Animated comedy Despicable Me 4 held on to the top spot in the North American box office this weekend with an impressive $44.7 million take, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations estimated Sunday.

That brought total ticket sales for Universal Pictures' latest Minions-universe release to $211.1 million in the United States and Canada since its release last weekend. Will Ferrell joins the voice cast this time as aptly named supervillain Maxime Le Mal.

Overall, the Despicable Me/Minions franchise has crossed the $5 billion mark in global ticket sales, the Hollywood Reporter said.

Meanwhile, "Longlegs" from indie studio Neon rode excellent reviews and a potent viral marketing campaign to an unexpectedly strong second-place opening.

The horror mystery took in $22.6 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period, a "phenomenal" opening for the genre and Neon's best-ever result, Variety said.&nbsp;

Critics compared the marketing campaign for the film to the highly successful launch of 1999 cult hit "The Blair Witch Project." Neon crafted a 1990s-style website and offered fans a phone number to call to hear a creepy message from Nicolas Cage, who stars in the tale of an FBI agent tracking a serial killer.&nbsp;

Last weekend's number two film, Disney and Pixar's Inside Out 2,&nbsp;slipped a spot, with ticket sales of $20.7 million. The coming-of-age film has now taken in $572.6 million domestically and an additional $777 million globally.

In fourth, also down one spot, was Paramount's apocalyptic horror film A Quiet Place: Day One,&nbsp;at $11.8 million.&nbsp;This third instalment in the series stars Lupita Nyong'o as a seriously ill woman in a New York invaded by extraterrestrial creatures with frighteningly keen hearing.

And in fifth was new Sony rom-com Fly Me to the Moon.&nbsp;Its $10 million take was considered disappointing for a big-budget film starring the likes of Channing Tatum and Scarlett Johansson -- who play a NASA official and a marketing guru during the Apollo 11 mission -- but Apple TV+ expects a boost when it streams the film.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

"Bad Boys: Ride or Die" ($4.4 million)

"Horizon: An American Saga -- Chapter One" ($2.4 million)

"MaXXXine" ($2.1 million)

(This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.)

Animated comedy Despicable Me 4 held on to the top spot in the North American box office this weekend with an impressive $44.7 million take, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations estimated Sunday.

Animated comedy Despicable Me 4 held on to the top spot in the North American box office this weekend with an impressive $44.7 million take, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations estimated Sunday. That brought total ticket sales for Universal Pictures' latest Minions-universe release to $211.1 million in the United States and Canada since its release last weekend. Will Ferrell joins the voice cast this time as aptly named supervillain Maxime Le Mal. Overall, the Despicable Me/Minions franchise has crossed the $5 billion mark in global ticket sales, the Hollywood Reporter said. Meanwhile, "Longlegs" from indie studio Neon rode excellent reviews and a potent viral marketing campaign to an unexpectedly strong second-place opening. The horror mystery took in $22.6 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period, a "phenomenal" opening for the genre and Neon's best-ever result, Variety said. Critics compared the marketing campaign for the film to the highly successful launch of 1999 cult hit "The Blair Witch Project." Neon crafted a 1990s-style website and offered fans a phone number to call to hear a creepy message from Nicolas Cage, who stars in the tale of an FBI agent tracking a serial killer. Last weekend's number two film, Disney and Pixar's Inside Out 2, slipped a spot, with ticket sales of $20.7 million. The coming-of-age film has now taken in $572.6 million domestically and an additional $777 million globally. In fourth, also down one spot, was Paramount's apocalyptic horror film A Quiet Place: Day One, at $11.8 million. This third instalment in the series stars Lupita Nyong'o as a seriously ill woman in a New York invaded by extraterrestrial creatures with frighteningly keen hearing. And in fifth was new Sony rom-com Fly Me to the Moon. Its $10 million take was considered disappointing for a big-budget film starring the likes of Channing Tatum and Scarlett Johansson -- who play a NASA official and a marketing guru during the Apollo 11 mission -- but Apple TV+ expects a boost when it streams the film. Rounding out the top 10 were: "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" ($4.4 million) "Horizon: An American Saga -- Chapter One" ($2.4 million) "MaXXXine" ($2.1 million) (This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.)

Despicable Me 4 stays comfortably atop North American box office

Fourth of July was all about minions for Americans. Despicable Me 4, the new chapter of a popular animated franchise, is ruling the box office after Inside Out 2 dominated the collections&nbsp;for two whole weeks.&nbsp;

The fourth instalment in Universal‘s movie series was released on July 3rd, a day ahead of the Fourth&nbsp;of July weekend. As expected,&nbsp;the Minions&nbsp;movie got an outstanding response from the audience, earning mega bucks. &nbsp;

<h2>Despicable Me 4 Tops July 4th Box Office&nbsp;</h2>

Universal and Illumination’s latest outing has amassed a staggering $47.6 million in its first two days of release. On July 4th, the movie&nbsp;earned $20.4 million and is now inching towards the $64.4 million mark.&nbsp;

The movie is expected to gross $112M in the opening weekend.&nbsp;

Despicable Me 4&nbsp;success came when another animated movie Inside Out 2 was ruling the box office. Released on June 14, Pixar and Disney's movie has become the first film of the year to hit the milestone of $1 billion at the global box office.

On Independence Day week, the movie earned $7.2 million, taking the movie collection to a staggering $503.6 million. &nbsp;

The sequel to the 2015 hit movie is the third highest-grossing animated film domestically.&nbsp;

<h2>More About Despicable Me 4&nbsp;</h2>

Directed by Chris Renaud and Patrick Delage, Despicable Me 4 follows the life of supervillain turned secret agent Gru (voiced by Steve Carell), his daughters Margo, Edith, and Agnes, and his minions as they face new threat from criminal mastermind Maxime Le Mal.

The synopsis of the movie reads, ''Gru welcomes a new member to the family, Gru Jr., who's intent on tormenting his dad. However, their peaceful existence soon comes crashing down when criminal mastermind Maxime Le Mal escapes from prison and vows revenge against Gru.''

The voice cast of the movie includes Kristen Wiig, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, Madison Polan, Will Ferrell and Sofía Vergara.

Fourth of July was all about minions for Americans. Despicable Me 4, the new chapter of a popular animated franchise, is ruling the box office after Inside Out 2 dominated the collections for two whole weeks.

Fourth of July was all about minions for Americans. Despicable Me 4, the new chapter of a popular animated franchise, is ruling the box office after Inside Out 2 dominated the collections for two whole weeks. The fourth instalment in Universal‘s movie series was released on July 3rd, a day ahead of the Fourth of July weekend. As expected, the Minions movie got an outstanding response from the audience, earning mega bucks. Despicable Me 4 Tops July 4th Box Office Universal and Illumination’s latest outing has amassed a staggering $47.6 million in its first two days of release. On July 4th, the movie earned $20.4 million and is now inching towards the $64.4 million mark. The movie is expected to gross $112M in the opening weekend. Despicable Me 4 success came when another animated movie Inside Out 2 was ruling the box office. Released on June 14, Pixar and Disney's movie has become the first film of the year to hit the milestone of $1 billion at the global box office. On Independence Day week, the movie earned $7.2 million, taking the movie collection to a staggering $503.6 million. The sequel to the 2015 hit movie is the third highest-grossing animated film domestically. More About Despicable Me 4 Directed by Chris Renaud and Patrick Delage, Despicable Me 4 follows the life of supervillain turned secret agent Gru (voiced by Steve Carell), his daughters Margo, Edith, and Agnes, and his minions as they face new threat from criminal mastermind Maxime Le Mal. The synopsis of the movie reads, ''Gru welcomes a new member to the family, Gru Jr., who's intent on tormenting his dad. However, their peaceful existence soon comes crashing down when criminal mastermind Maxime Le Mal escapes from prison and vows revenge against Gru.'' The voice cast of the movie includes Kristen Wiig, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, Madison Polan, Will Ferrell and Sofía Vergara.

Despicable Me 4: Minions movie tops July 4 box office collection, here's how much it earned

Volkswagen has announced a global partnership with Illumination's upcoming animated film, Despicable Me 4. This collaboration will see the beloved Minions characters playing a central role in Volkswagen's worldwide promotional efforts, with a particular focus on the European football championship in 2024.

The campaign, set to launch in conjunction with the film's release on July 3, 2024, in the US and July 11, 2024, in Germany, aims to bring a fresh and humorous approach to Volkswagen's brand image. Susanne Franz, Chief Marketing Officer at Volkswagen, emphasised the alignment between the Minions' likeable nature and the carmaker's desired brand perception, stating, "The Minions are likeable and approachable, exactly the image the Volkswagen brand wishes to portray."

In Germany, the campaign will uniquely blend the world of animation with sports, featuring the Minions alongside players from the German Football Association (DFB). This creative fusion will be used to promote Volkswagen's new GOAL special-edition models, coinciding with the start of the European football tournament. The GOAL package, available for a wide range of Volkswagen models including the ID.3, ID.4, ID.5, Polo, Taigo, T-Cross, T-Roc, Golf, Touran, and Tiguan, offers customers significant savings of up to EUR 3,700 compared to standard retail prices.

The global nature of this partnership is evident in its diverse implementation across different markets. In North America, the campaign will focus on promoting the Atlas model, while Latin America and Mexico will spotlight the Teramont. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will also participate in this worldwide collaboration, showcasing the brand's commitment to a unified global marketing strategy.

Despicable Me 4, the latest instalment in Illumination's blockbuster franchise, promises to bring more of the series' signature humour and action to screens. Directed by Chris Renaud and produced by Illumination's CEO Chris Meledandri and Brett Hoffman, the film sees the return of Gru (Steve Carell) and his family, including a new addition, Gru Jr. The star-studded voice cast includes Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell, Sofia Vergara, and several other notable actors.

This partnership represents a strategic move for Volkswagen, leveraging the immense popularity of the Despicable Me franchise, which has become the largest global animated franchise in history. The previous instalment, Minions: The Rise of Gru, was a massive success, earning nearly USD 1 billion worldwide in 2022.

By associating with such a widely beloved property, Volkswagen aims to inject a dose of fun and accessibility into its brand image. The company hopes that the Minions' universal appeal will help create a memorable and engaging campaign that resonates with consumers across different age groups and markets.

Volkswagen has announced a global partnership with Illumination's upcoming animated film, Despicable Me 4. This collaboration will see the beloved Minions characters playing a central role in Volkswagen's worldwide promotional efforts, with a particular focus on the European football championship in 2024.

Volkswagen has announced a global partnership with Illumination's upcoming animated film, Despicable Me 4. This collaboration will see the beloved Minions characters playing a central role in Volkswagen's worldwide promotional efforts, with a particular focus on the European football championship in 2024. The campaign, set to launch in conjunction with the film's release on July 3, 2024, in the US and July 11, 2024, in Germany, aims to bring a fresh and humorous approach to Volkswagen's brand image. Susanne Franz, Chief Marketing Officer at Volkswagen, emphasised the alignment between the Minions' likeable nature and the carmaker's desired brand perception, stating, "The Minions are likeable and approachable, exactly the image the Volkswagen brand wishes to portray." In Germany, the campaign will uniquely blend the world of animation with sports, featuring the Minions alongside players from the German Football Association (DFB). This creative fusion will be used to promote Volkswagen's new GOAL special-edition models, coinciding with the start of the European football tournament. The GOAL package, available for a wide range of Volkswagen models including the ID.3, ID.4, ID.5, Polo, Taigo, T-Cross, T-Roc, Golf, Touran, and Tiguan, offers customers significant savings of up to EUR 3,700 compared to standard retail prices. The global nature of this partnership is evident in its diverse implementation across different markets. In North America, the campaign will focus on promoting the Atlas model, while Latin America and Mexico will spotlight the Teramont. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will also participate in this worldwide collaboration, showcasing the brand's commitment to a unified global marketing strategy. Despicable Me 4, the latest instalment in Illumination's blockbuster franchise, promises to bring more of the series' signature humour and action to screens. Directed by Chris Renaud and produced by Illumination's CEO Chris Meledandri and Brett Hoffman, the film sees the return of Gru (Steve Carell) and his family, including a new addition, Gru Jr. The star-studded voice cast includes Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell, Sofia Vergara, and several other notable actors. This partnership represents a strategic move for Volkswagen, leveraging the immense popularity of the Despicable Me franchise, which has become the largest global animated franchise in history. The previous instalment, Minions: The Rise of Gru, was a massive success, earning nearly USD 1 billion worldwide in 2022. By associating with such a widely beloved property, Volkswagen aims to inject a dose of fun and accessibility into its brand image. The company hopes that the Minions' universal appeal will help create a memorable and engaging campaign that resonates with consumers across different age groups and markets.

Volkswagen teams up with Minions for Euro 2024 marketing blitz

Gru and the Minions are back with a lot more fun as Universal released the new trailer for Despicable Me 4.

The&nbsp;trailer of the much-awaited sequel to the popular animated franchise will follow supervillain Gru (voiced by Steve Carrell) trying to do good things and lead a simpler life. He is seen trying to find family while he’s at it. The fourth installment of the film will have stars reprise their roles including Kristen Wiig, Miranda Cosgrove, Steve Coogan, Chris Renaud, Dana Gaier, and Pierre Coffin.

There will also be some new characters in the fourth installment. The new characters will be voiced by Will Ferrell, Joey King, Sofia Vergara, Stephen Colbert, Chloe Fineman, and Madison Polan. Ferrell voices Gru’s new nemesis Maxime Le Mal, while Vergara plays Maxime’s femme fatale girlfriend Valentina.

Despicable Me 4 is set to hit theatres on July 3, 2024. The first movie featured Gru adopting three daughters, while the second installment saw Gru finding love with Lucy Wilde (voiced by Wiig). In the third film, we get to meet Gru’s long-lost twin brother, Dru (also voiced by Steve Carrell). In the fourth film, Gru and Lucy welcome a new addition to the family: their son, Gru Jr.

The film is produced by Chris Meledandri and&nbsp;directed by Chris Renaud and Patrick Delage.

Watch the Despicable Me 4 trailer here:

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qQlr9-rF32A" title="Despicable Me 4 | Official Trailer" width="640"></iframe>

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Gru and the Minions are back with a lot more fun as Universal released the new trailer for Despicable Me 4. The trailer of the much-awaited sequel to the popular animated franchise will follow supervillain Gru (voiced by Steve Carrell) trying to do good things and lead a simpler life.

Gru and the Minions are back with a lot more fun as Universal released the new trailer for Despicable Me 4. The trailer of the much-awaited sequel to the popular animated franchise will follow supervillain Gru (voiced by Steve Carrell) trying to do good things and lead a simpler life. He is seen trying to find family while he’s at it. The fourth installment of the film will have stars reprise their roles including Kristen Wiig, Miranda Cosgrove, Steve Coogan, Chris Renaud, Dana Gaier, and Pierre Coffin. There will also be some new characters in the fourth installment. The new characters will be voiced by Will Ferrell, Joey King, Sofia Vergara, Stephen Colbert, Chloe Fineman, and Madison Polan. Ferrell voices Gru’s new nemesis Maxime Le Mal, while Vergara plays Maxime’s femme fatale girlfriend Valentina. Despicable Me 4 is set to hit theatres on July 3, 2024. The first movie featured Gru adopting three daughters, while the second installment saw Gru finding love with Lucy Wilde (voiced by Wiig). In the third film, we get to meet Gru’s long-lost twin brother, Dru (also voiced by Steve Carrell). In the fourth film, Gru and Lucy welcome a new addition to the family: their son, Gru Jr. The film is produced by Chris Meledandri and directed by Chris Renaud and Patrick Delage. Watch the Despicable Me 4 trailer here: Growing calls for change in law as Taylor Swift gets embroiled in cyber attack