Illumination and Universal's Minions & Monsters has opened to a $63.5 million 5-day North American debut, the lowest in franchise history. The July 4th weekend was expected to be a triumphant homecoming for the beloved animated franchise. The numbers, however, told a quieter story than the studio had anticipated. The question now is whether the little yellow guys still have a trick up their sleeve.

While the opening weekend delivered a clear No. 1 finish, the gap between projections and reality was wider than anyone at Illumination had hoped.

The little yellow guys have dominated box offices for over a decade, building a $5.6 billion global empire along the way, yet Minions & Monsters earned a 5-day North American total of $63.5 million, significantly below the projected $80 million (via Deadline). The Pierre Coffin-directed seventh installment opened on Wednesday across 4,243 theaters, pulling in a 3-day figure of $38.5 million. Tracking forecasts had placed estimates anywhere between $60 million and $90 million, suggesting exhibitors sensed the uncertainty early. The film cost a net $85 million before global marketing spend.

The previous 3-day record low for the franchise was set by the original Despicable Me in 2010, which earned $56.3 million in inflation-adjusted terms. This is also the third time Universal has launched a Despicable Me title over the July 4th Wednesday window, following Despicable Me 2 at $143 million in 2013 and Despicable Me 4 at $122.6 million in 2024. Friday alone brought in $16 million, a 48% jump from Thursday, marking the film's single strongest domestic day yet.

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As Minions & Monsters lands at the bottom of the franchise's domestic rankings, here is how every film in the lineup stacks up.

The Despicable Me and Minions universe spans seven films across 16 years, with Despicable Me (2010) widely regarded as the emotional and creative peak of the series. Despicable Me 2 (2013) became a global phenomenon, while Minions (2015) crossed $1.15 billion on a $74 million budget. Despicable Me 3 (2017) and Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) both crossed or approached the billion-dollar mark internationally.

Despicable Me 4 (2024) delivered a 5-day opening of $122.6 million, making Minions & Monsters the franchise's softest domestic launch by a considerable margin. Notably, the new film carries the franchise's best-ever critical score at 90% certified fresh, alongside an A- CinemaScore. With 69 international territories now in play and overseas sales historically accounting for 60% or more of franchise revenue, the final global picture for Minions & Monsters may look very different from its opening weekend.

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What are your thoughts on Minions & Monsters earning the franchise's lowest domestic debut yet? Let us know in the comments.