(Image Source: Universal Pictures)
The third installment in the "Despicable Me" spin-off series, "Minions & Monsters," saw its opening weekend box office numbers revealed last week, pulling in $61.4 million over the extended five-day U.S. Independence Day holiday. While this figure secured "Minions & Monsters" the top spot at the North American box office for the week, it also marks the second-lowest opening in the entire franchise, surpassing only the original "Despicable Me," which debuted with $56.39 million.
(Image Source: Universal Pictures)
In comparison to its two most recent predecessors, the second spin-off, "Minions: The Rise of Gru," opened to $108 million in North America, while the more recent "Despicable Me 4" achieved a robust $122 million. Against "Despicable Me 4," "Minions & Monsters" saw its opening weekend revenue drop by more than half. Looking solely at the first three days of its North American release, "Minions & Monsters" garnered just $36.4 million, falling even below the original "Despicable Me."
Internationally, "Minions & Monsters" added another $98 million, bringing its global opening week total to approximately $159 million. This figure remains notably lower than "The Rise of Gru"'s $202 million global debut. Despite the softer start, "Minions & Monsters" is not expected to incur a loss, with a production budget of only $85 million, ensuring it will still turn a profit, albeit potentially a smaller one compared to the previous six films in the franchise.