After a career filled with iconic roles in both cult classics and indie films, Kirsten Dunst is poised to shift gears and embrace more commercially viable projects. The 43-year-old actress, known for her performances in films like The Virgin Suicides and the Spider-Man trilogy, has recently gravitated towards indie productions, including Civil War (2024), The Power of the Dog (2021), and The Beguiled (2017). However, Dunst is now expressing a desire to “make a movie where I don’t lose money,” as she shared in a recent cover story with Town & Country.
Future Projects and Aspirations
Dunst has several projects in the pipeline, including a mermaid fantasy alongside Mikey Madison from Anora, as well as a collaboration with director Sofia Coppola. Yet, she has her sights set on another blockbuster, revealing her interest in a potential sequel to the highly successful A Minecraft Movie. This interest is not only fueled by her sons with Breaking Bad star Jesse Plemons, who adored the first film, but also by the financial prospects that such a role would bring.
A Minecraft Movie, which features a star-studded cast including Jason Momoa, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, and Sebastian Eugene Hansen, follows a group of misfits who are transported into a fantastical cubic world. With the guidance of a crafter played by Jack Black, they embark on a whimsical quest to find their way back home. Released in April, the film has achieved remarkable success, grossing approximately 5.1 million globally, as reported by Box Office Mojo. It currently leads the 2025 domestic box office with earnings of 3,949,195, and ranks third worldwide, trailing only Lilo & Stitch and China’s animated feature Ne Zha II.
Despite its box office triumph, A Minecraft Movie received a lukewarm critical response. Clarisse Loughrey of The Independent described the film as “underwhelming,” criticizing it for its flawed adaptation of the beloved video game. She remarked, “There’s a through line, buried in here somewhere, about how it’s harder to be creative, easier to destroy. Unfortunately, A Minecraft Movie proves its own point. Creativity took too much effort. Easier to destroy the spirit of the video game instead,” ultimately awarding the film a two-star rating.
In contrast, audience reception has been significantly more favorable, with the film holding an 85 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, despite a critic rating of only 48 percent. This disparity highlights the film’s appeal to viewers, even as critics remain divided.
