Box Office: ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ Shatters July 4th Holiday Records With $127 Million Debut

variety.com:

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.

Hollywood had been looking at “Minions: The Rise of Gru” to test the viability of animated flicks on the big screen after moviegoers with young kids — a demographic that’s vital in driving overall box office revenues — had returned only in fits and starts. “This is a sensational opening,” says David A.

Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research. “Family animation, more than any other genre, has struggled to find its footing during the pandemic.