critical reception Archives

AppWizard

May 2, 2025

‘The Minecraft Movie’ Tops $825 Million As Biggest Blockbuster Of 2025

The Minecraft Movie has grossed over million as it heads into the weekend, solidifying its position as a leading film in 2025. In its fourth weekend, it has earned more than 0 million globally, with approximately million from international markets and nearly million from domestic audiences. Projections for the fifth weekend suggest a global take of to million, pushing its total earnings beyond 0 million. The film maintains its position at #5 in the box office rankings after a month of release. The success is attributed to the artistry of the Wētā FX team, effective marketing strategies by Warner Bros., and a balance of tone and pacing that appeals to both fans and general audiences. The film is expected to retain its title as 2025’s highest-grossing film until Jurassic World: Rebirth is released, with potential earnings exceeding 0 million by the end of its theatrical run.

AppWizard

April 30, 2025

A Minecraft Movie continues to print money, and fans can now go to special screenings and be as loud as they please

A Minecraft Movie has earned 6 million globally, with .5 million in the past week, and over half of its earnings coming from international markets. It is currently the top-grossing film of the year, despite trailing behind The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which grossed .3 billion. Warner Bros. will introduce "Block Party Edition" screenings on May 2, encouraging audience engagement. The film has received a mixed critical reception but has an 86% viewer score on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating strong audience appeal.

AppWizard

April 17, 2025

Jared Hess Is Still a Sundance Guy: Why the Smash Hit ‘Minecraft Movie’ Feels a Little Like an Indie Film

Jared Hess, director of “A Minecraft Movie,” admires Robert Eggers’ reinterpretation of “Nosferatu” for its distinct personality and unexpected storytelling elements. Hess gained recognition with “Napoleon Dynamite” at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, which became successful through word-of-mouth. “A Minecraft Movie” has earned over million at the box office after three weekends, significantly surpassing “Napoleon Dynamite's” total earnings. Hess's children served as unofficial consultants during the film's development, contributing to its personal touch. Adapting “Minecraft” posed challenges due to its lack of a traditional narrative, but it also allowed for creative freedom, particularly with the character of Steve. The film was primarily shot in Auckland, New Zealand, and Hess emphasized collaboration with game developers to balance fidelity to the source material with innovative storytelling. Despite mixed critical reception, Hess maintains his comedic style focused on character and story, and he hopes for broader opportunities in Hollywood.

AppWizard

April 17, 2025

StarNotes: ‘A Minecraft Movie’ is much, much worse than we thought

The film "A Minecraft Movie" has a 46% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has sparked a significant increase in meme creation and sharing, particularly among younger audiences. Despite its poor critical reception, it has resonated with its target demographic, leading to a surge of user-generated content that reflects the themes and characters of the "Minecraft" universe. This phenomenon demonstrates how films can influence popular culture through social media and meme culture, regardless of their critical success.

AppWizard

April 12, 2025

‘A Minecraft Movie’: Three Zoomers Dissect How They Really Feel About the Blockbuster

The film "A Minecraft Movie" debuted as a box office success, achieving the largest domestic opening of 2025 and marking a significant milestone for video game adaptations. It has a mixed critical reception, with a 2.8 average rating on Letterboxd and a 48% score on Rotten Tomatoes, contrasted by an 87% audience score. The performances of Jack Black and Jason Momoa were highlighted for their comedic delivery, while the film was criticized for its predictable plot, underutilized talent, and lack of creativity in showcasing Minecraft's crafting elements. Despite its shortcomings, the film has been noted for its entertainment value and ability to engage audiences, particularly through meme culture and nostalgic references to the game.

AppWizard

April 6, 2025

‘A Minecraft Movie’ struck box office gold, debuting at No. 1

“A Minecraft Movie” achieved an impressive million on its opening day and is projected to exceed 5 million by the end of the weekend, marking it as the largest opening of the year to date. The film received harsh criticism from The Post, which described it as “imbecilic green-screen gunk,” “idiotic,” and a “cavern of stupidity.” “The Chosen: Last Supper Part 2” garnered over .8 million, marking a notable moment for faith-based films. “A Working Man” brought in nearly million, featuring Jason Statham and directed by David Ayer. “Disney’s Snow White” earned only .5 million, leading to a pause in the live-action remake of “Tangled.” “The Woman in the Yard,” a psychological horror film, rounded out the top five with a take of .32 million.

AppWizard

April 4, 2025

‘A Minecraft Movie’ Bound For Platinum Box Office Weekend After $7M+ Thursday Previews

Presales for Warner Bros/Legendary's A Minecraft Movie surged this week, with early previews projected to exceed initial estimates. The film, directed by Jared Hess and starring Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Danielle Brooks, and Jennifer Coolidge, has already outperformed previous Sonic the Hedgehog films in preview numbers. A Minecraft Movie has a dedicated fanbase, with 300 million copies sold and nearly 140 million monthly active players. It currently holds a 51% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while Five Nights at Freddy’s, which had a lower critical score, achieved a high audience score. Warner Bros has not commented on the film's opening weekend forecasts.

AppWizard

April 1, 2025

The First Berserker: Khazan

The First Berserker: Khazan is a hardcore action RPG that has received critical acclaim for its intense combat and immersive gameplay. It achieved a perfect score of 100 from screenrant.com, which praised its exceptional gaming experience despite some desires for more weapon types and an open-world environment. Noisypixel.net rated it 90, highlighting thrilling boss fights and diverse level design, while acknowledging weaknesses in narrative depth. Gamingtrend.com and pcmag.com both scored it 80, commending the combat systems and anime aesthetics but noting storytelling and level design shortcomings. Rockpapershotgun.com offered a more critical perspective, describing the plot and level design as uninspiring but recognizing the satisfying combat and challenging boss encounters.

AppWizard

March 28, 2025

Can A Minecraft Movie Be The Next Mario At The Box Office?

"A Minecraft Movie" is set to be released on April 4, 2025, and is projected to have a significant impact at the box office, potentially rivaling major hits like "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," which opened to million in 2023. "Captain America: Brave New World" currently holds the top spot with a debut of 0 million, but its global earnings have plateaued at just over 0 million. "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" is the highest-grossing video game adaptation, surpassing .3 billion globally. "Minecraft," the best-selling video game of all time, has a large and youthful fanbase. Directed by Jared Hess, the film follows four misfits transported to the Overworld and features Jack Black as Steve. The film has a reported budget of around million and will face minimal competition upon release.

AppWizard

March 23, 2025

Assassin’s Creed Shadows hits 2 million players, putting it on track to be the series’ most successful game yet

Assassin's Creed Shadows has gained over 2 million players just three days after its launch, surpassing the launches of AC Origins and Odyssey. It reached 1 million players within the first 24 hours, breaking the record previously held by AC Valhalla. Currently, Shadows has around 60,000 concurrent players, nearing Odyssey's record of 62,069. Ubisoft is in discussions with Tencent for a potential investment in a new intellectual property unit that includes the Assassin's Creed franchise. The game has received approximately 81.7% favorable reviews on Steam, with PC Gamer rating it at 80%.