‘Secret Life Of Pets’ Crosses $800M As Illumination Lights Up $4B+ In Worldwide Box Office

Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures’ The Secret Life Of Pets got a nice little scratch behind the ears as it crossed $800M at the worldwide box office this weekend. Through today, the film has grossed $363.4M domestically and $441.6M offshore where it has opened No. 1 in 42 markets to date. The global cume is now an estimated $805M and Pets is the No. 6 movie at the worldwide box office in 2016.

This weekend’s kitty has the knock-on effect of taking Illumination’s global box office across the $4B mark, factoring in all releases since 2010, beginning with Despicable Me. The other titles are: Hop, Dr Seuss’ The Lorax, Despicable Me 2, Minions and Pets.

That current worldwide total of $4.027B should go up a fair few octaves when Illumination’s Sing releases in December. The movie delighted in its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival last week after footage was teased at several industry gatherings over the past year. An original “let’s put on a show” show as Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri has referred to it, Sing lifts the curtain internationally on December 8 and bows domestically on December 21.

Turning back to Pets, the movie has set several records including the best domestic opening for an original film, animated or otherwise, in July. Overseas, it was the biggest opening for an original animated film in 17 territories, and the No 1 animated film of 2016 to date in 13. In Spain, Pets is the highest grossing film of 2016 so far. In Russia it is the third highest-grossing film of ever (behind Avatar and Zootopia).

The Pets also fall in line at No. 3 behind Gru and crew in terms of Illumination’s titles overseas. Minions is No. 1 with $830.6M and Despicable Me 2 is No. 2 $607.6M.

Meledandri was recently at the Venice Film Festival for Pets‘ Italian premiere and we discussed how the film’s theme has resonated with audiences around the world. He told me, “Because our audience is a global audience — and I’d say on average we’re making movies that play to both families and non-families — if we are fortunate enough to have an idea at the center of a movie that has tremendous universality, then you almost can’t stop the film when it hits the theaters.” Pets wags its way to Italy, its final market, on October 6.

Also coming up for Illumination are Despicable Me 3 in June 2017 and Dr Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas, starring Benedict Cumberbatch in November 2018. The studio is also currently “deep into the storytelling on Pets 2.”