Box Office: A Minecraft Movie faces mixed reviews as Warner Bros. lifts embargo; Headed for strong debut regardless

Warner Bros. has lifted the review embargo for A Minecraft Movie, revealing a mixed critical reception. Despite this, strong pre-sales suggest the long-awaited video game adaptation is still on track for a solid debut as it hits theaters tomorrow, April 4.

Early verdicts indicate a divided response, with the film holding a 51 percent approval rating from 39 reviewers. While some praise its chaotic charm and humor, others dismiss it as a soulless corporate adaptation that fails to capture the magic of the beloved sandbox game.

Starring Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Coolidge, and more, A Minecraft Movie follows four misfits who get transported into an unknown cubic world. As they struggle to navigate the strange landscape, they team up with an expert crafter named Steve to embark on an adventure that must end with their return home. Directed by Jared Hess and written by a team including Chris Bowman, Hubble Palmer, and Allison Schroeder, the film blends fantasy, action, and comedy elements.

A Minecraft Movie’s road to the screen has been long and filled with creative challenges. Initially announced in 2014, the film saw multiple directors attached, including Shawn Levy, Rob McElhenney, and Peter Sollett, before Hess ultimately came on board. Writers Kieran and Michele Mulroney, Jason Fuchs, Aaron and Adam Nee, and Schroeder contributed to various iterations of the script. Legendary Entertainment joined the production in 2022, kickstarting the filming in New Zealand in early 2024, which wrapped in mid-April of the same year.

Reflecting on A Minecraft Movie’s early critical reception once again, the film has outperformed other video game adaptations like Five Nights at Freddy’s, which scored 32 percent positive reviews, and Uncharted, which charmed 41 percent of total reviewers. It, however, fell short of more successful titles like Sonic the Hedgehog (64%), Detective Pikachu (68%), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (69%), and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (85%).

Critics collectively agree that the film provides laughs and some lighthearted entertainment, but it may not offer much to those unfamiliar with the game.

The film premiered at the Empire, Leicester Square in London on March 30, 2025, and has already debuted in Middle Eastern markets.

A Minecraft Movie is expected to gross USD 55 to USD 75 million domestically and about the same amount internationally in its opening weekend, despite competition from another family-friendly entry, Snow White, which has been in theaters for two weeks now.

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