 Despicable Me 2 is the twenty @-@ sixth highest @-@ grossing film , the fourth highest @-@ grossing 2013 film , the sixth highest @-@ grossing animated film , the seventh highest @-@ grossing 3 @-@ D film , and the highest @-@ grossing Illumination Entertainment film . It is the sixth animated film to pass the $ 300 million mark . Box Office Mojo estimates that the film sold more than 40 million tickets in North America . The film opened on Wednesday , July 3 , 2013 at first place with $ 35 @.@ 0 million ( including $ 4 @.@ 7 million from Tuesday night showings ) . Its opening @-@ day gross stands as third highest for an animated feature , and the seventh highest among films opening on a Wednesday . The film then dropped 30 % to $ 24 @.@ 5 million on Thursday , marking the second @-@ largest non @-@ opening Thursday gross . Over the five @-@ day Independence Day weekend ( Wednesday @-@ to @-@ Sunday , including Tuesday night showings ) , the film earned $ 143 @.@ 1 million , the highest five @-@ day start for an animated film ( ahead of Toy Story 3 's $ 141 @.@ 0 million five @-@ day debut ) . During the traditional three @-@ day opening weekend ( Friday @-@ to @-@ Sunday ) , the film earned $ 83 @.@ 5 million . The film 's three @-@ day opening @-@ weekend gross was the largest among Illumination Entertainment films , the third largest for an Independence Day holiday , the fourth largest among animated films , the seventh largest among films released in July , and the tenth largest among films not released on a Friday . The film remained in the first position at the box office for two consecutive weekends . 
