Illumination and Universal’s animated feature “Minions & Monsters” opens in North America on Wednesday, with early estimates placing its opening day at about $13.75 million, which the reports note is achieved without any previews. The film is directed by Pierre Coffin and produced by Chris Meledandri, continuing the Despicable Me/Minions universe as the franchise’s seventh installment. Ahead of the U.S. launch, the movie begins its wider rollout after a reported $10 million box office start across 10 territories in Europe and Asia. Multiple outlets frame the start as strong for the Independence Day weekend window, positioning “Minions & Monsters” as a leading title for the day in the U.S. The film is also expected to compete in a current theatrical landscape shaped by Disney/Pixar’s “Toy Story 5,” which is described as having earned nearly $600 million since a June 19 release. Overall, the coverage emphasizes the early domestic and international performance as an indicator of the movie’s prospects and whether the seventh entry can sustain box office momentum.