\n<\/p>\n
There are no fail-safe formulas in Hollywood, but this one comes close:<\/p>\n
Take an established yet underexploited (or musty) cultural property \u2014 preferably one that stirs strong feelings of nostalgia among young adults \u2014 and add stars playing to type, abundant visual effects and a savvy marketing campaign that makes core fans feel appreciated.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s difficult to pull off, but Legendary Entertainment has done it repeatedly. The most recent example came over the weekend with \u201cA Minecraft Movie<\/a>,\u201d which was made in partnership with Warner Bros. The film sold an astounding $163 million in tickets in North America from Friday through Sunday, according to Warner Bros., which distributed the film in addition to co-producing it. (On Sunday, analysts had estimated $157 million for the weekend.)<\/p>\n Before release, citing advance ticket sales and surveys that track consumer interest, analysts had projected a domestic opening weekend of closer to $80 million. \u201cIt\u2019s an absolute blast to see moviegoers around the world coming together to celebrate their love for Minecraft,\u201d Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, co-chairs of the Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, said in a statement.<\/p>\n \u201cA Minecraft Movie,\u201d a PG-rated comedic fantasy starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa<\/a> and based on the 2009 block-building video game, also scored overseas, where it took in an additional $151 million.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The film cost $150 million to make, not including global marketing costs. Warner Bros. covered 75 percent of the budget. Legendary, which is independently owned, shouldered the balance. Reviews were mixed<\/a>.<\/p>\n 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 \u201cSnow White<\/a>\u201d (Disney) and \u201cMickey 17<\/a>\u201d (Warner Bros.). There were also other underperformers, including a pair of low-budget duds from the once-unstoppable Blumhouse horror studio.<\/p>\n Warner Bros. found a blockbuster in September with \u201cBeetlejuice Beetlejuice<\/a>.\u201d But its performance since then has been dismal, with a gangster movie championed by David Zaslav<\/a>, the chief executive of Warner Bros. Discovery, flatlining last month. Several of the company\u2019s coming films are seen as risks by some theater owners and Warner Bros. Discovery investors, including \u201cSinners,\u201d a $90 million original, R-rated horror thriller set in the 1930s. It arrives on April 18.<\/p>\n Mr. Zaslav has informally met with candidates to replace Mr. De Luca and Ms. Abdy, according to two people with direct knowledge of the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a private process. The talks were earlier reported<\/a> by Bloomberg.<\/p>\n Ms. Abdy and Mr. De Luca declined to comment on their job status. A spokesman for Warner Bros. Discovery said, \u201cThe rumor of an imminent leadership change at the studio is not accurate.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Strong ticket sales for \u201cA Minecraft Movie\u201d could give the embattled executives some breathing room. Ms. Abdy and Mr. De Luca pushed the project into production and oversaw its completion. Warner Bros. also arranged for a major marketing partnership with McDonald\u2019s that generated widespread conversation on TikTok<\/a>, a platform that has become a crucial seat-filling tool for studios and theaters.<\/p>\n But credit for \u201cA Minecraft Movie\u201d also belongs to Legendary.<\/p>\n After struggling for years to come up with the right director, story, structure and tone, Warner Bros. brought on Legendary as a \u201cMinecraft\u201d partner in 2019. A clock was ticking: Microsoft, which owns Mojang, the company behind the game, was growing impatient. In addition to financing, Legendary offered producing prowess.<\/p>\n Mary Parent, Legendary\u2019s vice chairman, ousted the film\u2019s director, Peter Sollett<\/a>, and helped recruit Jared Hess, known for instilling films like \u201cNacho Libre\u201d and \u201cNapoleon Dynamite\u201d with awkward humor, as his replacement. Mr. Momoa (\u201cAquaman\u201d) and the madcap Mr. Black (\u201cJumanji: Welcome to the Jungle\u201d) joined the cast.<\/p>\n \u201cMary and her team reimagined the take, brought on Jared and developed a movie that honors the fans while still being accessible for the general audience,\u201d Josh Grode, Legendary\u2019s chief executive, said in a statement. \u201cThis is a great win for Warner Bros., for Legendary and the theatrical box office.\u201d<\/p>\n Roy Lee, a producer known for \u201cThe Lego Movie,\u201d and Jesse Ehrman, Warner\u2019s president of production, among others, also pushed the film to the finish line.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u201cA Minecraft Movie\u201d is the third time that Legendary has turned challenging source material into broad-audience pay dirt. The company resuscitated King Kong in 2017, resulting in a trilogy that collected $1.6 billion worldwide. Legendary was also the force behind \u201cDune: Part One\u201d (2021) and \u201cDune: Part Two\u201d (2024), which took in $1.1 billion, a feat for films that rely on complex science-fiction lore. \u201cDune: Messiah\u201d is scheduled for release next year.<\/p>\n Warner Bros. released and invested in the Kong movies (which also star Godzilla). Ditto the \u201cDune\u201d franchise.<\/p>\n \u201cA Minecraft Movie\u201d adds to a boom in game-based films. Other successes include Universal\u2019s animated \u201cSuper Mario Bros. Movie\u201d and Paramount\u2019s \u201cSonic the Hedgehog\u201d series. \u201cFive Nights at Freddy\u2019s<\/a>\u201d from Blumhouse and Universal was a surprise sensation in 2023.<\/p>\n According to PostTrak, a research service, about 43 percent of ticket buyers for \u201cA Minecraft Movie\u201d were ages 18 to 24. Children ages 13 to 17 made up 35 percent.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n