Overview
- The animated sequel finished first over the Fourth of July weekend with roughly $36–39.5 million for the Friday–Sunday frame and about $61–65 million over a five‑day opening, marking the lowest domestic launch in the Despicable Me/Minions series.
- International markets delivered the haul the franchise needed, with roughly $85–98 million overseas and a global debut near $159–160 million, keeping the picture on track to recoup its reported $75–85 million production cost.
- Critics gave the film its best franchise reviews (about 90–91% on Rotten Tomatoes) and audiences awarded an A‑ CinemaScore, though PostTrak ‘definite recommend’ metrics were weaker than past entries.
- Industry analysts point to the unusual calendar — the July 4 holiday falling on a Saturday — plus stiff family competition and possible audience oversaturation from frequent franchise releases as the main reasons for softer U.S. demand.
- Studios will lean on strong international legs and franchise recognition to drive profit, and the film’s performance could prompt Universal and Illumination to reconsider release spacing and marketing tactics for future sequels.