In a year where Hollywood's most bankable stars have seen their pulling power wane, one actor has quietly delivered not one, but two significant box office openings. Against the odds, Jack Black has emerged as a surprising cinematic powerhouse in 2025, outshining the likes of Dwayne Johnson and Glen Powell.
The Unlikely Box Office King of 2025
While established A-listers such as Dwayne Johnson and Julia Roberts, alongside newer names like Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney, have struggled to guarantee opening weekend success, audiences have flocked to Jack Black's projects. This is particularly notable given that both his 2025 star vehicles – The Minecraft Movie and the reboot of Anaconda – are comedies, a genre that has largely fallen out of favour with cinema distributors and critics alike.
The festive season has seen the release of the new Anaconda, a comedic reimagining of the 1997 cult monster film. Starring alongside Paul Rudd, Black plays a superfan who ventures into the Amazon to remake the original movie, only to encounter a real 25-foot serpent. Despite being torn apart by critics, the film is projected to gross at least $20 million in its US opening weekend. Given its modest budget of $45 million, it is poised to turn a quick profit.
A Track Record of Commercial Success
This follows the staggering performance of April's The Minecraft Movie, in which Black starred as a doorknob salesman transported into the video game world. The film went on to earn a colossal $958 million globally. This commercial prowess is a consistent thread in Black's recent career, despite a lack of critical acclaim for his live-action leads since 2017's Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.
His financial reliability is undeniable. The Jumanji reboot and its sequel collectively grossed nearly $2 billion, while last year's Kung Fu Panda 4 added another half-billion to his tally. Even a straight-to-streaming comedy, 2024's Dear Santa, found success as a top-watched title on Paramount+.
Criticism seems irrelevant to his audience's loyalty. The Independent's critic panned his Minecraft performance, yet exit polls revealed that 28% of audiences bought tickets specifically because of Black. In a recent interview with The Times, Black admitted to obsessively tracking box office numbers, calling it a "f***ing fun game" and a "competition".
What Does Black's Appeal Mean for Hollywood?
As Anaconda continues its run through the Christmas break, facing competition from films like Timothée Chalamet's Marty Supreme, Black's unique position becomes clearer. He represents a specific, enduring kind of star power—one built on relatable, comedic everyman energy rather than traditional action-hero glamour. In an era of franchise fatigue, his success suggests a potent formula: genuine, unpretentious fun. Perhaps the solution to Sydney Sweeney's reported box office woes is simpler than anyone thought: pair her with Jack Black and let the money roll in.
Anaconda is in cinemas now.
