Looks like we’ll be punching trees and crafting sequels sooner than expected. After A Minecraft Movie smashed past industry expectations at the box office, Warner Bros. Pictures is wasting no time—another installment is already in the works. Studios love money, imagine! Speaking with Deadline, Warner Bros. Pictures co-chairmen and CEOs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy confirmed that a sequel is moving forward fast, following a $350 million haul after just one week of release.

“The ink might not be dry on the deals yet,” De Luca said, “but imminently.” That’s a clear signal that the studio is treating the pixelated mega-hit as a top-tier franchise play, right up there with its surprise Beetlejuice Beetlejuice revival. The film, directed by Jared Hess and starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa, took a concept many thought was unfilmable and turned it into a blockbuster. Despite being in development limbo for over a decade, the movie struck gold—becoming an unexpected tentpole for both WB and its longtime partner Legendary.

According to De Luca, the decision to fast-track Minecraft was a matter of smart timing and long-term vision. “The project was here for 12 years, and had trouble getting made,” he explained. “I think Jesse Ehrman is an unsung hero here… He never didn’t believe in it, and he kept the faith.” Abdy agreed, adding that the credit belongs to the entire team:

“Filmmaking is not a singular achievement by one person. It is an achievement by many people, and everybody deserves to get applauded when something works.”

‘Minecraft’ Is “Nothing But A Good News Story”

In a media landscape where quick judgment can dominate the headlines, the pair were candid about the narrative surrounding their leadership and how a film like Minecraft can reshape the story, particularly when audiences respond as they have.

“It is nothing but a good news story to us,” De Luca said. “Everybody did their jobs, incredibly well… There are many things to celebrate, many people to celebrate.”

Abdy also emphasized how personal the success feels: “We’re not sitting in some tower rubber-stamping stuff… We read every script. We’re in the cutting room. We show up at every test screening. We all made the film.”

With a Minecraft sequel “imminent” and the first film performing like a rare diamond vein in box office territory, Warner Bros. has every reason to keep digging. A Minecraft Movie is playing in theaters now, and will be for quite some time to come.

via Collider