The Minions are back in cinemas, and early box office projections suggest they could be heading for another strong opening.
According to Deadline, Minions & Monsters is tracking towards a US$170 million global opening weekend, with around US$90 million expected from international markets and a further US$80 million over the extended five-day Independence Day holiday in North America, if current forecasts hold.
The latest instalment marks the seventh film in Illumination’s Despicable Me and Minions franchise, which has remained one of animation’s most reliable performers since the first film debuted in 2010.
Over the past 16 years, the yellow characters have become one of the studio’s defining properties, with the series collectively earning more than US$5.6 billion at the global box office.
This time, the story takes the Minions to 1920s Hollywood, where their pursuit of movie stardom unleashes monsters that threaten the world. The film follows the familiar mix of slapstick comedy while introducing a fresh setting that blends classic monster movies with the franchise’s trademark humour.
Internationally, the film is expected to draw much of its momentum from markets including the UK, Germany, Mexico and China, alongside territories where it has already begun screening. While sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup could affect attendance in some countries, the film is still forecast to perform strongly across family audiences.
The latest projections also continue a trend for the franchise, which has consistently drawn audiences despite an increasingly crowded animation market. Despicable Me 4 opened to more than US$122 million over five days in 2024, while Minions: The Rise of Gru surpassed US$123 million during its extended Independence Day debut in 2022.
The film is also arriving with some of the strongest critical reception the franchise has seen. At the time of Deadline’s report, Minions & Monsters held a 92% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, suggesting the series may still have room to grow even after seven films.
Whether it reaches the projected US$170 million global debut remains to be seen, but the early outlook points to another strong weekend for one of animation’s most enduring franchises.
