‘A Minecraft Movie’ Becomes the Year’s Biggest Hit Despite Poor Reviews

‘A Minecraft Movie’ has had the largest 2025 box office opening to date, despite garnering unfavorable reviews.

 With a first weekend total of $301 million worldwide, the April release became the highest-grossing movie since ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ in July 2024.  Based on the popular computer game, the family-friendly adventure, which stars Jason Momoa and Jack Black, centers on a gang of misfits who are taken to the Overworld.  They set out on an exciting adventure there, led by skilled craftsman Steve (played by Black).

In a year that has seen a number of high-profile box office setbacks, its success is a rare bright spot.  Due to negative reviews, movies like Robert De Niro's ‘The Alto Knights’ and Disney's ‘Snow White’ adaptation suffered.  However, ‘A Minecraft Movie’ has drawn sizable crowds in spite of a similarly lackluster reception from critics.

Image Courtesy: aminecraftmovie/ Instagram

 According to critics, the movie lacks originality, and it presently has a 48% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.  It feels more like a commercial for the game than a sincere celebration of its popularity, according to NME's review.  In a similar vein, Dexerto described it as "incredibly weird to watch," while Empire described it as a "hot pink mess."

On the other hand, moviegoers appear to view things differently.  The arrival of the "chicken jockey" persona has sparked a lot of excitement among fans; in fact, some screenings have been so enthusiastic that one theater had to post a notice warning patrons not to hurl popcorn at the screen.

–Farheen Ali