‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ Rules Box Office With $108.5 Million Opening

J. Kim Murphy Jordan Peele’s “Nope” is successfully sending a message to moviegoers: get out… and go to theater.The Universal release is expected to net a $44.5 million opening this weekend, marking Peele’s third consecutive film to debut at the top slot of the domestic box office.The first indication that “Nope” might just be a summer box office hit came from its Thursday previews, which brought in a strong $6.4 million.

“Nope,” the latest original horror film from “Get Out” mastermind Jordan Peele, made $6.4 million at the box office in its Thursday preview showings from 3,250 theaters. It opens on 3,785 screens Friday. “Nope” is Peele’s third film, and excitement from both horror buffs and critics has been high.

Universal’s Nope, one of the few remaining tentpoles in a rebounding summer box office, looks to provide a lift this weekend with an estimated $50M start at 3,700 theaters with an eye at guys 17-34.

Focus Features’ Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris will hit an estimated $1.9 million weekend gross at 980 theaters drawing women with those 55 years of age and older repping 44% of the total. Turnout was best on the coasts for the drama starring Leslie Manville and Isabelle Huppert.

Refresh for latest…: There remains plenty of action at the international box office as we head into the dog days of summer and with fewer wide releases to come. This past week and weekend includes milestones aplenty for such films as Thor: Love And Thunder, Minions: The Rise Of Gru, Jurassic World Dominion, and the seemingly unstoppable Top Gun: Maverick. But it’s not a free-for-all as audiences now appear more discerning amid the recent barrage of big-ticket titles — adding to that, there is a very threatening heatwave across European majors which is complicating matters on several levels.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterMarvel’s superhero epic “Thor: Love and Thunder” is nearing the $500 million mark at the global box office, a great result after only 10 days on the big screen.Over the weekend, the fourth comic book movie to center on Chris Hemsworth’s hunky God of Thunder has generated $60.1 million from 47 territories at the international box office and another $46 million domestically for a weekend tally of $102 million. With those ticket sales, the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe installment has earned $264.6 million overseas and $497.9 million worldwide to stand as the sixth-highest grossing Hollywood movie of the year.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterMarvel’s “Thor: Love and Thunder” managed to fend off three new nationwide releases to remain the No. 1 movie in North America.Though ticket sales for “Thor” cratered in its second weekend, falling by 68% to $46 million from 4,375 theaters, the latest installment in Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe easily towered over a trio of newcomers: Sony’s literary adaptation “Where the Crawdads Sing,” Paramount’s animated “Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank” and the Focus Features period drama “Mrs.

The sharp drop is one that has been shared by almost every film in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as “Black Widow,” “Eternals” and “Doctor Universe in the Multiverse of Madness also fell 67-68% in their second weekends. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” also fell 68%, but that’s to be expected after a historic $260 million opening, and it didn’t stop the film from legging out over Christmas to over $800 million domestic and $1.9 billion worldwide.

In a remarkable benchmark for an adult, female-skewing movie, especially with a 2 hour 39 minute running time, Warner Bros.’ Elvis has crossed the $100M mark at the domestic box office.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterDisney’s “Thor: Love and Thunder,” the fourth standalone Marvel story about Chris Hemsworth’s hulking God of Thunder, picked up $15.7 million on opening day at the international box office.The film is currently playing in 17 overseas markets, including Germany, Italy, Australia and Korea, and it will debut in North America and several other major territories on Friday.Overall ticket sales are pacing 39% ahead of “Thor: Ragnarok” (which ultimately collected $130 million during its opening weekend) and 24% behind “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” (which scored a massive $265 million in its international box office debut).By the time Sunday comes around, the newest “Thor” adventure is expected to rake in at least $145 million to $155 million in North America (with some estimates reaching as high as $170 million) and another $140 million to $150 million from overseas markets. For now, “Love and Thunder” is not playing in China, Russia or France.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterGet ready for more Marvel mania.Disney’s “Thor: Love and Thunder,” the fourth standalone story about Chris Hemsworth’s hulking God of Thunder and the second (of three) Marvel movies to play in theaters in 2022, is gearing up to turbocharge the domestic box office. The nth sequel in the sprawling MCU is expected to bring in anywhere from $145 million to $155 million over the weekend, with some estimates reaching as high as $170 million.

The previous record for the July 4 weekend was set back in 2011 by “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” with $115.9 million. Despite a two-year delay forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Minions and the “Despicable Me” franchise they came from have not faded in popularity, drawing both families and general audiences in equal parts. The film in particular got a strong turnout from teens, who Universal reports accounted for roughly a third of the weekend’s audience.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterTiny yellow creatures are taking over the international box office.“Minions: The Rise of Gru” ignited to $93.7 million from 61 overseas markets and notched one of the biggest pandemic-era opening weekends for an animated film in many of those territories.Those returns take the fifth installment in Universal and Illumination’s popular “Despicable Me” franchise past $200 million at the global box office. In North America, “The Rise of Gru” debuted to $108 million over the weekend and looks to reach $127.9 million through Independence Day on Monday.Outside of the U.S. and Canada, “Minions: The Rise of Gru” enjoyed the strongest showing in the United Kingdom and Ireland with $12.9 million, followed by Mexico with $12.4 million and Germany with $4.8 million.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter“Minions: The Rise of Gru” ruled the box office, collecting $108 million over the weekend. By the time that July 4th rolls around on Monday, the animated family film is expected to reach a sizable $127.9 million.Based on those estimates, “Minions: The Rise Of Gru” will smash the record for the highest film opening over Independence Day, overtaking Paramount’s 2011 blockbuster “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” ($115.9 million over four days).Ticket sales for the fifth installment in Universal and Illumination’s popular “Despicable Me” franchise are a comforting sign that family crowds haven’t entirely forgotten about movie theaters.

Any concerns in the film industry about long-term drops in family turnout after Disney/Pixar’s “Lightyear” underperformed can be dispelled. “Minions 2” is posting a higher opening weekend than any of the three main “Despicable Me” films, and its estimated 4-day opening of $129 million that includes July 4 numbers will top the $115 million 3-day opening of the first “Minions” in 2015. It will also rank among the top 10 highest openings ever for an animated film.

J. Kim Murphy It’s official —the Minions are back.Universal’s “Minions: The Rise of Gru” is setting off fireworks at the Fourth of July box office, projecting a $129.2 million opening over the four-day holiday weekend.

Jordan Moreau “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” the latest animated entry in the family-friend “Despicable Me” franchise, opened to $10.75 million in Thursday previews from 3,350 theaters in North America. It will expand to 4,391 theaters on Friday.Heading into the Fourth of July holiday weekend, “Minions: The Rise of Gru” is expected to gross between $65 million and $75 million in its extra-long opening. Those current projections forecast that the fifth entry in the animated franchise is on track for the lowest opening since the original “Despicable Me” picked up $56 million back in 2010.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterTiny yellow henchmen will attempt to spark fireworks at the box office over the July 4 weekend.“Minions: The Rise of Gru,” the fifth installment in Universal and Illumination’s popular “Despicable Me” franchise, is headed for a first-place finish, with the family film expected to bring in $65 million to $75 million from 4,400 North American theaters during the extended holiday period. Though it’s the only new nationwide release, “Minions” will have to fend off holdover titles including Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis,” “Jurassic World: Dominion,” “Top Gun: Maverick” and Pixar’s “Lightyear.”The well-reviewed “Minions: The Rise of Gru” looks to test the viability of kid-friendly animated flicks on the big screen.