Minions & Monsters opened in US theaters on July 1 with $36 million over the weekend, the lowest launch for a film in the Despicable Me franchise in two decades. The animated sequel landed below the 2010 original, which started with $56 million.

The domestic result was soft. But the international box office tells a different story. The film earned $86 million overseas in the opening frame and $182 million globally to date.

Franchise Fatigue Shows at Home

The franchise has run since 2010. That’s 16 years. Minions has spun off multiple times. Audiences at home are tiring. The studio expected more. The numbers don’t support that expectation.

Set in 1920s Hollywood, the film follows the yellow henchmen trying to make their own monster movie. The pitch is light. The timing is harder to read than it once was.

International Strength Carries It

Universal Pictures’ strategy has shifted overseas. Globally, the franchise still resonates. $98 million of the $182 million total came in the first four days from outside North America. That’s where the money is.

What This Means

Minions & Monsters suggests the franchise will survive, but it needs to adapt. Another spin-off at the same cost will be risky. The studio will have to be smarter about where it invests.

The film claimed the number one spot domestically but with the lowest opening a Despicable Me film has seen at home in 16 years.