'Minions' Take Charge of the Weekend Box Office with $115.2 Million Opening

The minions in "Minions" topped the weekend box office with a near-record $115.2 million opening (Universal Pictures photo).

LOS ANGELES - Universal Pictures' "Minions" took charge of the weekend box office with the third highest opening for an animated film ever. The goofy-looking sidekicks found gold with a $115.2 million opening weekend that ended four straight weeks of "Jurassic World" dominating the weekend box office.

The $115.2 million weekend take was just short of the all-time animated picture opening by "Shrek the Third" which earned 121.6 million in 2007. It still beat out "Toy Story," which garnered $110.3 million in 2010 and "Shrek 2" which earned $108 million in 2004.

"Jurassic World" remained strong and in second place, earning $18.15 million for a total of $590.69 million over five weeks. It was followed by Disney's animated "Inside Out," with $17.66 million for a four-week total of $284.20 million.

The other big openings this weekend were horror-themed "The Gallows" and the sci-fi thriller "Self/Less." which was unable to crack the top five with only an estimated $5.38 million for the weekend. "The Gallows," however, reached fifth place with $9.80 million.

The rest stacked up this way:

4. "Terminator: Genysis" (Paramount) $13.83 million for a two-week total of $68.85 million

5. "The Gallows" (Warner Bros.) $9.81 million opening

6. "Magic Mike XXL" (Warner Bros.) $9.58 million for 2-week total of $48.30 million

7. "Ted 2" (Universal) $5.67 million for a three-week total of $71.68 million

8. "Self/Less" (Focus Pictures) $5.38 million opening

9. "Baahubali: The Beginning" (Blue Sky) $3.57 million opening

10. "Max (2015)" (Warner Bros.) $3.54 million for a two-week total of $33.83 million