“Minions & Monsters” failed to meet expectations over the Fourth of July holiday. The animated prequel opened to a franchise-low $61 million over the five-day weekend. At the same time, “Supergirl” suffered a sharp 74% drop in its second weekend, making it a difficult holiday frame for Hollywood.

The film earned $36 million from Friday through Monday across 4,243 North American theatres. Since its Wednesday release, it has collected $61 million. The result fell well below the projected $80 million. It is also the weakest opening in the “Despicable Me” series.

Industry analysts expected slower movie attendance because Independence Day fell on a Saturday. Many Americans chose barbecues and fireworks over a trip to the cinema. Total domestic ticket sales reached about $121 million. That is below the usual $150 million to $200 million recorded during the holiday period.

Strong overseas performance offers hope.

Despite the slow domestic launch, Universal and Illumination found success overseas. “Minions & Monsters” earned $98 million internationally. That pushed its worldwide total to nearly $160 million.

The film also received positive reviews. It holds a 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes and an “A-” CinemaScore.

“Seven [instalments] is further than any animation series has gone. Audiences are showing fatigue now,” says David A. Gross, who publishes the box office newsletter FranchiseRe. “The movie will be profitable, but it’s a misfire.”

‘Supergirl’ continues to struggle.

Warner Bros. and DC’s “Supergirl” continued its poor run at the box office. The film fell 74% to $9.6 million in its second weekend. It has now earned $58.5 million in North America and $100.5 million worldwide against a reported $170 million production budget.

Angel Studios’ “Young Washington” delivered a brighter result. The historical drama opened with $20.8 million from 2,700 theatres after benefiting from its Independence Day release.

“The story is told from a patriotic, pro-America and faith-oriented point of view, and the release coincides with the nation’s 250th anniversary,” Gross says. “There’s limited potential overseas, but the domestic run should be good. Angel Studios knows how to reach this audience.”

Paul Dergarabedian, Rentrak’s head of marketplace trends, says, “When the 4th of July lands on a Saturday, it can hurt the box office. Nonetheless, theatres have been on a roll since the beginning of the year, with a summer movie season that is likely to be the biggest since 2019.”