird? What if you make it so he’s a chimp? Sure. With Pharrell releasing his biopic as a Lego movie and now Robbie Williams replacing himself with a CGI chimp it seems biopics are really trying to gain quirk appeal.

Back In Action – January 17

Cameron Diaz is coming out of retirement and teaming up with Jamie Foxx for this Netflix original film. They play former CIA agents who are pulled back in when their identities are exposed. While I’m glad to see Diaz back on screen after a decade away, it’s odd that this generic spy action movie did it. Maybe just the idea of being in a movie with Jamie Foxx again was enough.

Star Trek: Section 31 – January 24

This direct to Paramount+ film is a spin off from Star Trek: Discovery starring Michelle Yeoh as her character Philippa Georgiou. This was originally planned as a series, but after COVID-19 delays, it was scrapped. Later they revived the idea for an original movie. Star Trek has always been a beloved franchise but with new movies going direct to streaming, will we ever see them return to the big screen?

Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy – February 13

For the first time in nine years, Bridget Jones is back! Only this time, it will be on Peacock in the United States and then in theaters everywhere else in the world. Seems backwards but okay. Bridget Jones is now a single mom and trying to figure out how that works when you’re trying to get back into the dating pool. Renee Zellweger and Hugh Grant return, along with some other familiar faces. Are we past the Bridget Jones fandom, or is there still more life in this franchise?

Captain America: Brave New World – February 14

After the events of Falcon And The Winter Soldier, Anthony Mackie is donning the shield as the new Captain America. Harrison Ford steps in for the late William Hurt as the new President Ross, who has a big red secret to share. Marvel only had one release last summer, and it seemed to work really well for them. Let’s see if something without Hugh Jackman’s claws still registers for Marvel fans.

Mickey 17 – March 7

The new film from Bong Joon-ho sees Robert Pattinson sent on a space mission because he is seen as expendable. With technology, he can be regenerated if something goes wrong. This time, something goes wrong, and he begins to experience an existential crisis. This darkly comedic film looks like a good time as we see Mickey die in numerous different ways and still have to get up to go to work the next day.

Black Bag – March 14

Steven Soderberg’s spy thriller is coming out with no details on the plot. With a cast that includes Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, and Pierce Brosnan, you can bet lots of people will be interested in checking it out. Soderberg has always had an interesting take on just about any film he releases, and this will be no different.

Snow White – March 21

Disney continues its trend of doing live-action remakes of its old animated films. This one caused a stir when it was announced, as people seemed divided on how to handle the seven dwarfs aspect of the film. Ultimately, the dwarves will be completely CGI. It will be interesting to see how this plays in a modern culture. Expect some new songs, and Gal Gadot will be playing the evil queen, which is inspired casting compared to the look of the original character.

A Minecraft Movie – April 4

With Super Mario Bros. and the Sonic movies being big hits, it’s no surprise that the hugely popular game Minecraft would be getting its own movie. Jack Black once again jumps on board to play Steve, the generic character most players take control of when booting up Minecraft. Jason Mamoa, Jennifer Coolidge, and Kate McKinnon round out the cast as random characters are pulled into the cubic world and need the help of an expert crafter to get home. Seems very Jumanji.

The Accountant 2 – April 25

I don’t think anyone saw this sequel coming. In the first film, Ben Affleck played a neuro-divergent accountant who had a side job as a hitman. The film was a modest hit but nothing that would seem to warrant a sequel. Some other familiar faces from the first one return.

Thunderbolts* – May 2

The second of Marvel’s offerings this year sees a bunch of cast-off characters from previous Marvel films being rounded up for a new agency. Yelena will be leading the team of previous supervillains who are now taking jobs for the government. Of course, this will be complicated by a lot of in-fighting and some unexpected speedbumps. The trailer makes this look like a lot of fun so here’s hoping it will give MCU fans some laughs while providing some great action scenes.

Lilo & Stitch – May 23

This is the second of Disney’s live-action remakes. Stitch crash-lands on Earth and is adopted by a young girl. Hijinks ensue as others come looking for him. The original had a great sense of humor, and the trailers showing Stitch invading other Disney properties were great. I have no idea if this will translate well into live-action, but kids will probably love it.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning – May 23

This was originally titled Dead Reckoning Part II, but after the last film underperformed, the title was quickly changed. It will continue the storyline from the last film, and we see Ethan Hunt trying to stop the deadly AI from causing worldwide chaos. Of course in order to shut it down, they have to make their way to the submarine that is crashed on the ocean floor.

Karate Kid: Legends – May 30

The franchise returns to the big screen as we see Daniel from the original and Mr. Han from the 2010 “remake” join forces to mentor a new student. It’s a strange crossing of the streams which retcons the remake into being set in the same continuity. With Cobra Kai just ending when this hits theaters, will fans even care enough to go check it out? Fans of the original movie got their nostalgia fix with the series. Are there people who have nostalgia for the 2010 movie?

From The World Of John Wick: Ballerina – June 6

The spin-off of the John Wick films hits the big screen. We were introduced to the Ballerinas in John Wick 3. Now they get a film all their own while Keanu Reeves will still make an appearance since this is set during that time period. Ana de Armas takes over the role of Eve as she looks to get revenge on the people who killed her family. The intricate world of John Wick is fascinating to explore, and this gives us a chance to see even more of it.

Elio – June 13

An animated film from Disney that follows Elio. He’s a young space fanatic who gets tasked with saving the universe. They have been struggling to come up with animated films that really stick with audiences that aren’t already established Pixar properties. The shine of the early Pixar films has really dimmed after Disney bought them. Hopefully we can see Disney regain its footing with animated films like we used to have.

How To Train Your Dragon – June 13

Dreamworks seems to be taking a cue from Disney and remaking some of their more popular animated properties. We’re getting another round of dragons as we see the first meeting of Hiccup and Toothless. Again. Not sure if this trend will ever end, but at least Dreamworks doesn’t have as deep of a catalog as Disney. When can we expect to see a live-action Kung Fu Panda?

Jurassic World: Rebirth – July 2

Scarlett Johanssen is taking the lead role this time around. No one seems to have learned any lesson about bringing dinosaurs back to life. This time it looks like explorers have to go in to get DNA samples from some prehistoric animals to help cure a disease. Universal really just wants to see if there is any juice left to squeeze out of this fruit. It may be time to let it sleep for a few decades before heading back in.

Superman – July 11

James Gunn takes his stab at the Man of Steel as the DC Universe reboots itself on-screen once again. Reports are that Gunn held an early screening for WB execs and that it did not go well. That could be internet fodder, but it doesn’t instill a lot of hope for the new version of the DCU. With the DC shows on the CW just wrapping up, we’ll have to see if Gunn’s Superman will connect with comic fans. The recent trailer seemed to gain a lot of views very quickly, so we at least know that fans are interested.

The Smurfs Movie – July 18

Those magical little blue creatures will grace theater screens once again. This time, the film will be fully animated and musical. Paramount/Nickelodeon will take on the film, and it seems to be inspired by the popularity of the Troll movies. Rhianna will voice Smurfette and be joined by Nick Offerman, John Goodman, Kurt Russell, Dan Levy, and Hannah Waddingham.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps – July 25

Marvel’s first family finally makes their way into the MCU. While they have been on-screen before as part of Fox’s Marvel movies, this time, we’ll see what the MCU has in store for the group. Marvel’s third film in six months will really test if audiences are in superhero fatigue or not. The early footage shown at Comicon seems fun, so hopefully, it will bring something new.

Naked Gun – August 1

Liam Neeson is hoping to try something drastically different than we’ve seen from him before. He has some big shoes to fill, as Leslie Nielsen based the whole second half of his career on the original Naked Gun. It will be hard to see anyone else trying to play that role. Plus, does that type of comedy have a place anymore?

Freakier Friday – August 8

Disney’s calendar of releases this year is crazy, as we see the reteaming of Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan. The last film was a remake of an old Disney Classic. Now, twenty-one years later, we are getting a sequel. Expect more body-swapping jokes as the Lindsay Lohan resurgence seems to be taking shape. She’s been on an upswing lately, and hopefully, we can see her get a victory lap as she has matured.

Nobody 2 – August 15

Somehow, Bob Odenkirk became an action star after starring in Nobody back in 2021. Now, we get to see some more middle-aged dad action as he returns for this sequel. The first movie really worked to show what appears to be an ordinary man who decides to get back into a life he left a long time ago. Now that we have seen him for what he really is, here’s hoping for more action and more Christopher Lloyd running around with a shotgun.

Downton Abbey 3 – September 12

The third film spin-off of the popular period drama. Many of the cast return to once again play their characters, showing the divide between the upper class and the working class. This drama captivated audiences when it first premiered, and both previous films have been big hits. It only makes sense to keep it going with another film.

Tron: Ares – October 10

We’re traveling back into the world of Tron. Jeff Bridges is back, along with a slew of other familiar faces like Jodie Turner-Smith, Evan Peters, and Jared Leto. This time, a program is sent from the digital world to the real world. Each Tron film so far has pushed the boundaries in terms of special effects and technical marvels. Let’s see what they come up with this time.

Mortal Kombat 2 – October 24

We’re heading back to the arcade, so get your quarters ready. The reboot of the Mortal Kombat franchise continues as our heroes are heading back to Outland to continue the fight for all existence. The last film was released during the pandemic, so a true gauge of the popularity is hard to judge, but audiences seem to have a positive response. During the initial film franchise run, the second entry pushed it off a cliff. We can hope they learned their lesson.

Now You See Me 3 – November 14

Another entry into the magic mystery franchise is in the pipeline. All of our sleight-of-hand artists are returning, but no plot has been released so far. The previous movies have gained an audience through their unique use of stage magic and illusions to foil their adversaries. It is a fun and interesting way of doing a mystery based action film. If it lives up to the previous entries, then audiences should leave the theater happy.

Wicked: For Good – November 21

The second part of the recent smash hit. Those who haven’t seen the Broadway play or read the book will get to see how the story ends. I expect more fantastic songs, some great visuals, and more Oz. We all need all the Oz we can get. Let’s all get ready to defy gravity once again.

Zootopia 2 – November 26

Disney has quite the release schedule this year, and we’re not even done yet. Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are teaming up to solve a wild case that could change their entire lives. It will be fun to travel back into the world of Zootopia and see where the characters are. It looks like more of the same fun we had in the last film.

Avatar: Fire And Ash – December 19

It’s time to head back to Pandora. Last time James Cameron dealt with water motifs and explored more of the world. Looks like we’ll be dealing with fire this time around. While the films seem to always be a wonder of motion capture and CGI, it would be great to see Cameron go back to other projects before his film career comes to an end. We can always hope.

The SpongeBob Movie: Search For SquarePants – December 19

Hey Kids! SpongeBob is back with another movie. This time, he will explore the depths of the ocean to deal with the ghost of the Flying Dutchman. This franchise just keeps engaging generation after generation. At this point, The Simpsons might be about the only animated franchise that has lasted longer. As long as fans keep checking out the movies, the more they will keep making.

What 2025 movie releases are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments. And, if you’re looking for more info on horror releases, check out our horror movie preview HERE!

The post 2025 Movie Preview: All the big movies hitting theaters next year! appeared first on JoBlo.

Jared Hess’s A Minecraft Movie wants to invite you into a world of imagination and ingenuity, and Jack Black is your guide! Warner Bros. Pictures debuted the latest trailer for A Minecraft Movie on Tuesday, giving fans of the elaborate exploration and action-oriented franchise a reason to tunnel their way to theaters on April 4, 2025. Audiences concerned about the live-action adaptation’s overall look can rest easy knowing director Jared Hess and his team have taken great care in recreating the world of Minecraft for this unprecedented presentation, and a lot more than Creepers await those who buy the ticket and take the ride.

Here’s the official synopsis for A Minecraft Movie courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures:

“Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft, it’s essential to one’s survival!  Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Momoa), Henry (Hansen), Natalie (Myers) and Dawn (Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination.  To get back home, they’ll have to master this world (and protect it from evil things like Piglins and Zombies, too) while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Black).  Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative…the very skills they need to thrive back in the real world.”

In WB’s A Minecraft Movie trailer, Jack Black plays Steve, a minor whose dreams of tunneling his way to a new world come true unexpectedly. When a group of outsiders – Jason Momoa, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, and Sebastian Eugene Hansen find their way to the mysterious land, they quickly discover they’re the only thing standing between a world of wonders and those aiming to rule it with an iron grip. The trailer highlights the film’s practical sets and effects, playful character chemistry, and Minecraft-specific building methods. Regarding authenticity, A Minecraft Movie is taking great strides to appeal to longtime fans of the franchise.

What do you think about Jared Hess’s A Minecraft Movie trailer? Let us know in the comments section below.

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The creative world of Minecraft is coming to a theater near you on April 4, 2025, starring Jack Black, Jason Momoa, and more for an adventure based on the beloved game fueled by exploration and imagination. When Warner Bros. shared its first look at A Minecraft Movie, reactions were less than kind. Thankfully, today’s Behind-the-Scenes video offers a broader look at the live-action adaptation, quelling some of our concerns. Today’s Behind-the-Scenes video for A Minecraft Movie follows the cast and crew into a colorful world teeming with wonders and danger. I hope today’s unique look at the film gives fans more of what they expect from such an open-ended adaptation.

Here’s the official synopsis for A Minecraft Movie courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures:

“Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft, it’s essential to one’s survival!  Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Momoa), Henry (Hansen), Natalie (Myers) and Dawn (Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination.  To get back home, they’ll have to master this world (and protect it from evil things like Piglins and Zombies, too) while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Black).  Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative…the very skills they need to thrive back in the real world.”

In the Behind-the-Scenes video for A Minecraft Movie, Emma Myers (Wednesday), Jack Black (Nacho Libre), Danielle Brooks (Orange is the New Black), Jason Momoa (Fast X), director Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite), and others emphasize that the title of the films is A Minecraft Movie, not The Minecraft Movie. In other words, the film is one interpretation of the Minecraft property and does not serve as a definitive take on the ever-expanding universe.

In the video, Jack Black explains that his character, Steve, has dreamed about exploring a world like Minecraft since childhood. Meanwhile, Jason Momoa offers more information about his character, Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison, a competitive video game player from the 1980s. Garrett hasn’t moved on from when he was the “King of Kong,” but he’s about to put his skills to the test when he finds himself in the Minecraft Universe. Sebastian Eugene Hansen’s character, Eugene, is a modder who manipulates code to introduce new rules and mechanics to the game.

The Behind-the-Scenes video for A Minecraft Movie also includes detailed looks at the villains, including zombies, skeletons, and the Creepers. As the stars and crew take us around the set, we see how faithful Hess and his team are to recreating the Minecraft Universe in live-action. This video is a much better showing than the previous trailer. Speaking of trailers, a new trailer for A Minecraft Movie drops tomorrow!

How do you think A Minecraft Movie is shaping up? Has the new video swayed your opinion of the movie? Let us know in the comments section below.

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