Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s Despicable Me 2 shatters industry records in home entertainment debut, bringing in $80 million in its first week; Blu-ray And DVD outsells all animated titles released in the past three years and marks the highest sales ever for any animated blu-ray title in its opening week.
Minion mania continues to captivate consumers across North America this holiday season with the news that the home entertainment debut of Despicable Me 2 generated $80 million in consumer spend across both physical and digital sell-through formats in its first week of release. The year’s #1 comedy blockbuster sold roughly four-and-a-half million units, bigger than any animated title launch since the home entertainment premiere of Despicable Me in 2010, and produced the highest sales for any animated Blu-ray title in history in its opening week. On the digital front, Despicable Me 2 also vaulted to the top of the charts with the largest first week sales on record and is on pace to become the most successful-selling digital title of all time. From Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Despicable Me 2 is currently available on Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D Combo Packs, DVD and Digital HD including UltraViolet.
“Chris Meledandri and his team at Illumination have made Despicable Me2 part of what has become one of the most beloved and inspired film franchises of our generation,” said Craig Kornblau, President, Universal Studios Home Entertainment. “Despicable Me 2’s astonishing results across both packaged media and digital underscores the resounding demand among consumers of all ages to have instant access to the film anytime, anywhere and cements it as one of the greatest must-own movies ever.”
Despicable Me 2 has grossed more than $918 million at the worldwide box office to date, bringing the franchise’s cumulative worldwide box office to nearly $1.5 billion. Steve Carell (“The Office,” The 40-Year-Old Virgin) leads a voice cast of comedic powerhouses that includes Kristin Wiig (Bridesmaids, “Saturday Night Live”), Benjamin Bratt (Miss Congeniality, Snitch), Miranda Cosgrove (“iCarly,” Despicable Me), Russell Brand (Get Him to the Greek, Hop), Steve Coogan (Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Tropic Thunder), Ken Jeong (The Hangover, Turbo), Elsie Fisher (Despicable Me, Raising Hope), Dana Gaier (Despicable Me) and Moisés Arias (Ender’s Game, “Hannah Montana”).
Source: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.
