Minions Off To Huge Start At Thursday Night Screenings

Here's a shocking twist for you guys; those little yellow Minions made tons of cash at movie theaters last night during Thursday night screenings. Speaking gibberish and engaging in slapstick, Minions made a whopping $6.2 million, a sum that's 73% ahead of the $3.6 million Inside Out made at Thursday night showings last night and also up 32% from the Thursday night haul of $4.7 million that Despicable Me 2 amassed in 2013.

It's impressive to see Minions improve on its predecessor in such a substantial manner, though it's hard to use Despicable Me 2 as a comparison for how Minions could play through the weekend since Despicable Me 2 debuted on Wednesday. If Minions played like Inside Out through the weekend and did 25 times its Thursday night grosses, it would make about $155 million in its opening. Since Minions is a sequel in a hugely popular franchise, it's likely it's burned off more demand in its Thursday night showings than non-sequel Inside Out, though it should have no trouble surpassing $100 million for the frame. Looking at its hefty Thursday night numbers, I'll say it makes $112 million for its opening, which would be the second biggest opening in history for an animated movie.

Meanwhile, Gallows made $900 thousand last night at Thursday night showings, a nearly 35% increase over the $656 thousand made by Unfriended back in April, though considering the summer date Gallows has, it'd be surprising if it didn't increase over April release Unfriended. I'd be shocked if this horror motion picture made more than $14 million for its opening weekend.