“Minions & Monsters” opens in North American theaters Wednesday aiming for roughly $80 million over the five-day July 4 holiday frame, according to industry trackers, as Universal and Illumination look to extend one of the most reliable franchises in modern animation.
Forecasts for the seventh “Despicable Me” installment range from $60 million to $90 million domestically, with some analysts eyeing a global opening near $170 million once international box office and 4,000 North American theaters are factored in.
The film marks the third spinoff centered on the yellow, gibberish-speaking sidekicks and finds them, now portrayed as teenagers roughly 16 years into the franchise’s run, stumbling through 1920s Hollywood, becoming movie stars, losing everything and inadvertently unleashing monsters they must then help contain.
Pierre Coffin, who has voiced the Minions and directed earlier entries, returns behind the camera alongside co-director Patrick Delage. The voice cast includes Allison Janney, Christoph Waltz, Jeff Bridges, Jesse Eisenberg and “South Park” co-creator Trey Parker.
Early reviews have been notably strong for the series, with critics pointing to the film’s tribute to communal moviegoing and calling it possibly the franchise’s best outing since the original “Despicable Me.” That reception comes against a softer opening projection than the two most recent entries: 2022’s “Minions: The Rise of Gru” and 2024’s “Despicable Me 4” each launched to roughly $122 million to $123 million over comparable five-day holiday stretches before finishing north of $900 million worldwide.
The new film also arrives into a crowded marketplace. Disney’s “Toy Story 5” continues its run in a third weekend, expected to add $35 million to $45 million after already crossing $300 million domestically. Meanwhile, Warner Bros.’ “Supergirl” is bracing for a steep decline of roughly 60% following a disappointing $37.1 million debut, putting the DC Studios title on pace to lose well over $100 million against its $170 million budget.
Independence Day falling on a Saturday this year complicates typical holiday comparisons, shifting the heaviest ticket sales toward opening day, Friday and Sunday rather than the traditional weekend pattern moviegoers and studios have grown used to.
