‘Despicable Me 2’ Dominates The Weekend Box Office
As expected, Universal’s Despicable Me 2 is this weekend’s box office champion.
The highly-anticipated sequel to the hit 2010 animated comedy proved to be a popular choice with moviegoers over the Fourth of July holiday. Quite a few people turned out to see the film in theaters, although the same cannot be said about its competition. More on that in a moment.
According to Deadline, Despicable Me 2 claimed the top spot at the box office with approximately $81 million in ticket sales. Since opening in theaters on Wednesday (July 3), the follow-up has amassed a whopping $140.5 million.
The numbers at Box Office Mojo suggest Despicable Me 2 is also a very big hit with audiences overseas. The foreign box office total currently stands at an amazing $151 million. A little math shows that Universal and Illumination Entertainment’s endeavor is close to hitting $200 million worldwide.
If there was any doubt that Kyle Balda and Pierre Coffin’s Minions was going to happen, then your fears should be laid to rest. Universal has a serious hit on their hands, and next year’s spin-off stands to make quite a bit of money for the studio when it finally lands in theaters.
Unfortunately for everyone associated with Disney’s much-maligned adaptation of The Lone Ranger, the movie hit theaters with a resounding thud. The studio hasn’t seen a flop like this since last year’s misfire John Carter. Heads could possibly roll at Disney over this one.
Ropes of Silicon reports that the Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer flick only managed to score around $29 million at the box office over the weekend. Since opening on July 3, the adventure has only generated a miserable $49 million. Considering the movie cost upwards of $200 million to produce, Disney has a very long way to go before this thing breaks even. It will be interesting to see how it performs overseas.
The Heat ($24 million), Monsters University ($19 million), and
1. Despicable Me 2 – $81 million
2. The Lone Ranger – $28.9 million
3. The Heat – $24.8 million
4. Monsters University – $19.1 million
5. World War Z – $17.8 million
6. White House Down – $13.5 million
7. Man Of Steel – $11.3 million
8. Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain – $10 million
9. This Is The End – $2 million
10. Now You See Me – $2.8 million
Did you catch Despicable Me 2 or The Lone Ranger in theaters this weekend? Are you surprised by the box office results?
[Top Image via Universal Pictures / Illumination Entertainment]
