LOS ANGELES _ The Minions have done it again.
The yellow stars of "Despicable Me 3" catapulted the Universal picture to the top box-office spot, as the sequel bested fellow new releases _ Sony's "Baby Driver" and Warner Bros.' "The House" _ to start the Fourth of July stretch.
"Despicable Me 3," from powerhouse Illumination Entertainment, pulled in an estimated $75.4 million in the U.S. and Canada over the weekend. Though anticipation was high for the latest in the computer-animated series, the film failed to meet analysts' $85 million to $100 million expectations. Last summer, Illumination had a huge hit with "The Secret Life of Pets."
The picture also did not reach the $116 million the 2015 spinoff "Minions" grossed in its first weekend.
Still, Illumination has proved a formidable competitor in the crowded animation business by making successful movies that cost about $75 million to produce _ considerably less than Pixar and DreamWorks Animation films. The gibberish-speaking, pill-shaped Minions have become inescapable marketing devices, taking over New York cabs and the stars on Amazon's customer review system. The tiny henchmen have propelled "Minions" to more than $1 billion in global receipts.
Audiences appear still infatuated with the franchise, with moviegoers (69 percent families) giving the new film an A-minus CinemaScore. Critics felt otherwise, as the picture has a 63 percent Rotten Tomatoes score.
Internationally, "Despicable Me 3" has grossed $116.9 million to date. It stars Steve Carell as the voice of criminal mastermind Gru, as well as his long-lost twin brother, Dru. The film also features the voices of Kristen Wiig and Trey Parker.
"Baby Driver," from TriStar Pictures, MRC, Working Title and Big Talk Pictures, debuted in second place with an estimated $21 million over the weekend. The Edgar Wright-directed action flick gathered a total of $30 million since opening Wednesday, well above projections of $15 million to $22 million domestically.
"Edgar and our partners have made one of the most original and entertaining films in recent memory," said Adrian Smith, Sony's distribution chief. "We are so thrilled to see it received as bona fide hit in a crowded summer season."
The well-reviewed (97 percent Rotten Tomatoes rating), high-concept action comedy is the latest from the British director known for "Shaun of the Dead" and "The World's End." Presenting the tale of a young getaway driver (Ansel Elgort) who needs to constantly listen to music to overcome chronic tinnitus and do his job, the $34-million picture also stars Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx and Eiza Gonzalez, among others.
Audiences flocked to the picture and were pleased, giving it an A-minus CinemaScore.
Landing in third was Paramount's "Transformers: The Last Knight." In its second week, the picture brought in $17 million, a 62 percent drop from its debut weekend. Domestically, the film has grossed $102.1 million to date.
Warner Bros.' "Wonder Woman" continues to soar, landing in fourth place in its fifth week with $15.6 million. Domestically, Patty Jenkins' live-action superhero flick has brought in $346.1 million to date.
It has collected $361.8 million internationally for a worldwide gross to date of $707.9 million.
Rounding out the top five was Disney's "Cars 3" with $9.5 million in its third week. It has grossed $120.7 million to date.
The only other new release, Warner Bros.' parents-gone-bad comedy "The House," fizzled with a sixth-place debut at $9 million. Analysts hoped for at least a $12 million opening for the New Line Cinema and Village Roadshow Pictures movie starring Amy Poehler and Will Ferrell as parents who start an illegal casino to send their daughter to college.
This is at least the third R-rated comedy that has struggled for attention this summer amid the big-budget action including Scarlett Johansson's "Rough Night" and Amy Schumer's "Snatched."
The holiday weekend continues with the Fourth of July on Tuesday, and Sony will release "Spider-Man: Homecoming" on Friday.
