"Minecraft: The Movie" grosses $301 million in its opening weekend

"Minecraft: The Movie" grossed $157 million in the U.S. and $301 million worldwide in its opening weekend. This is the biggest debut for a video game adaptation in the U.S. and the second biggest worldwide. The global leader remains "Super Mario Bros.: The Movie" with $314 million in its opening weekend, Variety reports.

The film received a modest 47% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, but an 87% from audiences. Fans of the game praised the film adaptation for its respect for the game and its community.

For example, the film immortalized the blogger Technoblade, who was known for creating Minecraft content on YouTube and died of cancer in 2022. His symbol was a crowned pig, which also appeared in the film, where Jack Black's character explained that it was part of a local legend.

"When we make films, we all hope they will connect with the culture," says Legendary Entertainment chairman Mary Parent. "But when they do, they take on a life of their own. It’s like lighting dynamite."

Recently, game adaptations have had more successes than failures: Super Mario Bros.: The Movie, Five Nights at Freddy's, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Uncharted: The Uncharted have all grossed significant sums at the box office.