EXCLUSIVE: Illumination/Universal‘s Minions & Monsters is posting an estimated $13.75M opening day — that’s without any previews. The Chris Melandandri produced, Pierre Coffin directed animated movie is the seventh title in the Despicable Me and Minions $5.6 billion global grossing franchise, and it’s easily No. 1 for today.
There’s a lot of runway left in the holiday weekend, especially with July 4th falling on a Saturday, the previous times being 2020, 2009 and 2015 when Independence Day fell on a Saturday. Due to holiday activities, typically there’s a falloff in moviegoing on July 4, but other days such as Friday and Sunday will be high for a family film such as Minions & Monsters.
While Minions & Monsters is posting the fourth best opening Wednesday for an animated movie in July behind 2013’s Despicable Me 2 ($35M), 2024’s Despicable Me 4 ($27.2M) and 2009’s Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs ($13.79M), the latest Illumination title is the best reviewed ever in the 16-year old franchise at 90% certified fresh. The tracking forecast for Minions & Monsters was $80M, but exhibitor projections were wide between $60M-$90M. Minions & Monsters cost a net $85M before global P&A spend, we understand.
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Minions & Monsters follows the early days of Gru’s little henchman in the 1920s heyday of Hollywood from their rise and fall and rise again as movie stars, and defenders of Earth against an alien invasion. Minions & Monsters made $10M+ from ten offshore territories last weekend including France, Belgium and France.
Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 5 we hear is No. 2 for Wednesday with $7M-$8M, for a running cume around $326M in its second week.
Among 5-day animated openings over the Independence Day holiday, Despicable Me 2 owns the record at $143M, followed by Despicable Me 4 at $122.6M.
Also opening on Friday is Angel Studios and Wonder Project’s historical biopic, Young Washington starring Andy Serkis, Mary-Louise Parker, Ben Kingsley, Kelsey Grammar and William Franklyn-Miller as the Father of Our Country.
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