'A Minecraft Movie': What you need to know about the surprise smash

Since its debut last Friday, "A Minecraft Movie" has broken multiple box-office records and spawned a fan mania not seen since "Barbie." The Warner Bros. release is also becoming a bit of a problem, as young audiences have gotten so disruptive that one theater in New Jersey is banning unaccompanied children from screenings. If you’re planning on buying a ticket this weekend, here’s what you should know about the film:

WHAT IS MINECRAFT?

Minecraft is a Swedish video game first published in 2011 by Mojang Studios. Known as a "sandbox game" for its free-form game play, it revolves around a character named Steve who can "craft" structures out of elements such as dirt and stone, and who interacts with creatures such as villagers, sheep and monsters. In an era of sophisticated video graphics, Minecraft's crude, blocky aesthetic has been an unlikely hit. Microsoft bought the rights in 2014 for $2.5 billion; it’s reportedly the bestselling video game of all time.

WHAT’S THE MOVIE ABOUT?

Jack Black plays an office worker named Steve who is accidentally transported into the world of Minecraft. Years later, he’s joined by orphaned siblings Henry (Sebastian Hansen) and Natalie (Emma Myers), a real estate agent named Dawn (Danielle Brooks) and the washed-up gaming champion Garrett (Jason Momoa). Together, they must defeat the evil Malgosha, a boar-like creature who wants to control the Minecraft universe. The director is Jared Hess ("Napoleon Dynamite") and the score is by Mark Mothersbaugh, of the band Devo.

IS IT ANY GOOD?

Critics generally did not like it. Reviews have ranged from "ghastly" to "cheerfully mad," but the movie’s overall critics’ score at Rotten Tomatoes is a low 48%. Audience reviews have notched a respectable 88%.

IS IT A HIT?

Yes, and bigger than anyone expected. "A Minecraft Movie" marked the biggest opening weekend of the year ($163 million, more than double most industry predictions), the biggest opening for a video game movie (surpassing 2023’s "The Super Mario Bros. Movie") and the biggest Sunday haul of any Warner Bros. movie (outpacing "Barbie"), according to Deadline. So far, the film has made more than $310 million worldwide, according to BoxOfficeMojo.

WHAT’S A 'CHICKEN JOCKEY'?

In the game, it’s a rarely seen combination of a zombified creature riding a chicken. In the movie, one pops up to fight Momoa’s character in a boxing ring. This moment has caused some chaos: A TikTok video that was posted Sunday shows an audience erupting in cheers and throwing popcorn after Black utters the words "chicken jockey." Social media posts from other theaters also show fans cheering and yelling at the screen at various times. In New Jersey, disruptive behavior has led the Township Theatre in Washington Township, Bergen County, to ban unaccompanied minors from seeing the film. 

SHOULD MY CHILDREN SEE IT?

The movie is rated PG for violence/action, language, suggestive/rude humor and some scary images. So far, there have been no reports of violence or harm at any screenings.

By Rafer Guzmán

rafer.guzman@newsday.com