\n\tIndependence Day falls on a Saturday this year \u2014 the last time being in 2020 during Covid, when theaters were closed, but then previously in 2009 \u2014 and whenever that happens in a normal box office year it shifts dollars around the weekend: read Minions & Monsters\u2018 most notable grossing days should be opening day Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.<\/p>\n
\n\tJust when you think audiences have tired of the \u201cbanana\u201d guys, they defy expectations and prove that this animated franchise isn\u2019t becoming extinct a la 20th Century Fox\u2019s previous Ice Age (which is actually getting a revival with a new movie<\/a> next year). The most recent Ice Age movie, 2016\u2019s Collision Course, melted down to $21.3M opening.<\/p>\n \n\tMinions and Despicable Me have stayed strong: 2024\u2019s Despicable Me 4 opened to a $75M 3-day and $122.6M over five days stateside back in 2024, while 2022\u2019s Minions: The Rise of Gru did $107M 3-day and $123M over four (July 4th falling on a Monday). Combined, the Despicable Me and Minions movies have reaped $5.6 billion at the global box office and hundreds of millions more in merchandise. Minions and Despicable Me 3 each finaled at $1 billion-plus at the global box office, with three other movies reaching near-billion levels (well north of $900M+ WW).<\/p>\n \n\tRELATED: 21 Theatrical And Streaming Movies To Look Forward To This Summer<\/a><\/p>\n \n\tSo far, Minions & Monsters is the best reviewed one in the Gru-and-little-guys series at 92% fresh from 49 reviews at the time of this post. The pic tells the story of how the Minions conquered Hollywood in the 1920s, became movie stars, lost everything, unleashed monsters onto the world and then banded together to try and save the planet from the mayhem they had just created.\u202f\u00a0Some parts of the film are displayed in a light shade (similar to sepia, just multi-light colored). Oscar-nominated filmmaker Pierre Coffin, the voice of the Minions, directs. He was behind the first three DM movies and the first Minions movie.<\/p>\n \n\tThe voiceover cast includes Allison Janney, Christoph Waltz, Jeff Bridges, Jesse Eisenberg, Zoey Deutch (Nouvelle Vague), South Park co-creator Trey Parker,\u00a0Saturday Night Live\u00a0alum Bobby Moynihan and King of the Hill\u2018s Phil LaMarr.<\/p>\n \n\tStrongest territories will be UK, Latin America (especially Mexico) and Germany (where Minions & Monsters has taken in a great $824K in Saturday previews, ranking No. 1 for the day). It\u2019s between Mexico and the UK in regards to the pic\u2019s biggest offshore market for the sequel. But the World Cup will impact grosses in Mexico: There\u2019s a game today, but if the country wins, they\u2019ll advance to the round of 16 starting Sunday. Brazil also has a World Cup game on Sunday against Norway, which could slow moviegoing there.<\/p>\n \n\tRELATED: 45 Of The Most Anticipated Movies Of 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \n\tChina is a very erratic market for the Illumination franchise: One movie opened to $30M and another to $50M, so it\u2019s always about time and place for any given installment. The upside for Minions & Monsters here is that they\u2019ll have summer holidays on their side with families in the Middle Kingdom.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tWilliam Franklyn-Miller in \u2018Young Washington<\/a>\u2018<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPat Redmond<\/p>\n \n\tAngel Studios, the faith-based label that made a name for itself over the July 4th weekend three years ago with the hit Sound of Freedom ($19.6M 3-day, $184.1M domestic final), has the Jon Erwin-directed Young Washington starring William Franklyn-Miller as the Father of Our Country as well as Ben Kingsley, Andy Serkis, Mary-Louise Parker and Kelsey Grammer. Outlook is $15M with historical biopic opening on Friday.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/themes\/pmc-deadline-2019\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.jpg\")
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