Minions (film series)
Spin-off series exploring the origins of Gru's Minions.
The Minions film series is an American animated franchise produced by Illumination, serving as a spin-off to the Despicable Me franchise. It focuses on the origins of Gru's Minions and, like the original series, is distributed by Universal Pictures. Despite mixed reviews, the series has been commercially successful, with the first installment becoming the first non-Disney animated film to pass the one billion mark at the box office.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Minions
- Creator
- Pierre Coffin / Cinco Paul / Ken Daurio / Sergio Pablos
- Origin
- Minions (2015)
- Films
- Minions (2015) / Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) / Minions & Monsters (2026)
- Years
- 2015–present
- Owner
- Illumination / Universal Pictures
- Tv Specials
- Minions Holiday Special (2020)
- Web Series
- Minions digital series
- Soundtracks
- Minions / Minions: The Rise of Gru / Minions & Monsters
- Video Games
- Minions video games
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The series began with Minions (2015), which depicts the Minions as the oldest beings in the universe searching for the most evil master to serve. They eventually encounter Scarlet Overkill, a popular villainess who hires them to steal St Edward's Crown. The film debuted in London on June 11, 2015, and was released in the United States on July 10. A sequel, Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022), follows an eleven-year-old Gru as he plans to become a supervillain with the help of his Minions, leading to a showdown with the Vicious 6. It debuted at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on June 13, 2022, and was released in the United States on July 1. A third feature, Minions & Monsters (2026), is set in the 1920s and follows the Minions as they aim to find monsters to cast in their monster movie; it was released on July 1, 2026, after initially being set for release on June 30, 2027.
Reader's Guide
The Minions film series holds significance as a commercially successful spin-off that expanded the Despicable Me universe. Its first film, Minions, achieved a notable milestone by becoming the first non-Disney animated film to surpass $1 billion at the box office, demonstrating the franchise's broad appeal despite mixed critical reception. The series includes feature films, short films, television specials, digital series, a video game, and theme park attractions. Short films such as Cro Minion, Competition, and Binky Nelson Unpacified were released on DVD and Blu-ray in 2015, with the latter being the first mini-movie to not star the Minions. The television special Minions Holiday Special aired on NBC in 2020, and the digital series Saturday Morning Minions debuted in 2021. A free-to-play mobile game, Minions Paradise, was released in 2015 but removed from the App Store in 2017. Theme park attractions include Villain-Con: Minion Blast at Universal Studios Florida and Japan, and a planned Minions vs Minions: Bello Bay Club area at Universal Kids Resort in 2026. The series also received a BAFTA Award nomination for Best Animated Film for Minions in 2016.
Did You Know?
- Binky Nelson Unpacified (2015) is the first mini-movie to not star the Minions or feature them in any capacity.
- The free-to-play mobile game Minions Paradise was removed from the App Store on May 22, 2017.
More in Characters & Minions
Elsewhere in Despicable Me
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