A Minecraft Movie crushes the box office, delivering the highest-grossing video game adaptation of all time in New Zealand.

After breaking new ground in gaming over a decade ago, A Minecraft Movie – the film adaptation of one of the best-selling video games – has built itself into a global box office sensation since releasing in cinemas across the world last week.  

In New Zealand, A Minecraft Movie delivered 126,000 admissions over its Thursday to Sunday opening weekend, demonstrating its broad appeal across both families and Gen Z, with 34% of the first weekend’s audience coming from the hard-to-reach P14-24 demographic.  

At the box office, the film earned $2.5 million across its first four days, marking the biggest opening for a video game adaptation ever in New Zealand, and the fourth biggest opening for a PG film of all time, behind only The Lion King, Barbie and Moana 2. 

A Minecraft Movie’s global opening also shattered records worldwide, grossing an impressive $301 million (USD).  

“A Minecraft Movie has delivered a huge blockbuster opening, with strong momentum set to carry through the Easter school holidays, said Matt Tremain, Sales Director of Val Morgan Cinema in New Zealand. 

“As one of the few IPs that was born alongside Gen Z, Minecraft has become an integral part of their culture and the film’s record-breaking opening weekend demonstrates cinema’s exceptional ability to connect with younger audiences. Our latest research with Kantar shows that Cinema holds the highest advertising equity with this demographic which is why brands should be looking to the channel to connect and build positive perceptions.” 

Looking ahead, there is no shortage of titles and strong IP for brands to align with across 2025.  

Mission Impossible 8, How To Train Your Dragon and F1 releasing in May and June, are expected to follow in the footsteps of A Minecraft Movie, resonating with both younger generations and family audiences through their beloved franchise and fanbases. 

“Along with these highly anticipated releases, July will see the arrival of two huge blockbusters, Jurassic World: Rebirth and Superman, both of which are set to captivate a broad audience, offering brands an opportunity to connect with diverse demographics,” said Tremain.  

Source: CineTAM 2025, Numero.