Box office update: 'Despicable Me 2' dominates on Friday with $30.2 million

Those yellow minions are bringing in a whole lot of green at the box

office. After an incredible $34.3 million start on Wednesday and a

strong $24.5 million haul on Thursday, Despicable Me 2 maintained its

lead on Friday, scoring an additional $30.2 million, which gives the

$76 million film from Universal and Illumination Entertainment an $89

million total after three days and puts it on pace for a $140 million

five-day start.

Meanwhile, Disney's $225 million western The Lone Ranger earned a much

more modest $10.7 million on Friday, which brought its total to a weak

$30.2 million. The film, which stars Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer, may

have to settle for about $50 million in its first five days. Disney

should be thankful that Warner Bros.' Jack the Giant Slayer already

debuted and bombed back in March — it certainly takes some of the heat

off of The Lone Ranger.



Three holdovers rounded out the Top 5 on Friday. Fox's The Heat earned

another $8.6 million, which puts it on pace for a $25 million weekend

and an excellent $86 million total — double its $43 million budget.

Monsters University took in $7.1 million, pushing its total past the

$200 million mark and setting it up $21 million weekend, which would

give the Pixar film $217 million after three weekends. And World War Z

found $6.3 million, which points to an $18 million weekend and $158

million by Sunday night.

1. Despicable Me 2 – $30.2 million

2. The Lone Ranger – $10.7 million

3. The Heat – $8.6 million

4. Monsters University – $7.1 million

5. World War Z – $6.3 million

Further down the chart, Lionsgate's comedy film Kevin Hart: Let Me

Explain grossed $3.7 million from just 786 theaters and may laugh up a

terrific $10 million over the three-day period. The film will have

amassed about $17 million after its first five days — and all against

a scant $2.5 million budget.

Check back tomorrow for the full box office report.