The box office success of “Minions” this weekend — with a $115-million total and a $27,000 per-screen average, the “Despicable Me” offshoot had one of the most successful animated openings of all time — is attributable to a number of factors.
On screen, it's the jibber-jabber charm of its main characters. In theaters, it's the diverse demographics, as more than 40% of its opening weekend audience was Latino or African American, according to Universal Studios.
And, of course, as an animated movie, “Minions” gave family audiences another strong option now that Disney/Pixar's “Inside Out” is on the downslope of its run.