Weekend ticket sales will total at least $140 million, analysts said, about 75 percent more than expected, ending a Hollywood dry spell.
There are no fail-safe formulas in Hollywood, but this one comes close:
Take an established yet underexploited (or musty) cultural property — preferably one that stirs strong feelings of nostalgia among young adults — and add stars playing to type, abundant visual effects and a savvy marketing campaign that makes core fans feel appreciated.
It’s difficult to pull off, but Legendary Entertainment has done it repeatedly. The most recent example came over the weekend with “A Minecraft Movie,” which was made in partnership with Warner Bros. The film was on track to sell an astounding $140 million in tickets in North America from Friday through Sunday, according to box office analysts.
Citing advance ticket sales and surveys that track consumer interest, analysts had projected a domestic opening weekend of closer to $80 million.
“A Minecraft Movie,” a PG-rated comedic fantasy starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa and based on the 2011 video game, also scored overseas, where it was expected to take in an additional $100 million or more, analysts said.
The film cost $150 million to make, not including global marketing costs. Legendary, which is independently owned, covered 25 percent of the budget. Warner Bros. shouldered the balance. Reviews were mixed.
Hollywood in general, and Warner Bros. in particular, badly needed a hit. Box office revenue in the United States and Canada fell 11 percent in the first three months of this year compared with the same period in 2024, in part because of major flops like “Snow White” (Disney) and “Mickey 17” (Warner Bros.). There were also other underperformers, including a pair of low-budget duds from the once-unstoppable Blumhouse horror studio.