Kids and Video Game Movies: A Growing Trend

The Blockbuster Success of “A Minecraft Movie”

“A Minecraft Movie” has proven to be a significant success, achieving an estimated domestic gross of $344 million and a worldwide total of $720 million after just three weeks in cinemas.

This performance positions the film as the highest-grossing movie of the year to date, and the second most successful video game adaptation in cinematic history.

Breaking the Video Game Movie Curse

Following the substantial success of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” ($1.36 billion globally) and the continued popularity of the “Sonic the Hedgehog” franchise, it appears the long-standing “video game adaptation curse” in Hollywood has been overcome.

An anonymous studio executive revealed to the Financial Times that video games are now considered “the next frontier of IP to be explored,” surpassing comic books in potential.

The Importance of Fan Service

The executive further stated that mirroring the evolution of superhero films, particularly the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the key to a successful video game movie lies in “fan service.”

This entails remaining faithful to the game’s characters, setting, and paying close attention to detail.

Trends in Successful Adaptations

Notably, the most commercially successful game-to-movie adaptations have been geared towards younger audiences, such as “Minecraft” (based on the 2011 Mojang Studios sandbox game) and “Super Mario.”

Conversely, adaptations aimed at adult viewers – including “Fallout” and “The Last of Us” – have found success through streaming platforms and television.

Viral Marketing and Audience Engagement

“A Minecraft Movie” also benefited from a viral trend on TikTok, where viewers engaged in enthusiastic reactions – including screaming, jumping, and throwing popcorn – during a pivotal scene featuring Jack Black’s iconic line, “Chicken jockey!”

While some cinema owners expressed reservations about this #GentleMinions-like behavior, the filmmakers embraced it.

Director Jared Hess commented to Entertainment Weekly that the enthusiasm was welcome, even if it occasionally attracted the attention of law enforcement.

This phenomenon transformed attending a screening of “A Minecraft Movie” into a unique and memorable event.

Box Office Performance and Sequel Potential

The film was briefly displaced from the top of the box office charts by the original horror film “Sinners” this past weekend.

However, “Minecraft” still generated an estimated $41.3 million domestically during its third weekend, indicating continued growth in its overall earnings.

Warner Bros., the studio behind both “Minecraft” and “Sinners,” is reportedly considering a sequel.

Jesse Ehrman, President of Development and Production, told the FT that, given the enthusiastic response from fans, they are hopeful about developing a continuation of the story.