Illumination's 'Minions & Monsters' Opens to $64.5M Over Holiday Weekend, Trailing Recent Franchise Entries

Universal and Illumination's 'Minions & Monsters' earned $16 million on Friday from 4,243 North American theaters, topping the Independence Day box office as the animated sequel heads for a $64.5 million five-day domestic opening, according to projections from multiple outlets. The film launched on Wednesday with a $14.23 million opening day, bringing its domestic total to $25 million after two days, and had already accumulated $62.6 million globally by the end of its second day of release, Deadline reported.

Deadline'Minions & Monsters' Earns $62.6M Globally in First Two Days of Release

"The Wednesday opening ranked third among animated July openings behind Despicable Me 2 and Despicable Me 4."

The film's opening weekend performance, while strong enough to lead the holiday frame, falls significantly short of the franchise's most recent installment. Hollywoodoutbreak.com noted that the $64.5 million projected five-day launch is "significantly lower than 'Despicable Me 4's $120 million five-day launch in 2024," providing context for the sequel's relative performance.

hollywoodoutbreak.com'Minions & Monsters' Leads July 4 Box Office with $64.5M Projected Opening; 'Toy Story 5' Holds Strong

Variety reported that the film is projected to earn $39.5 million domestically over the traditional three-day Independence Day weekend, with an additional $87 million expected overseas by Sunday. This would push the North American total to $64 million by the end of the weekend. The film received an A- CinemaScore, and Deadline indicated that business is expected to increase as the holiday period continues.

Variety'Minions & Monsters' Leads Independence Day Box Office with $16 Million Friday Opening

"Universal and Illumination's 'Minions & Monsters' topped the Friday box office with $16 million from 4,243 North American theaters."

With competition from holdovers like 'Toy Story 5' continuing to perform strongly, according to Hollywoodoutbreak.com, 'Minions & Monsters' has nevertheless secured the top spot for the July 4 corridor. The film's global trajectory suggests it will add meaningfully to the Despicable Me franchise's cumulative box office, even if its opening does not match the heights set by its immediate predecessor.