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By Movieguide® Staff
MINIONS & MONSTERS just had the lowest opening weekend for the popular franchise, with many turning away from the movie for its occult themes.
“The general media might be quick to declare the death of Illumination/Universal‘s MINIONS this weekend after the franchise’s lowest result with $36.4M 3-day and $61.4M 5-day from MINIONS & MONSTERS,” Deadline reported.
For comparison, “2022’s spinoff sequel MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU and 2024’s DESPICABLE ME 4…launched to $123 million and $122 million, respectively, over the same five-day holiday stretch,” per Variety.
Some have pointed to MINIONS & MONSTERS’ occult storyline as a reason for the movie’s box office drop. The movie follows the Minions as they travel to Hollywood and find fame in silent movies. However, when sound is introduced and audiences can’t understand “Minionese,” the Minions have to come up with a new plan to stay in the movie business.
“With the help of a spellbook taken from an old boss (an evil sorcerer they used to work for), [Minions] James and Henry summon some fearsome monsters to play the villains in their movies,” a synopsis on the Illumination website reads. “When things go haywire, James, Henry and all their buddies must work together to save the world from a band of rampaging monsters.”
Movieguide®’s review praises the movie’s “positive media-wise message,” as well as the idea that “love saves the day” but does caution viewers about scenes that involve an “occult spell book to conjure up monsters.”
Yahoo! Entertainment reported on some parents’ worries about the movie’s occult elements.
“In the True Christian subreddit, one user created a post titled, ‘Please don’t take your kids to see the new minions movie,’ the outlet wrote. “After watching the Minions ‘perform a ritual and summon a literal demon,’ the user felt compelled to warn other parents. ‘I couldn’t believe how overt it was,’ the user wrote. ‘Usually films have subliminal message or hint at dark things but this was some of the most overtly dark things I’ve seen in a kids film.’”
An X post shared similar sentiments, with one user writing, “Don’t take your children to watch the new Minions movie. The film brings together invocations of demons, sexual perversion, and satanic symbols/seals. All of this in a movie made to corrupt your children from an early age. They always ask for your permission; only those who don’t want to see it won’t.”
MINIONS & MONSTERS’ underperformance at the box office is proof that audiences ultimately reject movies with excessive and occult themes.
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