Universal and Illumination may have claimed the No. 1 spot over the Fourth of July weekend, but the celebration wasn’t quite as loud as expected. Minions & Monsters, the newest chapter in the long-running Despicable Me universe, debuted with numbers that fell well below industry expectations despite facing little direct competition from another major animated release. While the family entertainer still attracted audiences, its opening has sparked fresh discussion about whether one of Hollywood’s biggest animation franchises is finally starting to lose momentum after more than a decade on the big screen.
The animated prequel collected an estimated $36 million across the traditional Friday-to-Monday holiday frame from more than 4,200 North American theaters. Including its Wednesday launch, the domestic total reached around $61 million. Before the holiday weekend began, industry tracking suggested the film could comfortably cross the $80 million mark during the extended frame, making the final result a noticeable disappointment for Universal.
A Winning Weekend That Still Raises Questions
Although Minions & Monsters finished first at the domestic box office, its debut represents the weakest opening in the entire Despicable Me franchise. Even the original 2010 film, which first introduced Gru and the beloved yellow Minions, earned a stronger opening weekend despite arriving before the franchise became a global phenomenon. Considering the series has consistently delivered billion-dollar success and reliable family audiences, this softer debut stands out as one of the franchise’s biggest surprises.
Many analysts believe the holiday calendar played a role in slowing ticket sales. With Independence Day falling on a Saturday this year, many families reportedly spent their weekend attending celebrations, barbecues and fireworks instead of heading to theaters. Even so, industry observers believe the holiday alone cannot fully explain why the newest installment opened dramatically below Minions: The Rise of Gru and Despicable Me 4, both of which crossed the $120 million mark during comparable Independence Day release periods.
The comparison becomes even more noticeable because families did not completely avoid cinemas. Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 remained a major attraction during its third weekend, earning another $31 million domestically. The sequel has now reached $366 million across North America while approaching $764 million worldwide, proving that family audiences are still willing to buy tickets when excitement remains high.
Strong Reviews Can’t Hide Signs Of Franchise Fatigue
One encouraging sign for Universal is that audiences have responded warmly after actually watching the movie. Minions & Monsters has earned excellent audience scores along with strong reviews from critics, suggesting positive word of mouth could help the film maintain steady business throughout the summer holidays. Unlike some front-loaded blockbusters that disappear after opening weekend, family films often enjoy longer theatrical runs thanks to school vacations and repeat viewings.
International markets have also provided a major boost. The animated adventure added roughly $86 million overseas during the weekend, lifting its worldwide total to nearly $160 million after only a few days in release. Produced on an estimated $85 million budget, the film still appears well positioned to become profitable if overseas markets continue performing strongly in the coming weeks.
Still, several box office analysts believe the softer opening reflects a bigger issue rather than a single disappointing weekend. After seven films released over sixteen years, audiences may simply be showing early signs of franchise fatigue. Unlike Pixar’s Toy Story series, which releases sequels only after long gaps, the Despicable Me universe has delivered new installments every couple of years, making the characters feel less like special events and more like regular yearly releases.
Supergirl Stumbles While New Releases Find Mixed Success
Elsewhere, Warner Bros. and DC suffered another difficult weekend as Supergirl dropped an estimated 74% in only its second weekend. After opening modestly last week, the superhero adventure has now earned roughly $58.5 million domestically and just over $100 million worldwide. Considering its reported production budget of around $170 million, the film now faces an increasingly difficult path toward profitability and could eventually become one of the year’s biggest theatrical disappointments.
The performance also highlights an ongoing trend inside the superhero genre. Well-known icons like Superman and Spider-Man continue attracting massive audiences, while films built around less familiar comic book characters have struggled to generate similar excitement. With Spider-Man: Brand New Day arriving later this month, studios will be watching closely to see whether recognizable superheroes remain the safest bet for comic book movies.
One of the weekend’s pleasant surprises came from Young Washington, which opened with an impressive $20.8 million. Released strategically around America’s Independence Day celebrations, the historical drama connected strongly with its intended audience despite receiving mixed reviews from critics. The faith-based release earned excellent audience scores, giving it a solid chance of maintaining healthy box office numbers in the weeks ahead.
Meanwhile, A24’s comedy The Invite continued building positive momentum during its limited theatrical release before expanding nationwide later this week. Paramount’s Jackass: Best and Last experienced another steep decline after its disappointing opening, making it likely to become the lowest-grossing film in the franchise despite its relatively modest production budget.
Despite this quieter holiday frame, Hollywood’s overall summer box office remains in much better shape than previous post-pandemic years. Total ticket sales continue running comfortably ahead of last year, although still below pre-pandemic levels. The coming weeks could quickly restore momentum as Disney’s live-action Moana, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day prepare to arrive in theaters, giving cinemas several major opportunities to finish July on a much stronger note.
