‘Despicable Me 4’ Dominates July 4th Weekend, Because Hollywood Loves Predictable Fireworks

Oh, the madness of Minions and their box office shenanigans! Hollywood Harish reporting from the frontline of animated chaos and cinematic mayhem!

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Guess who’s going bananas this holiday season? Yes, you guessed it! Those yellow, gibberish-speaking Minions in “Despicable Me 4” are back, and they’ve managed to rake in a whopping $120 million over the Fourth of July weekend. 🥳 Playing in a not-so-humble 4,428 locations, they added another $27 million just on Friday. Clearly, the Minions have found a new way to our wallets, probably with a banana-styled GPS!

Now, while this is an impressive haul, it’s still a bit behind the previous Minion madness, “Minions: The Rise of Gru.” Remember that #Gentleminions trend? Youngsters in tuxedos flocking to theaters like they were attending the Oscars? That viral sensation helped Gru and his minions score a record-breaking $123 million during the 2022 Independence Day weekend. Ah, the power of memes! 📈

But let’s not kid ourselves; “Despicable Me 4” is no slouch. It’s expected to pull in $72.4 million from Friday to Sunday, securing the fourth spot for the highest domestic opening this year. Only “Inside Out 2,” “Dune: Part Two,” and “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” have managed to fare better. That’s a pretty good company to be in if you ask me. 😉

And get this, it only cost $100 million to make this latest Despicable adventure. Compare that to the $200 million budgets of Disney and Pixar films, and you’ve got yourself a financially savvy franchise. Plus, with an “A” grade from Cinema Score, it’s clear the fans are loving it. The Minions are here to stay, folks. Brace yourselves for a Minion-filled summer! 🌞

Meanwhile, in the world of horror, A24’s “MaXXXine” is making waves with a projected $7.6 million over the weekend. That’s a hefty improvement over its predecessors “X” and “Pearl.” It seems the horror aficionados are finally catching on. With a cast that includes Elizabeth Debicki, Lily Collins, and Kevin Bacon, who could resist?

Angel Studios is back with “Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trout.” A drama about a Texas minister and foster care, it’s expected to make a modest $7 million over four days. Not quite the runaway hit “Sound of Freedom” was last year, but hey, not every film can be a box office juggernaut.

Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” is still holding strong in second place, even as “Despicable Me 4” conquers the charts. It crossed the $500 million domestic mark and added another $10.6 million on Friday. Talk about staying power!

Over in the quiet corner, “A Quiet Place: Day One” is sneaking into third place with a projected $21.3 million. The horror prequel will soon cross the $100 million milestone, probably while we’re all distracted by Minions.

And last but not least, Sony and Columbia’s “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” rounds out the top five. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence continue to bring in the bucks, with the film now past the $170 million domestic mark. Boom! 💥

Moral of the Story: In a world where Minions can make millions while speaking gibberish, remember: It’s not about what you say, but how much fun you have saying it! Hollywood Harish, signing off! 🎬

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Tags: Minions, Despicable Me 4, Hollywood Harish, Box Office, Pixar, Inside Out 2, A Quiet Place, Bad Boys, MaXXXine, Sound of Hope