First Minions & Monsters Box Office Numbers Point to a Huge Opening

The Minions are back, and their opening day numbers suggest the banana-loving henchmen still have serious box office power. Early domestic and global projections point to a massive Independence Day weekend for the franchise’s seventh installment.

Minions & Monsters’ opening day box office numbers are in

Illumination’s Minions & Monsters posted an estimated $13.75 million on its opening Wednesday, Deadline reports. The seventh installment in the Despicable Me and Minions franchise easily claimed the No. 1 spot. Pierre Coffin directed the film, which had no preview screenings to boost its opening day tally. The animated sequel ranks fourth for the best opening Wednesday for an animated July release.

It trails Despicable Me 2 ($35 million), Despicable Me 4 ($27.2 million), and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs ($13.79 million). Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 5 landed at No. 2 for Wednesday with an estimated $7 million to $8 million. Toy Story 5 pushed its running domestic total to around $326 million in its second week.

How much will Minions & Monsters make on its opening?

Industry tracking places Minions & Monsters at an $80 million five-day domestic debut (via Deadline). Theater chains estimate a broader range of $60 million to $90 million from Wednesday through Sunday. The animated sequel screens across 4,000 locations during the Independence Day holiday window.

Internationally, the film aims to gross roughly $90 million across 59 markets, including the UK, Germany, Mexico, and China. That pace puts Minions & Monsters on track for a $170 million worldwide launch. The Despicable Me and Minions series has collectively earned $5.6 billion globally across six prior entries. Minions & Monsters also carries a 89% Certified Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. That rating stands as the highest in the franchise’s 16-year run.

The sequel carries a net production budget of $85 million before global marketing costs. Angel Studios’ historical biopic Young Washington also arrives Friday, targeting a $15 million opening. Warner Bros.’ Supergirl, however, is staring down a harsh 65% to 70% decline in its sophomore frame. This year’s July 4th lands on a Saturday, likely pushing stronger attendance toward Friday and Sunday.