New Delhi, July 5 -- 'Minions & Monsters', the latest instalment in Universal Pictures and Illumination's enormously successful 'Despicable Me' franchise, secured the No. 1 position at the North American box office on Friday.

The film has earned an estimated $16 million from 4,243 cinemas across the United States and Canada.

Industry estimates project the animated sequel will generate approximately $39.5 million over the traditional three-day weekend and around $64 million domestically by the end of the extended Independence Day holiday frame.

While the film's debut is sufficient to secure first place, the opening is a softer start than previous entries in one of Hollywood's most reliable animated franchises. Universal, however, is exp...