Sequels won out once more over new concepts this weekend in the US as ‘toon Despicable Me 2 and Adam Sandler’s first trip back to a cinematic well with **Grown Ups 2 **battled it out for the top spot at the box office. In the end, according to studio estimates, the Minions won it by a nose (despite not obviously possessing them) with $44.7 million, staying on top for a second weekend.
Sandler’s latest reunion for his mates took home $42.5 million, proving that people still seem to love body function gags and emotional bonding. Pacific Rim, meanwhile, had an uphill battle to fight against low expectations and stories of limited awareness, and the Jaegers were perhaps too heavy for the task. While Guillermo del Toro’s latest didn’t do as badly as had been predicted, a $38.3 million start is not great for a film that cost $190 million to produce. Cop comedy The Heat was fourth with $14 million and The Lone Ranger began a swift gallop down the charts to fifth, earning $11.1 million.
Monsters University was down to sixth place, scaring up $10.6 million, ahead of World War Z in seventh with $9.4 million. **White House Down **fell to eighth, making $6.1 million and Kevin Hart’s stand-up special Let Me Explain earned $5 million in ninth place. Finally at 10th we find Man Of Steel, which took home $4.8 million.
To see the Minions take down frat boys and robots, head to Box Office Mojo.