Minecraft Movie Hits $500M, Nears $1B with Memes

Warner Bros.’ A Minecraft Movie has surged past the $500 million mark at the global box office, marking a major milestone for the highly anticipated video game adaptation.

Directed by Jared Hess and starring Jack Black as Steve, the film continued its impressive theatrical run over its second weekend, drawing massive crowds and contributing to its growing financial success. With no signs of slowing down, the movie is steadily inching closer to the coveted $1 billion threshold. To date, it has earned $278,864,857 domestically and $273,800,000 internationally, bringing its total worldwide earnings to $552,664,857 (via Box Office Mojo).

Prior to its release, there was uncertainty about how A Minecraft Movie would perform commercially. However, fan enthusiasm quickly picked up steam thanks to memorable lines teased in trailers—most notably those delivered by Jack Black’s iconic portrayal of Steve. Quotes like “I… am Steve,” “Flint and Steel,” and “Chicken Jockey” spread rapidly across social media, fueling viral excitement around the film. Despite mixed critical reception (we awarded it a 6/10), the movie’s meme-worthy moments have undeniably contributed to its blockbuster performance.

The film’s theatrical journey has been anything but ordinary. From the very first weekend, moviegoers transformed screenings into high-energy events filled with cheers, spontaneous popcorn tosses, and even live chickens brought into theaters in tribute to one of the film’s most talked-about scenes. The overwhelming public response prompted Jack Black himself to step in and assist one theater in preparing for the chaos.

A Minecraft Movie now outperforms several popular video game adaptations such as Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Pokémon Detective Pikachu, and Uncharted at the box office—and the gap continues to widen. While it still trails behind Nintendo and Illumination’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which grossed over $1.36 billion globally (via Box Office Mojo), Minecraft has already surpassed the opening weekend numbers of that record-breaking release.

With momentum firmly on its side and audiences continuing to flock to theaters, A Minecraft Movie is well-positioned to challenge even the biggest names in the video game movie space. Whether or not it can dethrone Mario remains to be seen—but right now, the blocky underdog is building fast.