Minions headed for record opening

“Minions” is heading for a powerful performance at the US box office with a whopping $118 million opening weekend, according to late Friday afternoon forecasts.

Earlier estimates had placed the 3D animated slapstick comedy at about $110 million, but that number was revised upwards several hours later. “Minions” showed plenty of punch in Thursday night previews with $6.2 million at 2,985 US locations — the highest preview gross ever for an animated film.

Recent forecasts earlier this week for the Universal-Illumination Entertainment movie have estimated at least $100 million in its opening weekend at 4,302 locations. That will make the “Despicable Me” spinoff the fourth film this year to debut above the $100 million mark — joining “Furious 7” ($147 million), “Avengers: Age of Ultron” ($191 million) and “Jurassic World” ($208.8 million).

Should the forecasts hold, “Minions” will become the second best animated opener in the US. The record for an animated film opening weekend is held by “Shrek the Third” with $121.6 million in 2007, followed by “Toy Story 3's″ $110.3 million in 2010.

 “Minions” is written by Brian Lynch, directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda, and stars Sandra Bullock cast as the villainous Scarlett Overkill.

Source: Variety