Minions: The Rise of Gru sends Top Gun down in flames for biggest July 4th opening ever

After a tie at last week's box office, this weekend had a very clear and decisive victor with Minions: The Rise of Gru taking the top spot, domestically and internationally.

Illumination Minion Kevin, Gru (Steve Carell), and Minion Stuart in 'Minions: The Rise of Gru'

The fifth entry in the Despicable Me franchise took in an estimated three-day total of $108.5 million and is expected to total $127.9 by the end of the Fourth of July weekend. Internationally, Minions: The Rise of Gru earned another $93.7 million, bringing its global three-day total to $202 million.

Minions: The Rise of Gru further extends Despicable Me's reign as the highest grossing animated film franchise, a title it claimed with 2017's Despicable Me 3. If estimates hold for Minions, it will also rank as the highest July 4th opening of all time, surpassing 2011's Transformers: Dark of the Moon.

Paramount Pictures Tom Cruise in 'Top Gun: Maverick'

In its sixth week of release, Tom Cruise's Top Gun: Maverick is still flying high, dropping off only 14 percent from last week for an expected four-day take of $32.5 million. By the end of the holiday weekend, the long-awaited sequel is estimated to top $570 million.

Baz Luhrmann's Elvis swiveled its way into third place, dropping 36 percent from its first week in release, earning $19 million over three days and is expected to earn another $2 million on the Fourth, bringing its two-week total to an estimated $70 million.

Warner Bros. Pictures Austin Butler in Baz Luhrmann's 'Elvis.'

Rounding out the domestic top 5, we've got Jurassic World Dominion in its fourth week of release earning an expected $19 million over four days for a domestic cume through Monday of $335 million. And finally Ethan Hawke's horror thriller The Black Phone will take in around $14.6 by the end of the holiday weekend, bringing its two week total to almost $50 million.

Related content:

• Minions: The Rise of Gru is far from despicable, but new season of Westworld is buggy

• King of the box office: Elvis ties with Top Gun sequel for No. 1 spot

• Jurassic World Dominion review: Let's get these dinosaurs to the nearest tar pit

• Ethan Hawke rings in the nightmares in unnerving horror throwback The Black Phone