Los Angeles (AFP) – “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” the latest installment in the animated “Despicable Me” franchise, crushed the competition at the North American box office in its opening weekend, with an expected $127.9 million take over the four-day July 4th holiday. Universal’s “Minions” far outpaced the number two film, “Top Gun: Maverick,” which came in at $32.5 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Sunday. “This is a sensational opening,” said analyst David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research. “Family animation, more than any other genre, has struggled to find its foo…