‘Despicable Me 4’ Eyes Massive Success at Global Box Office
‘Despicable Me 4’ has launched with an impressive success at the international box office, breaking records across its initial four markets including Australia and Argentina. The film achieved a remarkable $9.4 million in its debut weekend, surpassing the opening performances of previous instalments such as ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’, ‘Despicable Me 3’, ‘Despicable Me 2’, ‘Minions’, and even ‘Toy Story 3’ (excluding previews).
In Australia, ‘Despicable Me 4’ saw a stellar opening, grossing $4.7 million across 311 screens. This marks the franchise’s highest-ever debut in the country, excluding previews. The film set new records for the largest opening on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for any ‘Despicable Me’ or ‘Minions’ film. The staggered school holidays, beginning with a 20% market share and expanding over the following two weeks, are anticipated to sustain the film’s robust box office performance.
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Meanwhile, in Argentina, ‘Despicable Me 4’ debuted with an impressive $3.5 million, making it the highest-grossing opening in the franchise based on gross box office (GBO), and tying for second place in admissions alongside ‘Despicable Me 3’. The film also secured the second-largest opening for an Illumination production in terms of admissions, surpassing ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’. It achieved record-breaking Thursday and Friday openings in both admissions and GBO during national holidays, boosted by an extensive promotional campaign and heightened awareness due to the involvement of Maria Becerra.
New Zealand also witnessed a strong start for ‘Despicable Me 4’, achieving the franchise’s largest opening on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday across 140 screens. Quickly becoming the top title in the market, excluding previews, the film is poised to maintain momentum throughout the June/July school holidays.
In Uruguay, ‘Despicable Me 4’ posted the franchise’s highest-ever opening, including previews, with a $0.3 million launch across 30 screens. The film started with an exceptional preview performance of $66,000 on Wednesday, coinciding with a national holiday, setting a promising tone for its ongoing run.
With these robust beginnings, ‘Despicable Me 4’ is well-positioned as it continues to roll out in additional markets. Its strong performance in key international territories indicates a promising trajectory for its global box office run. As more regions enter school holiday periods, the film is expected to attract substantial family audiences, ensuring continued success. However, it faces stiff competition from the year’s biggest release, ‘Inside Out 2’, which remains a formidable contender even three weeks after its premiere.
–Farheen Ali
