Minecraft Movie blockbuster train continues as it clears $550m
The Jack Black movie is tracking ahead of the likes of Sonic 3 and Detective Pikachu
A Minecraft Movie’s popularity at the global box office continued in its second weekend, with the Jack Black-helmed film clearing $550.6m worldwide.
Of that figure, $269.6M was from outside the US, according to Deadline. Overall, A Minecraft Movie is tracking ahead of the likes of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (+229%), Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (+76%), Sonic 3 (+75%), and Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (+71%).
Minecraft also appears to be ahead of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which managed $508m after nine days (and went on to earn $901m in 21 days, and a total of $1.36bn).
The Minecraft movie surpassed expectations when it debuted earlier this month, with an opening weekend of $157 million in the US – the best ever for a video game adaptation.
Previously, Nintendo and Illumination’s Super Mario Bros. Movie held the record for the largest start for a video game adaptation in the US, at $146 million. However, Mario still has the international record at $377 million (compared to Minecraft’s $301 million).
The Top 5 markets for A Minecraft Movie so far are the UK ($39.8M), China ($20.3M), Germany ($18.9M), Mexico ($18.7M) and Australia ($18.5M).
Minecraft’s debut was more than many market analysts were expecting, especially considering the largely negative reviews from critics: it’s currently rated 49% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
“The film is drawing like a coveted five-quadrant movie, appealing broadly to everyone — younger and older adults, as well as young teens and kids,” said movie consultant David A. Gross.
“Reviews are not good, but these pictures are made for moviegoers, not critics. When a release catches fire like this, it generates its own momentum and you can set aside all projections.”
