Despicable Me 4 Dominates Box Office Over Fourth of July Holiday

The recently released film Despicable Me 4 has taken the box office by storm during the Fourth of July holiday, surpassing the 2022 Independence Day haul of its predecessor, Minions: Rise of Gru.

The star-studded film is on track to achieve a five-day opening of over $115 million. It debuted with an impressive $27 million on Wednesday. On Thursday, Despicable Me 4 earned $20.4 million domestically, outperforming Minions: Rise of Gru’s $16 million July 4th earnings. However, it fell slightly short of Despicable Me 2’s $24.5 million holiday haul in 2013.

According to box office analyst Luiz Fernando, the Steve Carell-led film recorded the third biggest Thursday of all time for animated films in the U.S., with a cumulative domestic box office revenue of $47 million. The movie is projected to achieve a five-day opening between $115 million and $130 million, and a three-day weekend total between $70 million and $80 million.

The film’s official description reveals: “Gru faces a new nemesis in Maxime Le Mal and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina, and the family is forced to go on the run.” The voice cast includes notable stars such as Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell, Joey King, Sofia Vergara, Miranda Cosgrove, Steve Coogan, Pierre Coffin, Dana Gaier, and Madison Polan.

Directed by Chris Renaud and co-directed by Patrick Delage, Despicable Me 4 was produced by Chris Meledandri and Brett Hoffman, with a screenplay by Mike White and Ken Daurio. The film premiered exclusively in theaters on July 3, 2024.

As the film continues its theatrical run, it is set to make a significant impact on the box office, further cementing the Despicable Me franchise’s status as a powerhouse in the animation industry.