U.S. Box Office – July 4th Weekend 2026: “Minions & Monsters” Leads a Muted Independence Day

Traditionally one of the most lucrative windows on the American film calendar, this year’s Independence Day weekend closed below expectations. Coinciding with the celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, the North American box office posted one of the weakest July 4th frames of the post-pandemic era — a result compounded by the holiday falling on a Saturday, a day on which audiences favored barbecues and fireworks over the multiplex.

Topping the chart was Minions & Monsters, the new Universal/Illumination release directed by Pierre Coffin, who returns to the helm after the first three Despicable Me films and the original Minions. Set in 1920s Hollywood, the film follows the unmistakable yellow henchmen as they set out to make a monster movie.

This is the seventh chapter in the Despicable Me universe. As the franchise’s seventh entry, the debut carries particular weight: with $36.4 million over the three-day span and $61.4 million across the five days since its Wednesday release, Minions & Monsters marks the lowest opening in the saga’s history — well beneath the roughly $122–123 million (five-day) totals posted by both Minions: The Rise of Gru in 2022 and Despicable Me 4 in 2024.

Holding up the overall result was the film’s international performance, which reached $98.4 million and lifted the worldwide gross to $159.8 million by Sunday’s close. Against an estimated budget of $85 million, the studio faces no particular financial concern, backed by the franchise’s proven staying power over the medium term.

Behind the front-runner, the race proved tighter than anticipated. Toy Story 5 (Disney/Pixar), in its third week of release, added roughly $31 million, closing in notably on the new arrival. Third place went to the weekend’s surprise, Young Washington from Angel Studios — a historical drama centered on the early years of George Washington — with a debut of about $16 million, well calibrated to the celebratory mood surrounding the national anniversary.

Continuing its difficult run, meanwhile, was Supergirl (Warner Bros./DC), which suffered a decline of roughly 77% in its second week, settling around $8.6 million. Rounding out the top of the chart was Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day, with about $5.5 million in its fourth week.

According to industry figures, combined Friday and Saturday grosses came in around $121 million, against the $150–200 million typical of the Independence Day weekend. Analysts attribute the shortfall to a convergence of factors: the holiday landing on a Saturday, a broad audience fatigue toward major franchises, and competition from the celebrations marking the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Sources: Cinemablend, Variety and Gotchamovies