SUNDAY AM WRITETHRU after Saturday AM Update: Despicable Me 4 bounced back from where we saw it earlier this weekend for a $27M Friday and $26.8M Saturday, which will result in a $75M 3-day and $122.6M 5-day.

Exclaimed Universal Domestic Distribution President Jim Orr, “What a tremendous debut for Despicable Me 4, one of the most beloved franchises in film.  Gru, his family and the Minions have once again been embraced by audiences around the world for their cheerful cleverness and hilarity.”

What happened? Apparently, 7PM and later showtimes were stronger than anticipated, with significantly better foot traffic than Wednesday and Thursday night. Also, as we have seen throughout this summer, Latino and Hispanic moviegoers showed up in big numbers, this time repping 41% of the crowd for DM4. Also, the movie performed incredibly evenly across North America, as well as Canada where the pic has an 8% share.

Among 3-days, DM4 ranks second among the four Despicable Me movies after Despicable Me 2 ($83.5M) and ahead of Despicable Me 3 ($72.4M). However, among the entire Minions and Despicable Me universe, DM4 is the fourth best start, the top two being Minions ($115.7M) and Minions: Rise of Gru ($107M).

The overall weekend will clock around $160M, still up a great +23% from a year ago when Insidious: Red Door led. But there’s definitely an argument, despite the wide appealing range of movies on the marquee, including A Quiet Place: Day One, the older skewing Horizon, and even more family product in Inside Out 2, that we could actually fit in one more event film for adults. The mind wanders back to 2017, when Sony hit a nice triple with Baby Driver, which did $20.5M over 3-days and $39M over seven when July 4th fell on a Tuesday — and that was against Despicable Me 3.

Again, given the strike, it’s likely the availability of a title just wasn’t there. But it’s clear there’s no ceiling to the marketplace. Read post-Covid, the same July weekend in 2022 minted $238.3M, comprised of Thor: Love & Thunder ($144.1M) and holdovers Minions: Rise of Gru ($46M), Top Gun: Maverick ($15.5M) and Elvis ($11.1M).

In regards to DM4, PostTrak audience were very good at 82% positive and a 63% definite recommend, with kids under 12 giving it 91% and a 61% must-see right away. Mostly mom-leaning at 53%, with a third of the crowd between 13-17 and 53% of ticket buyers between 18-34. Other diversity demos for the pic were 27% Caucasian, 12% Black, 11% Asian, and 9% Native American/other. Imax and PLF are driving a third of business with fourthquel faring the best in South Central, Midwest, Mountain and West. Top-grossing venue in the U.S. is Harkins Estrella Falls, with $188K so far.

Despite the world knowing full well what a Minion is and a Gru is, Universal didn’t pinch one penny in shelling out for the campaign, which of course gets a further boost from being shouted out among the greater NBCUniversal conglomerate in its Symphony marketing program, which is reserved for its biggest event movie titles.

This included a push at the Kentucky Derby in May, followed by a co-branded spot for the Olympic trials in June and a week-long takeover of The TODAY Show. Universal theme parks screamed Minions and Gru in an array of sculpts, inflatables, studio tour greetings, costume characters, food and beverage items, and theater wraps at CityWalk. Fandango launched a custom Minions seat map for booking tickets. Xfinity and Sky also had a significant TV, digital and print co-branded campaign in their markets.

DM4 dominated in sports advertising include French Open co-branded spots, placements during the NFL draft, finales and premieres. Gru’s IRL double, Nikola Jokić, also starred in a custom ad that aired throughout the NBA Playoffs and went viral with 66M-plus linear and 17M social views. NBA Finals were leveraged to announced tickets going on sale. There were also ads during WNBA, WWE Raw and Copa America.

To get the attention of younger viewers, a global Roblox integration in 16 languages launched alongside ticket sales that included Metrolife and Livetopia integrations.There was also an Amazon gift card program wherein users redeem any Roblox gift card in the month of June and are awarded one of five Mega Minion Digital Backpacks.

In outdoors, the Minions ruled myriad appearances around the world in Sydney, Australia, Los Angeles’ Expo Line and LAX skybridge, New York’s M train and taxi tops, and the Las Vegas Sphere. In the 90-second sequence, Illumination introduces one of their newest characters – Mega Jerry – as he takes in the visual splendor of Las Vegas for the first time.

Promo partners this time around counted Volkswagen with a co-branded TV spot, in-dealer signage, giveaways, and a Frankenmuth festival activation that including a custom car wrap. It’s not often that an animated movie has a car partner.

Sally Hansen had a line of nail polish shades and stickers. There was also Keebler products, co-branded Hippeas packaging, a large King’s Hawaiian program with a TV spot, and wrapped NASCAR vehicle and fire suits. Waze had a Minions integration in-app in English, LATAM Spanish, and Portuguese speaking countries. In partnership with Funko Pop and BTS, the Minions took over pop-up stores in West Hollywood, Seoul and Tokyo with exclusive merchandise. McDonald’s also had a global TV campaign.

While A24 has MaXXXine, the movie at an officially reported $6.7M was too niche and skewed quite young (the 18-24 bunch being the biggest demo at a near 40%) to be considered an event movie, this despite the fact that it’s the biggest opening in the Ti West-Mia Goth genre trilogy. In addition, industry estimates went over their skis in trying to predict this film being closer to $10M on Friday after a $3.1M day. Midsommar opened in this same frame and posted a $6.5M 3-day, but had an extra $4.3M from its Wednesday and July 4th Thursday play back in 2019. That Ari Aster movie finaled at $27.4M domestic off a C+ CinemaScore. MaXXXine gets a B CinemaScore, a half grade up from its previous chapter, Pearl‘s B-. Rotten Tomatoes audiences gave it 81%, while critics settled on 75% certified fresh. PostTrack audiences gave it 76% positive and 59% definite recommend.

MaXXXine attracted 52% men with 23% over 35. Diversity demos were 48% Caucasian, 31% Latino and Hispanic, 9% Black, 6% Asian, and 6% Native American/other. Best areas for the R-rated movie are in the East, South Central, and West, with the AMC Burbank the highest-grossing cinema for the movie so far, with $51K.

Angel Studios’ Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot at 2,250 locations also fared well with faith-based in PostTrak exits, with 94% positive and an 87% definite recommend to go along with that A+ CinemaScore. Friday was $1.1M, Saturday another $1.1M for a 3-day of $3.2M and 4-day of $6.79M.

Underscoring a faith-based turnout are the demos of 44% over 55 and 70% women. Diversity demos are 53% Caucasian, 16% Latino and Hispanic, 22% Black, 5% Asian, and 4% Native American/other. Possum Trot fared the best in the South, South Central, and Midwest, with the Penn Cinema in Lititz, Pennsylvania, putting up the best gross in the U.S. with close to $14K so far.

Updates for Sunday are indicated in bold and include Saturday and Sunday broken out. We’ll update the chart more, later this AM as official numbers roll in:

1.) Despicable Me 4 (Uni) 4,428 theaters, Fri $27.2M Sat $26.8M Sun $20.9M 3-day $75M, Total $122.6M/Wk 1

2.) Inside Out 2 (Dis) 3,760 (-680) theaters Fri $10.6M (-38%) 3-day $33.1M (-42%) Total $536.9M/Wk 4

3.) A Quiet Place: Day One (Par) 3,688 (-20) theaters, Fri $7.1M (-69%) Sat $7.8M Sun $6M 3-day $21M (-60%), Total $94.3M/Wk 2

4.) Bad Boys Ride or Die (Sony) 2644 (-668) theaters, Fri $2.2M (-23%) Sat $2.6M Sun $1.7M 3-day $6.55M (-37%) Total $177.3M/Wk 5

5.) MaXXXine (A24) 2,450 theaters, Fri $3.1M, Sat $2M Sun $1.5M 3-day $6.7M/Wk 1

6.) Horizon (NL) 3,334 theaters, Fri $1.8M (-56%) Sat $2M Sun $1.65M 3-day $5.48M (-50%), Total $22.1M/Wk 2

7.) Sound of Hope…(Angel) 2,200 theaters, Fri $1.1M, Sat $1.1M, Sun $1M, 3-day $3.2M, Total $6.79M/Wk 1

8.) Kalki 2898 AD (Prath) 625 (-424) theaters Fri $600K (-65%) Sat $684K Sun $550K 3-day $1.83M (-68%) Total $16.5M/Wk 2

9.) The Bikeriders (Foc) 1,562 (-1,130) theaters, Fri $420K Sat $490K Sun $390K 3-day $1.3M (-61%), Total $19.3M/Wk 3

10.) Kinds of Kindness (SEA) 920 (+430) theaters, Fri $270K (-%) 3-day $863K (-45%) Total $3.8M/Wk 2

FRIDAY PM: Despicable Me 4 is looking to post a Friday of $23.4M, on its way toward a $64.4M 3-day and 5-day of $112M at 4,428 sites, which is still north of tracking’s range of $110M to $120M. It skews younger than Inside Out 2, so don’t expect the late evening draws. Illumination continues to have bragging rights with the franchise with DM4 becoming the animation studio’s 12th title to open at No. 1. The series holds the most No. 1 debuts of any animated franchise, ahead of Shrek.

Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out 2 is seeing $10.8M in its fourth Friday (-36% from a week ago) for an estimated 3-day of $31.2M (-46%) at 3,760 theaters, and running total of $535M by EOD Sunday. That will be 6% ahead of Incredibles 2 at the 24 day point, that Pixar title finaling at $608.5M.

Paramount’s A Quiet Place Day One is shaping up to be a $7.2M Friday, 3-day of $22.2M, -57%, with a 10-day total of $95.5M.

A24’s MaXXXine is fourth with $3.9M today including Wednesday previews for a $9.7M opening at 2,450 theaters, a record start for the Ti West-Mia Goth horror trilogy.

Sony’s Bad Boys: Ride or Die at 2,644 is looking at $2.2M today, $6.6M, -36%, for a running total of $177.3M by Sunday.

Angels Studios’ Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot at 2,200 is eyeing $1M today, $3.1M for the weekend and $6.6M over four days.

FRIDAY AM: Illumination/Universal’s Despicable Me 4 did $20.4 million on July 4th, which is 28% over what Minions: Rise of Gru did on its July 4th back in 2022 (that was $16M). It’s also 61% over Despicable Me 3‘s July 4th of $12.7M, and second overall behind DM2‘s $24.5M holiday haul in 2013. Today will indicate how much this sixth Minions/Despicable Me universe movie is above or below $120M by Sunday, but it’s a strong take for the Independence Day frame nonetheless.

The Friday-Monday start for Minions: Rise of Gru was $123M. Running cume for DM4 is $47.6M.

While DM4 eased 25% from its opening day Wednesday, most movies saw great daily percent gains on July 4th with titles in the top 10 seeing an average daily spike of 25%.

As expected, Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out 2 crossed the half billion mark after posting a Thursday of $7.2M, up 2% over Wednesday. Current total stands at $503.6M.

RELATED: ‘Inside Out 2’ Crosses $1B Global Box Office; Fastest Animated Movie Ever To Milestone

Paramount’s A Quiet Place: Day One posted $4.7M, up 7% over Wednesday for a first week of $73.3M, good for 9% over the first week of 2018’s A Quiet Place.

Opening Thursday was Angel Studios’ Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot with $3.1M, which will put the movie over four days well ahead of the $4M-$6M forecast we spotted. The pic, from director/co-writer Joshua Weigel, landed an A+ CinemaScore and 97% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie tells the true story of Donna and Reverend Martin and their church in East Texas. Twenty-two families adopted 77 children from the local foster system, igniting a movement for vulnerable children everywhere. Nika King stars.

New Line’s Kevin Coster Western Horizon: An American Saga, was up 73% on July 4th over Wednesday with $1.87M, taking its first week to $16.7M, -16% behind the first week $19.8M of the multihyphenate’s 2003 Western Open Range.

A24’s Ti West-directed, Mia Goth-starring threequel MaXXXine opens today. The movie did not hold previews last night; instead, it did Wednesday previews.

RELATED: ‘MaXXXine’ Review: Ti West And Mia Goth’s Horror Trilogy Comes To A Satisfyingly Bloody Conclusion

JULY 4TH AM UPDATE: Illumination/Universal’s Despicable Me 4 came in a little lighter than spotted but strong enough at $27M at 4,030 theaters. While 5-day forecasts are always hard to project this far off, everything becomes clear by Friday. Even at this level, the fourth chapter of Gru/sixth Minions title could still see a $70M 3-day and $120M 5-day. Interest in this bunch hasn’t waned yet for audiences who gave it an A CinemaScore, the same grade as chapters 1 and 2, and a notch above Despicable Me 3’s A-. Overall it’s the fifth A for the Minions/Despicable Me franchise.

Social Media analytics corp RelishMix reports a very strong social media universe for DM4 across TikTok, Facebook, X, YouTube and Instagram with 641.5M, 26% ahead of family animated comps but behind the 1.6 billion of pre-Covid’s Despicable Me 3 in 2017 as well as post-pandemic’s Minions: The Rise of Gru‘s 668.4M. Over half of the cast on DM4 are activated on social including Sofia Vergara at 58.6M, Joey King at 37.8M, Maranda Cosgrove at 30.3M and Stephen Colbert at 29.5M.

RELATED: The Highest-Grossing Animated Films Of All Time At The Box Office: Photo Gallery

“Convo on DM4 runs positive, with the long-running franchise having built up an expectation with fans both young and old alike,” RelishMix says. “Some are excited with the promise of the new Mega Minions, a group of superhero hybrid minions that are new to this installment. One person comments, ‘Despicable Me 4 with some touch of Fantastic 4.’ Others enjoy the breeziness of these movies, not asking much of their audience and divorced from reality in almost every way, especially in the current political epoch with Disney coming under fire for representing the opposite of that creative lifestyle. Another commenter says, ‘This thing will make a billion. One of the rare films I can trust not lecturing me about how to live my life.’”

Related: The Movies That Have Made More Than $1 Billion At The Box Office: Photo Gallery

The fourth Despicable Me finds Gru, Lucy, Margo, Edith and Agnes welcoming a new member to the family, Gru Jr., who is intent on aggravating his father. Gru also squares off with a new enemy in Maxime Le Mal and his girlfriend Valentina, and the family is forced to go on the run.

DM4 easily won Wednesday ahead of Inside Out 2, which did $7.3M at 4,440 theaters, -35% from Tuesday for a $496.6M cume. Look for the Pixar sequel to cross the half-billion mark today stateside in its 21st day. That’s the fastest that any animated movie has ever hit that threshold, besting Pixar’s previous 24-day run to $500M with 2018’s Incredibles 2. Current outlook for IO2 is $31.7M fourth weekend, -45%, $46.3M 5-day and a total by Sunday of $535.6M.

Paramount’s A Quiet Place: Day One was third Wednesday at 3,708 locations with $4.3M, -33% from Tuesday and a running total of $68.4M. Expected 3-day is $22.3M (-57%) for the Lupita Nyong’o movie and $31.6M 5-day for a running cume by Sunday of $95.7M.

RELATED: The 20 Best Summer Movies Streaming On Max, Prime Video, Disney+ And More

Sony’s Bad Boys: Ride or Die at 2,825 grossed $1.2M, -17% from Tuesday for a running total of $169.1M. 3-day looks like $6M, 5-day like $8.7M. Total by Sunday is $176.6M.

New Line’s Kevin Costner title Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 at 3,334 sites made $1.1M yesterday, for what looks like a $5.4M 3-day and $7.8M 5-day for a running total of $21.6M by Sunday. If this movie cost $50M (out of the franchise’s total $100M before P&A), it’s not even going to make that at the domestic box office in the end.

Because it’s the Fourth of July, don’t expect ticket sales to go into overdrive as many are sidelined with holiday activities. DM4 is expected to ease by around 20% if not less today, while Inside Out 2 should remain even with Wednesday.

WEDNESDAY PM: Surprise, surprise: Minions are the lords of Independence Day.

Illumination/Universal’s Despicable Me 4 is looking at $28 million Wednesday, sans Tuesday previews (they weren’t held), which is high enough to get the movie to an estimated $120 million over its first five days through Sunday. That’s where tracking was spotting it, and it’s an amount that underscores the continued upward nature of the current box office as event films crowd the schedule in the wake of the double Hollywood strikes. The Friday-Sunday take for Despicable Me 4 stands at $70M.

Rotten Tomatoes critics aren’t fond of Despicable Me 4 at 53% Rotten, which is lower than Minions. Luckily for Illumination and Universal, those opinions did not prevent audiences from turning this franchise into a multibillion-dollar phenomenon. Proof? The audience RT score for the fourthquel from director Chris Renaud and Patrick Delage is 89%.

Despicable Me 4 also is going in 52 offshore markets this weekend, including in Mexico, Spain and Brazil. The pic has some $25M already in the bank from the international box office, and the total global running total is expected to be around $200M by Sunday.

The Despicable Me and Minions universe counts a running series total of $4.67 billion worldwide. The highest-grossing title in the franchise is 2015’s Minions with $1.1 billion.