Minions & Monsters Tops July 4 Box Office, Narrowly Edging Out Toy Story 5

The Fourth of July holiday delivered a tighter box office race than anyone expected. Minions & Monsters, the seventh entry in Illumination and Universal Pictures' Despicable Me franchise, opened at number one with an estimated $36.4 million over the three-day weekend in North America. That was just enough to hold off Disney and Pixar's Toy Story 5, which added roughly $31 million in its third weekend.

For millennials who grew up with the original Despicable Me in 2010, the result is a reminder of how durable the yellow henchmen have become. What started as a sidekick gag has evolved into one of Hollywood's most reliable animated properties, and Minions & Monsters leans heavily into that legacy while trying something new. Director Pierre Coffin, who also voices the Minions, frames the film as a love letter to cinema itself: the Minions accidentally unleash classic movie monsters and must save the day inside a meta-Hollywood adventure.

The voice cast adds some surprising names. Allison Janney narrates as a Universal Studios tour guide, while Jeff Bridges, Zoey Deutch, and Trey Parker lend their voices to key characters. The premise gives Illumination a chance to poke fun at its own history while still delivering the slapstick chaos fans expect. Universal is also banking on international appeal, with overseas grosses pushing the global total to around $160 million through the holiday.

Still, the victory was narrow. Toy Story 5 has already crossed roughly $366 million domestically after three weekends, proving that Woody, Buzz, and the gang remain a powerhouse even without an opening weekend win. Disney's sequel benefited from strong word-of-mouth and nostalgia from viewers who were kids when the first Toy Story arrived in 1995. The two family films essentially split the holiday audience, leaving little room for other animated competition.

The rest of the top five reflected a softer July 4 frame than last year. Young Washington, a historical comedy from Focus Features, surprised analysts with a stronger-than-expected hold, while Supergirl continued its DC Universe run despite a sharp second-weekend drop. Last year's champion, Jurassic World: Rebirth, had opened to $92 million over the same holiday window, making this year's family-film showdown look comparatively modest.

Analysts suggest the lower totals came down to a perfect storm of barbecues, heat waves, and ticket-splitting between two major family titles. Universal will not be complaining, though. Opening an animated sequel to $36.4 million against a still-strong Toy Story 5 is a win, especially when international grosses are outperforming domestic numbers. China, Germany, and the UK have already emerged as the film's biggest overseas markets.

For moviegoers, the real question is whether Minions & Monsters has the staying power to keep pace with Pixar's juggernaut. The Minions have never been critics' darlings, but they have something arguably more valuable: brand recognition that spans generations. With Coffin back behind the microphone and a monster-movie premise built for merchandising, Universal has positioned the film as the summer's go-to family option for anyone who has already seen Toy Story 5 twice.

Bottom line: the holiday box office crown went to the Minions, but it was far from a knockout. Pixar's toys are still standing, and both franchises look set to dominate family theaters for the rest of July.