Despicable Me 4continued itsimpressive global rollout this weekend, expanding to five additional markets, including China, the UK & Ireland, Germany, and France. With a total of 78 in-release markets, the film added an estimated $88 million over the weekend, bringing its cumulative international earnings to $226.7 million. The latest installment in the beloved franchise is outpacing its predecessors, includingMinions,Minions 2,Despicable Me 3, andDespicable Me 2, at the same point in their releases, excluding China.
China was the standout opener this weekend, withDespicable Me 4rolling out across 35,000 screens and 11,000 locations, including 676 IMAX screens. The film grossed $17.7 million, marking the second-biggest launch for the franchise (behindDespicable Me 3) and the largest opening weekend for a Hollywood animation since 2020. The film has been well received, scoring 9.2 on both TPP and Maoyan, surpassing the scores of other recent animated hits. The global haul forDespicable Me 4sits at $437 million.
How Is ‘Despicable Me 4’ Performing in Europe?
In the UK & Ireland, the film launched on 2,000 screens, including 51 IMAX screens, and finished the weekend at #1 with $12.2 million.This performance is over twice that of the originalDespicable Me, aligning withDespicable Me 2andMinions: The Rise of Gru,and just shy ofDespicable Me 3andMinions. Despite some impact from the final of the European Championships on Sunday, the film is expected to benefit from six weeks of school holidays starting next week.
Despicable Me 4debuted at #1 in Germany with $9.3 million through Sunday. Including previews, it is the top opener of 2024 and the second-largest launch in the franchise. IMAX theaters contributed 1.44% of the total box office,a higher share than bothInside Out 2andMinions: The Rise of Gru. In France, the film opened at #1 with $8.7 million from 904 screens, performing in line withDespicable Me 2andMinions: The Rise of Gru. Evening sessions and independent theaters showed strong performance, affirming the film’s broad appeal. In Austria, the film opened with $1.2 million, the second-largest launch of the franchise including previews, just behindMinions.Despicable Me 4set records for the biggest Sunday previews for an animated film and the biggest MPA opening Thursday of the year. The film also saw success in holdover markets.
Mexico was the top holdover market this weekend, adding $7.1 million in its second weekend for a total of $24.2 million. The film is outperforming all previous franchise titles and other animated hits likeZootopia,Sing,andFrozen. In Brazil, it added $3.5 million in its second weekend (-33%), reaching a total of $12.7 million, making it the highest-grossing film in the franchise at this point, surpassingThe Super Mario Bros. Movie. In Australia,Despicable Me 4maintained its #1 spot in its fourth weekend, adding $3.2 million for a total of $22.3 million, performing in line withMinions: The Rise of Gru. In Spain, it added $2.1 million in its second weekend, reaching $10.5 million. The film is performing on par withDespicable Me 3andMinions: The Rise of Gru, with strong audience reactions and a long run ahead due to school holidays lasting until September 9. The Netherlands (-3%), Argentina (+3%), and New Zealand (+79%) also showed excellent holds.
With strong performances in both new and holdover markets,Despicable Me 4continues to dominate the box office, cementing its status as a major hit for Universal Pictures in 2024.
Despicable Me 4
Gru and his family are back, welcoming a new member, Gru Jr., who causes chaos at home. Facing a new nemesis, Maxime Le Mal, and his partner Valentina, Gru and his family go on the run.
