Minions and Monsters overtake Toy Story 5 at US box office
By Dan Kauna, July 9, 2026The Minions are back on top. Illumination’s Minions & Monsters pulled in an estimated USD160 million (Ksh20.7 billion) worldwide in its first week, edging out Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 for the crown in the United States.
The animated comedy opened on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, and had earned an estimated USD61.4 million (Ksh7.9 billion) domestically by the end of its five-day run, according to studio figures reported by the Associated Press.
Confirmed daily tracking from box office data service The numbers show the film had banked USD51 million (Ksh6.6 billion) domestically through Saturday, July 4, still comfortably first for the day with USD9.5 million, though down 42 per cent from its Friday take.
Minions edge out Toy Story 5
Toy Story 5 put up a strong fight in its third weekend, earning an estimated USD31 million (Ksh4 billion) over the three days. Its confirmed domestic total after 16 days in cinemas stands at USD356 million (Ksh46 billion), while its global haul has crossed USD764 million (Ksh98.7 billion).
Interestingly, on July 4 itself, Angel Studios’ historical drama Young Washington briefly leapfrogged Toy Story 5 for the number two spot, earning USD7.67 million against the Disney and Pixar sequel’s USD7.54 million that day.
The film, which follows George Washington’s early military service, has now made USD15.3 million (Ksh1.97 billion) in its first two days.
Minions & Monsters, the seventh instalment in the Despicable Me franchise, has not matched the opening numbers of its predecessors. Despicable Me 4 made USD120 million over the same holiday stretch in 2024, and Minions: The Rise of Gru pulled in USD122 million in 2022.
Even so, the film has connected strongly overseas, adding USD85 million from 71 international markets during the weekend.
Speaking to reporters, Universal Pictures International president Veronika Kwan Vandenberg said “a confluence of world events” had affected cinema turnout over the weekend, pointing to distractions such as the ongoing World Cup.
She added that the studio remains confident the film “will have a long playout, bringing joy to audiences” in the months ahead.
Supergirl continues to struggle
Warner Bros’ and DC’s Supergirl had a far rougher outing. The superhero film slid to fourth place, earning USD2.5 million on July 4 alone, down 77 percent week on week.
Its confirmed domestic total after nine days sits at USD55 million (Ksh7.1 billion), against a production budget of USD170 million (Ksh22 billion). Industry analysts now expect the film to lose between USD100 million and USD120 million once its theatrical run ends.