'Despicable Me 4' expected to ignite US box office
Despicable Me 4, the sixth installment in Universal and Illumination's successful animated franchise, is projected to generate between $100-$125M during the five-day Fourth of July holiday period. The film, set to hit theaters on Wednesday, is unlikely to surpass Disney and Pixar's Inside Out 2, which holds the record for the biggest opening of the year with $154M over three days. Despite this, Despicable Me 4 is expected to provide a significant boost to movie theaters.
'Despicable Me' franchise continues to dominate American Independence Day
The Despicable Me franchise has consistently performed well over the Fourth of July weekend. The most recent film in the series, 2022's spinoff sequel Minions: The Rise of Gru, set records for the highest film debut over Independence Day, earning $123M over five days and eventually grossing a staggering $940M worldwide. Despite mixed reviews, with a 63% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the franchise's billion-dollar-grossing history suggests that critical sentiment may not significantly impact its box office performance.
'Despicable Me 4' plot and cast details revealed
Despicable Me 4, directed by Chris Renaud and co-directed by Patrick Delage, features returning voice cast members Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, and Miranda Cosgrove. The plot revolves around reformed supervillain Gru as he navigates family life with a son who enjoys tormenting his father while dealing with a vengeful criminal mastermind who has escaped from prison.
A24's 'MaXXXine' also set for weekend debut
Also debuting this weekend is A24's slasher sequel MaXXXine, which is projected to have a single-digit start over the traditional three-day weekend. The first film in the trilogy, 2022's X, opened to $4.2M and ended its theatrical run with $14.7M, while the sequel, 2022's Pearl, launched with $3.1M and concluded with $9.8M. The third installment features Mia Goth as an aspiring Hollywood actor in the 1980s who is being targeted by a killer known as the Night Stalker.
