The overwhelming success of A Minecraft Movie reinstates Jack Black as the king of video game movies following a major box office misstep last year. Joined by the rest of A Minecraft Movie‘s popular cast, the actor is now riding the wave of a pop culture phenomenon as both young audiences and longtime fans of the game flock to theaters and take to social media. While Black’s casting was initially met with skepticism, the film’s mᴀssive reception proves he was the perfect choice to lead this ambitious franchise launch.

Notably, A Minecraft Movie broke a box office record on its opening day and is set to see more achievements throughout its theatrical run. This echoes Jack Black’s other video game movie roles, effectively bringing back the mᴀssive success that accompanied his portrayal of Bowser in 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie. With director Jared Hess already expressing interest in A Minecraft Movie sequel, Black’s role not only redeems his 2024 video game adaptation flop but also sparks conversation about why this previous project failed so spectacularly.

A Minecraft Movie Gives Jack Black His Second Record-Breaking Video Game Movie At The Box Office

A Minecraft Movie’s Box Office Mirrors The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s Success

Black once again proves how great he is at the helm, as A Minecraft Movie‘s early box office numbers make it the highest-grossing debut of 2025. The beloved actor is now on track to break yet another video game movie record, remarkably becoming a key figure in two of the most successful live-action adaptations of major gaming IPs. Notably, Black voiced Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie based on Nintendo’s top-selling franchise. Now, he reaches even higher, taking center stage as the lead in A Minecraft Movie, the cinematic debut of the best-selling video game of all time.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie still holds the crown as the highest-grossing video game adaptation, garnering a staggering $1.361 billion worldwide and far outpacing its closest compeтιтors. However, A Minecraft Movie is rapidly climbing the ranks, having outperformed The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s three-day opening. At the time of writing, A Minecraft Movie‘s worldwide box office is at $301 million between international and domestic gains, officially redeeming Black’s 2024 misfire and setting him up for yet another stellar run in the world of video game cinema.

Jack Black Couldn’t Replicate Minecraft & Super Mario Bros.’ Success With Borderlands Last Year

Borderlands Is Known As One Of The Worst Video Game Adaptations Ever

Although A Minecraft Movie initially drew comparisons to Black’s 2024 box office flop, it has now saved the actor from repeating a similar fate. While average audiences did enjoy Black’s performance as Claptrap in Borderlands, the role still falls short of ranking among his most iconic characters. In fact, the success of A Minecraft Movie — paired with The Super Mario Bros. Movie — makes the failure of Borderlands even more surprising. Notably, all three adaptations benefit from Black’s signature humor and scene-stealing charisma, and bring one of the best-selling video game franchises to the big screen.

While Borderlands‘ $115 million budget surpᴀssed The Super Mario Bros. Movie, it garnered a poor $33 million, with some critics calling it the worst video game adaptation ever made. Lionsgate’s response to Borderlands‘ failure suggests the studio means to learn from the experience. Additionally, A Minecraft Movie is already giving some hints about how to approach an adaptation of a beloved game correctly. If the top-grossing video game movies have taught the industry anything, it’s that while star-studded casting can help, it’s far from the only ingredient needed for box office success.

The Key Reason Borderlands Failed While Minecraft & Mario Broke Records

Borderlands Changed The Games’ Essence & Beloved Aspects Instead Of Celebrating Them

Borderlands failed because of its departure from the core elements and themes that made people fans of the Gearbox Software franchise. Mainly, the film lost the games’ original tone by turning an R-rated, irreverent shooter into a PG-13 blockbuster. Additionally, fans criticized the casting choices, arguing that key characters were misrepresented, while the movie failed to flesh out their stories and game dynamics. Even Black’s portrayal as Claptrap was said to be an insult to his game counterpart, speaking plenty of Borderlands‘ failure to capture the games’ essence.

While The Super Mario Bros. Movie and A Minecraft Movie make changes to the games, they preserve the heart of their source material. In The Super Mario Bros. Movie, fans find the beloved game characters going on a rescue mission that feels familiar and true to the franchise. Alternatively, though featuring mostly original characters, A Minecraft Movie‘s Easter eggs successfully tap into players’ nostalgia and love for the game’s immersive world. Ultimately, both films also give Black space to embody something fresh — like his unforgettable Bowser ballad and now his iconic rendition of creative Steve in A Minecraft Movie.

Sources: Box Office Mojo