Illumination's Minions & Monsters opened to $61 million domestically over the July 4th five-day holiday frame, according to The Wrap. The film debuted across 4,243 North American theaters, landing below Universal's internal projections and setting the lowest domestic opening in the Despicable Me franchise's 16-year history.
The result stands in sharp contrast to recent franchise peaks. Minions: The Rise of Gru earned $123 million over its four-day Fourth of July frame in 2022, and Despicable Me 4 opened to $122 million over a comparable five-day stretch in 2024. Minions & Monsters even falls below the original Despicable Me, which managed $56 million over its traditional three-day opening in 2010.
Critics have been generous. The film holds a 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with director Pierre Coffin drawing praise for a nostalgia-heavy approach built around classic Hollywood monster lore. Audience enthusiasm was cooler: a CinemaScore of A-, a 76% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, and a PostTrak definite recommendation rate of 58% all trailed previous franchise benchmarks.
Internationally, the story reads differently. Minions & Monsters has earned $98 million abroad and $160 million worldwide through opening weekend, against a production budget of just $85 million. The film turns a profit before its second week even begins.
The domestic stumble adds weight to a question the industry has been circling: after seven Despicable Me chapters in 16 years, audiences may be spacing out their returns. The Wrap also noted that America 250 anniversary celebrations may have drawn families away from theaters over the holiday frame. Whether the franchise's international cushion will sustain another chapter, or simply delay the reckoning, remains to be seen.
