Jack Black’s A Minecraft Movie Beats His Super Mario Bros. Movie to Set New Box Office Record

Costarring Jason Momoa, the film reached new levels with $157 million in its opening weekend, making it the largest opening ever for a video-game movie

A Minecraft Movie just leveled up the box office in a huge way.

The film, starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa, broke the box-office record for largest opening weekend ever for a video-game movie adaptation during its recent debut, with $157 million domestically and $301 million globally, according to Box Office Mojo.

The huge opening surpassed that of another Black-starring blockbuster: 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which raked in a massive $146 million during its opening weekend in North America. At the time, that film made history as the biggest debut for a video game movie, a record A Minecraft Movie surpassed.

A Minecraft Movie’s success comes amid quite the weekend of milestones for Black, 55, who also returned to host Saturday Night Live for the first time in 20 years.

The actor and singer first appeared on the legendary NBC sketch show alongside his Tenacious D bandmate and longtime friend Kyle Gass, as the musical guest during a May 1998 episode.

A Minecraft Movie follows Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Momoa, 45), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers) and Dawn (Danielle Brooks), all struggling with ordinary problems when they travel through a portal to the Overworld where they meet expert crafter Steve (Black).

To return home, the foursome must master their new world where “creativity doesn’t just help you craft, it’s essential to one’s survival” against evil things like Piglins and Zombies, per a synopsis.

Jennifer Coolidge, Kate McKinnon and Jemaine Clement are also among the supporting cast in A Minecraft Movie, which is directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre).

While talking to Nerdtropolis in May 2024, Hess, 45, said working with Black again after 2006’s Nacho Libre was “so much fun,” adding, “It is so bananas. He’s unbelievable in the film.”

As for the future of the Super Mario Bros. Movie franchise, a second film is set for release in 2026 and will feature “a bright and fun story,” read a statement on Nintendo’s X account in March 2024.

Black told PEOPLE in 2023 that signing on to play “the coolest character” in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Bowser, was “an insta no-brainer,” considering he has “always been a fan of the original Nintendo Universe” — particularly Donkey Kong in his childhood.

Asked who is the biggest gamer in the star-studded cast — which also includes Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor-Joy, Seth Rogen, Keegan-Michael Key and more — Black said he’s “a gamer to the core” but might be outdone by another in particular.

“Chris Pratt, no slouch. He plays a lot. And he has an encyclopedic knowledge of the Nintendo universe. I was impressed,” the School of Rock actor told PEOPLE. “But yeah, I think me and Chris have the gamer trophies.”

A Minecraft Movie is now playing in theaters.