Minions: Rise of Gru surpasses $700 million, Super-Pets is off to a slow start

“DC League of Super-Pets” has struggled to sell tickets overseas, versus “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” another family-friendly offering vying for attention at the international box office.

Warner Bros.’ animated adventure about the animal compatriots of Superman and other members of the Justice League has grossed a lackluster US$18.4 million in 63 foreign markets. Despite mostly positive reviews, DC League of Super-Pets has had a harder time gaining traction as The Rise of Gru has remained the de facto choice for parents with young children internationally.

Although Minions hit theaters five weeks ago, the animated sequel topped newcomer DC League of Super-Pets on the international charts with $35.3 million from 79 territories. With those earnings, The Rise of Gru has grossed $389.9 million overseas and a whopping $710 million worldwide.

Of course, as the fifth installment in the popular Despicable Me franchise, Minions benefits from Universal and Illumination. Although ‘DC League of Super-Pets’ is linked to the recognizable comic book empire – and includes high-profile voice acting in the form of Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart – it doesn’t seem to enjoy quite the same level of recognition among ticket buyers.

The top-grossing countries for DC League of Super-Pets include the UK ($3.1 million), Mexico ($2.1 million), France ($1.6 million ) and Brazil ($1.1 million). It will open in Korea and Japan next week and in Italy and Australia next month.

At the domestic box office, DC League of Super-Pets opened in first place with $23 million, bringing the film to $41.4 million worldwide. Warner Bros. spent $90 million to produce the film, so it takes long legs in theaters to justify its price.

Elsewhere, Universal’s “Jurassic World Dominion” is nearing $950 million worldwide. To date, the sixth installment in the Dino franchise has grossed $573 million overseas and $942.5 million worldwide. Over the weekend, “Dominion” added $13.7 million thanks to its $10.2 million debut in Japan. The film may not hit the $1 billion mark like its predecessors, but despite ongoing COVID concerns, the prehistoric tent pole is strong at the box office.

So far, only one film has managed to hit $1 billion worldwide in 2022 — and that’s Paramount’s Top Gun: Maverick. The film opened in theaters almost two months ago and continues to defy expectations. Tom Cruise’s blockbuster sequel added $13.8 million from the 64 market over the weekend, taking ticket sales to $671 million internationally and $1.3 billion worldwide.