In the midst of the Fourth of July holiday weekend, Despicable Me 4 is expected to achieve a remarkable five-day debut of $120 million. Screening in 4,428 theaters, the latest installment in Illumination and Universal’s animated franchise earned an additional $27 million on Friday. Although it trails behind the previous film, Minions: The Rise of Gru, which set a record with a $123 million domestic opening during the same holiday weekend in 2022, the new film is still poised for significant success.
Despicable Me 4 is projected to have one of the top Friday-to-Sunday earnings of the year, with an estimated $72.4 million. This would make it the fourth-largest domestic opening of 2024, following Inside Out 2 ($154 million), Dune: Part Two ($82 million), and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire ($80 million).
The film’s production cost was $100 million, which is notably lower than the $200 million budgets typical of its competitors like Disney and Pixar. With an “A” grade from Cinema Score, it’s clear that audiences are enjoying this new installment. The Minions continue to be a beloved presence and are expected to draw crowds throughout the summer.
In other box office news, A24’s horror film MaXXXine is projected to earn $7.6 million over the three-day weekend, including previews. This marks a significant increase from director Ti West and star Mia Goth’s previous films, X ($4.2 million) and Pearl ($3.1 million). Positive reviews and a strong cast, including Elizabeth Debicki, Lily Collins, Halsey, Michelle Monaghan, Giancarlo Esposito, and Kevin Bacon, have helped boost interest in this ’80s-set slasher.
Additionally, Angel Studios’ Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trout, a drama about a Texas minister and his church’s involvement in the foster care system, opened this weekend. Although projections are modest at $7 million over four days from 2,200 theaters, it earned approximately $1 million on Friday. Last year, Angel Studios saw immense success with the Fourth of July release Sound of Freedom, but expectations are more reserved for Possum Trout.
Meanwhile, Pixar’s Inside Out 2 remains strong in second place, surpassing $500 million domestically on the Fourth of July. It added $10.6 million on Friday, bringing its total domestic earnings to $514.4 million. The sequel is expected to see a decline of less than 50% this weekend, indicating solid performance amidst summer competition.
Paramount’s A Quiet Place: Day One is projected to secure third place with an estimated $21.3 million for the three-day frame after earning $7 million on Friday. The horror prequel is set to exceed $90 million domestically by Sunday, with the $100 million milestone on the horizon.
Rounding out the top five, Sony and Columbia’s Bad Boys: Ride or Die is expected to bring in an additional $6.7 million over the three-day period. The action sequel, starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, earned $2.2 million on Friday, pushing its domestic total past $170 million.
