Minions Down Under: ‘Despicable Me 2′ Starts International Roll-Out Before U.S.

Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s Despicable Me 2 is having its Los Angeles premiere today and doesn’t arrive in North American theaters until July 3. But the 3D toon opened this weekend in Australia to get a jump start on the Australian school holidays which begin on Monday. ”Early results are terrific!” a studio exec gushed. On Thursday it grossed $466K at 275 locations or 55% higher than Despicable Me’s opening day in Australia. On Friday, the sequel grossed another $690K which is 35% higher than Despicable Me’s first Friday in that territory. The film was 2nd only to new release World War Z for the two days and beat Pixar‘s Monsters University opening. DM2‘s estimated cume starting with two days of paid previews last weekend and through the official release is $3.2M. (FYI, this photo is a first because Despicable Me 2‘s flags are occupying the space usually filled by Sydney’s official flags in the busiest pedestrian thoroughfare of Martin Place.) The 2010 original grossed $540M worldwide and became the 10th biggest animated motion picture in
U.S. history. Sequel reunites Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and fellow producer Janet Healy, directors Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin, and writers Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, Steve Carell as Gru and Miranda Cosgrove as Margo. Russell Brand also is back as Dr. Nefario while Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt, Moises Arias, Steve Coogan and Ken Jeong join the cast for more Minion madness.