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Minions take No. 1 box office spot with $115.2M
Universal’s “Minions” overran the box office over the weekend as audiences in the U.S. and Canada shelled out an estimated $115.2 million to see the evil-master-serving horde frolic on the big screen.
It was the second-biggest opening ever for an animated film and an easy win for the sidekicks who took the spotlight after playing supporting roles in two previous “Despicable Me” movies. The bright, babbling baldies have become key characters in the franchise from Universal’s Illumination Entertainment.
Directed by Peter Coffin, who co-directed both “Despicable Me” movies and voices the Minions, the movie easily beat “Jurassic World,” another Universal picture that grossed $18.1 million in its fifth weekend after release, according to box office tracker Rentrak.
Disney’s “Inside Out” ranked third with $17.1 million in its fourth weekend.
“Minions” was a hit overseas as well, taking the No. 1 spot in 29 of the 30 other countries in which it debuted over the weekend, including Mexico, Russia, France and Venezuela. Internationally, the movie grossed $280.5 million.
“Given that they seek to work for the most evil people on the planet, they give off this incredible happiness,” said Duncan Clark, Universal’s president of international distribution. “I think the quality they’re proving to have is a common denominator appeal across all cultures.”
Only Dream Works Animation’s “Shrek The Third” opened to a bigger gross in North America in 2007, with $121.6 million, according to Rentrak. “Minions” beat out Disney’s “Toy Story 3,” which took in $110.3 million on its opening weekend in 2010.
Paul Dergarabedian, Rentrak’s senior media analyst, said the Minions captured most of the buzz among “Despicable Me” fans from the start.