Universal and Illumination’s “Minions & Monsters” led the North American box office on Friday, earning an estimated US$16 million from 4,243 theatres as it kicked off the Independence Day holiday weekend.
The animated sequel is projected to collect US$39.5 million over the three-day weekend, bringing its domestic total to approximately US$64 million following its July 1 release. Internationally, the film is expected to add around US$87 million by Sunday, giving Universal a strong global start.
The “Despicable Me” franchise has consistently delivered major box office returns. “Despicable Me 4” grossed US$972 million worldwide in 2024, while “Minions: The Rise of Gru” earned US$940 million globally in 2022. The original “Minions” remains the franchise’s highest-grossing instalment, with worldwide earnings of US$1.15 billion.
Set in the 1920s, “Minions & Monsters” follows the mischievous yellow characters as aspiring filmmakers searching for terrifying creatures to feature in their monster movie. The voice cast includes Pierre Coffin, Trey Parker, Allison Janney, Christoph Waltz, Jeff Bridges, Jesse Eisenberg, Zoey Deutch, Bobby Moynihan, and Phil LaMarr. Coffin also co-directed the film with Patrick Delage and co-wrote the screenplay with Brian Lynch.
Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5” secured second place, taking in US$13 million on Friday during its third weekend in cinemas. It is expected to earn US$32 million over the weekend, lifting its North American total to roughly US$367 million. The film still trails its predecessor, “Toy Story 4”, which surpassed US$1 billion worldwide.
Angel Studios’ “Young Washington” debuted in third place with an estimated US$7.4 million on Friday and is projected to reach US$16 million by the end of the weekend. The historical drama follows a young George Washington during the Revolutionary War before he became the first president of the United States. William Franklyn-Miller stars in the title role alongside Mary-Louise Parker, Leo Hanna, Mia Rodgers, Kelsey Grammer, Andy Serkis, and Ben Kingsley.
Warner Bros. and DC’s “Supergirl” finished fourth after collecting US$3.6 million on Friday. Weekend estimates place the superhero film at US$8.7 million, marking a steep 76% decline from its US$37.1 million domestic debut the previous weekend. Earlier reports suggested the film could conclude its theatrical run with around US$200 million globally, well below its reported production and marketing costs.
Rounding out the top five was Steven Spielberg’s “Disclosure Day”, which earned US$2.2 million on Friday and is expected to finish the weekend with about US$5.5 million. After four weekends in theatres, the sci-fi thriller is projected to surpass US$104 million at the North American box office.
