Universal and Illumination’s latest animated feature, Minions & Monsters, dominated the North American box office on its opening Friday, July 1, 2026, pulling in an estimated $16 million across 4,243 theaters. The film, which serves as a new installment in the highly successful Despicable Me franchise, is projected to reach $39.5 million over the holiday weekend.
The production features a star-studded voice cast, including Allison Janney, Pierre Coffin, Christoph Waltz, Jeff Bridges, and Jesse Eisenberg. Set in the 1920s, the film follows the iconic yellow characters as they attempt to produce their own monster movie. The project is co-directed by Pierre Coffin and Patrick Delage, with a screenplay by Brian Lynch.
Industry analysts expect a strong global start, with international markets projected to contribute approximately $87 million by the end of the weekend. This success continues the franchise’s strong commercial performance, following the global box office hits Despicable Me 4 and Minions: The Rise of Gru.
Elsewhere in the box office, Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 held second place with $13 million on Friday, while Angel Studios’ Young Washington debuted in third with $7.4 million.