Nothing despicable at all here! Despicable Me 2 is far and clear the Winner at the Box Office this weekend with a massive $81 million debut for Universal Pictures from 3,957 theatres. The Sequel to the Hit Animated Feature starring Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Ken Jeong and Russell Brand, far out-performs its Predecessor which opened in $56 million in 2010. Celebrating a July 4th weekend in the U.S., a Box Office Record also was set for the Holiday with over $220 million made in ticket sales. Audiences and Critics responded well, the former giving it an A CinemaScore and Critics giving it an average of 75% on the Tomatometer.
Debuting below expectations is The Lone Ranger at number two with $28.9 million from 3,904 theatres. The Gore Verbinski Action/Adventure starring Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp was made for an expensive $250 million. The Film has yet to expand fully overseas and hopefully will recoup some of those costs internationally. Audiences responded with a B CinemaScore and Critics weren’t wowed with 25% on the Tomatometer.
The Heat continues to wow with $24.8 million this weekend in its second week of release, at number three. The hilarious Comedy starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy already has made over $86 million, stamping the latter as a bona fide force to be reckoned with as a Hollywood Leading Lady – her second Smash this year following the success of Identity Thief.
Disney‘s Monsters University, last week at number one, slips to number four with $19.1 million mostly due to the sharp competition from Despicable Me 2 in the Family demographic, landing ahead of World War Z in fifth with $17.8 million for Paramount Pictures.
Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain opens with a bang in 876 theatres across the U.S., earning $10 million for Lionsgate/Summit Entertainment at number eight. Critics gave it a decent 71% on the Tomatometer. The Film is not yet released north of the Border. The resilient Now You See Me rounds-out the Top Ten with $2.8 million in its sixth week of release.
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