Each Minion movie takes things expands the universe a little bit further, but the newest film, Minions & Monsters, follows entirely new characters. This time we have James, who just wants to make movies and has no interest in villainy. I was a little caught off guard as every minion - as we understood it - has one purpose: to serve a villain. But the more I thought about it, the more fascinated about it I became. So I wasn’t surprised when the newest film Minions & Monsters took top banana during its first weekend at the box office.

But while one of the biggest questions has been answered (namely, how they became Gru’s minions) there are still many burning questions fans are left speculating over. Moviegoers have been desperately wanting to know how the beloved characters are born. Minions & Monsters nearly gave us this answer with a scrapped idea which totally bloews my mind with how wild it sounds. Director (and the voice of every minion) Pierre Coffin sat down with Polygon to spill the tea:

While that does hint at an answer to how they evolved, it still leaves a gaping hole in what we know about the minions. And it’s a question that Coffin has yet to get away from, as he has been previously asked about female minions. The director had a blunt answer at the time: “maybe it’s not meant to be.” However, the newest movie is taking a different approach to everything we know about the characters, going back to the 1920s silent film era while expanding the world to include monsters.

Critics have had mind-blowing reactions to the film, with some saying it has “reinvigorated [their] love for [minions].” The film has also been considered an “open-hearted tribute” and “love letter” to making movies. But this hasn’t stopped people from asking Coffin about the minion birds and bees. Turns out the real answer connects to a scrapped idea, which the director explains:

We didn’t get that answer among the 2026 movie releases but that doesn’t mean we won’t ever get a baby minion. After all, folks freaked out over Star Wars' baby Yoda aka Grogu. The director also addressed another theory that doesn’t seem to be going away: What were the minions doing during the '30s and '40s? While the theory of the minions working for Hitler is a little dark for me, Coffin assures fans that despite there being multiple tribes of minions, they “were not part of the Big History.” Whew.

However, the filmmaker did give a definite answer to one question. When asked if minions can die, his response was a simple “No.” He elaborated, “We tried multiple times, but they seem to come back alive every time for some reason. So I'm guessing they can't die.” Given everything we’ve seen them go through film after film, I think we could have all guessed that we won’t be attending any minion funerals. This should be a relief to children (and the young-at-heart) everywhere.

If you're like me and want a little refresher before watching the newest movie in theaters, you can go back to the beginning with a Peacock subscription and watch the first Despicable Me.

As a kid who grew up on Despicable Me and an adult who has not historically been a fan of the Minions movies, I was apprehensive about the latest installment of this franchise. However, after seeing Minions & Monsters reviews, I knew I had to check out this entry on the 2026 movie schedule. Now, I’ve seen it, and not only am I happy I spent 89 minutes watching this film, but I also left thinking about how I really wish it existed when I was a child.

I quickly fell in love with films and the art of making them when I was a kid. I was also always transfixed by movies about movies – like the beloved musicals Singin’ in the Rain and La La Land. It was through these two things that I found my passion for film. Then, I realized that Minions & Monsters has the power to do just that too, which is why I wish I had seen it as a kid.

Minions & Monsters Is Such A Fun Introduction To How Movies Are Made And Film History

What I really loved about Minions & Monsters is how it made making a movie the plot while also making tons of remarkable jokes about iconic films. So, it was all around just a jam-packed story about movies that feels like it was made for film lovers.

From the story perspective, we followed James, Henry and Ed as they traveled with the Minions. When they arrived at a film studio, they realized they wanted to make a movie. That’s how the monsters came into play. So, Minions & Monsters shows us the adventure that ensues as these yellow creatures learn how to make a movie (and defeat some monsters). And honestly, it reminded me of being a kid, picking up a camera and going for it.

Then, along with that, the film is full of references and jokes about old, classic films. From an A+ sequence that felt like an homage to Jaws (one of Steven Spielberg’s best movies) to an incredible Citizen Kane bit to a joke involving iconic directors’ names that literally had me laughing out loud, I couldn’t get enough of how Minions & Monsters showed its love for Hollywood.

And by showing this love, young viewers can get a great, albeit very silly, introduction to filmmaking and film history.

I Really Hope Minions & Monsters Helps Kids Fall In Love With Movies

Now, kids might not get everything I just wrote about on their first watch. However, it could inspire them to learn about film, and I wanted something like that when I was younger.

I think the reason why Minions & Monsters works so well is that it's such a sincere love letter to movies while also being an action-packed and ridiculous movie within the world of Despicable Me. I really think it could inspire a new generation to get into the world of filmmaking and film history, and if it does that, I think it’s a success.

Of course, Minions & Monsters has made money at the box office, and it’s gotten good reviews. So it is a success. However, I also hope it can be that film that makes a kid fall in love with movies. I certainly know that’s the impact it would have had on me if I’d seen it as a kid.

Now that Minions & Monsters is the latest 2026 movie release to take a banana at the summer box office, a long-standing question I’ve had about the franchise has once again resurfaced: "Why aren’t there female Minions?" Pierre Coffin, who is the voice behind the Minions themselves and the director of multiple movies in the series, has big opinions on the subject.

The Minions have been causing chaos in Despicable Me and Minions movies for over 15 years now, but I've noticed not once has a girl minion shown up. Coffin has been behind the yellow ones since the beginning, and has now helmed five movies, with Minions & Monsters being the latest. When asked about the prospect, he had a pretty blunt take, noting:

As Coffin told The Guardian, he’s not on board with female Minions, but he does think it's possible we could see them in the future, though his reasoning had more to do with supposed marketing than his personal preference.

The Minions were created for the first Despicable Me film out of necessity for the story to have some comic relief to foil the character of Gru. The little guys have since become a phenomenon and main characters in their own right across a trilogy of Minions movies, but they've remained just that, little guys.

Which brings me to the other question adult fans have often: How do Minions procreate? The answer is, well, they don't.

Now, this is interesting. Back when Pierre Coffin and his Minions collaborators were working on the first spinoff film, apparently they did kick around the idea of female Minions, but ultimately decided against it. I'm normally all for adding more ladies into movies, but I do think he makes a great point about there being little reason for them to exist, and as that phrase goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

When the same question was asked of Pierre Coffin back in 2015, I liked his reasoning, too. He said girl Minions don’t exist because he “couldn’t imagine” it because of “how dumb and stupid they often are.” And hey, if Minions don’t reproduce how humans do, it really wouldn’t make sense for male and female versions to exist in the first place!

Regardless, the latest installment in this franchise, Minions & Monsters, is now in theaters, and it’s been earning rave reviews for being “purely enjoyable” and “a welcome return to form”. While it's opening was a bit lower than projected, it was still very much No. 1 during the Fourth of July holiday weekend in the U.S.. With how popular the Minions have been over the years, you never know what new things we'll learn about them next.

The highly awaited Minions prequel, Minions & Monsters, will have a different tribe of Minions attempting to make a monster movie during the silent film era. Early reviews were already sending out praiseworthy reactions, loving its messy rise and fall of entertainment and a “love letter” to Old Hollywood. One of its stars, Zoey Deutch, is certainly a fan who's been showing her love for the 2026 movie release by method dressing at its promotional events, and I find it delightful.

Method dressing for movie premieres has become a new trend among celebrities to promote their new releases. Some examples include when Margot Robbie wore Barbie-centric outfits for the film’s press tour. There was also Zendaya, who recently rocked a backless spider web dress for the London photo call of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Now Zoey Deutch is showing she can method dress like the best of them at the L.A. premiere of Minions & Monsters, wearing a delightfully Minions-inspired dress I can’t stop looking at:

Zoey Deutch’s Prada gown has got to be a 10/10. Everything about this dress screams Minions with its vibrant yellow color and smooth fabric that looks so much like the skin tone of our favorite animated characters. I’m also loving the dress straps with the round buttons and square front pockets that perfectly resemble the overalls of the yellow henchmen. You've got to admit that the high-end fashion piece is a better red carpet look than showing up in workwear attire.

This wouldn’t be the only time that the Voicemails for Isabelle actress donned the yellow to promote Minions & Monsters. On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Deutch revealed she wore a Minions hat, goggles, and suspenders at a screening of the animated flick. The American actress also wore a beautiful yellow gown during her Rolling Stones interview of the Minions spinoff that’s truly one for the books:

The Set It Up actress’s elegant yellow gown for her Rolling Stone interview is so classy that you’d expect to see it in an Olympian fashion show. The “Minion yellow” still rings true with its asymmetrical drapery looking both flowy and shining. If you’re gonna prove to audiences what a fan of the lovable troublemakers you are, it’s natural to want to look the part at every promo event.

It’s clear that Zoey Deutch is such a fan of her Minions & Monsters movie that she had to show her love through her “Minion yellow” method dressing. If the Flower actress is trying to make a banana-approved statement, I’m all for it. You can see the Universal Pictures flick in theaters now. You can also revisit your favorite banana-loving characters in Minions streaming on your Peacock subscription and its sequel, The Rise of Gru, on your Netflix subscription.

Universal Kids Resort in Frisco, Texas, is one of the biggest things happening in theme parks this year, and it is now officially open for business. The park is one-of-a-kind in that it was created for families with younger children — specifically between the ages of 3 and 9 years old. However I got the chance to preview the park ahead of time with my pre-teen, so not only can I confirm that there is plenty for kids of all ages, there’s one ride that even the grown folks shouldn’t miss.

While the rides in Universal Kids Resort’s seven themed lands are geared toward a younger crowd — and therefore are less extreme overall than your favorite rides at Epic Universe and other parks — they were designed to accommodate older kids and even parents who want to ride along with their children. So I don’t want to hear any excuses — you’ve got to check out the Bello Bay Cruise (as seen below).

The water ride is a take on your typical river rapids ride, and who doesn’t love jumping into one of those circular vessels on a hot day? However, instead of a fairly serene ride interspersed with shrieks as rapids splash riders’ laps and waterfalls threaten to douse your boat, the Bello Bay Cruise ramps up the fun in a very Minions-worthy way.

For one thing, the boat rarely stops spinning, so be warned if you tend to get dizzy easily. The narrow channel also lends itself to some pretty rough jolts that add to the screams, and you even get caught in a “whirlpool” that sends you down a small drop:

The drop isn't too exteme for younger riders, but it was fast and a little something unexpected, and overall it was more fun than I typically have on a rapids ride.

Also, the Bello Bay Cruise does everything it can to ensure you get wet. If the rapids and the waterfalls don’t get you, there are the spray stations to contend with. Those sit on the overpasses so that other parkgoers can take aim at anyone who may not look thoroughly soaked. And here’s the thing — under that hot Texas sun, you will welcome the cool relief.

There were plenty of rides that kept my 11-year-old fully entertained on our Universal Kids Resort preview, with some highlights being the Jurassic World Cretaceous Coaster and Puss in Boots’ Swings Over Del Mar. Another water option was available in the SpongeBob area of the park, with the Bobbing Barrels also allowing friends, family or random passersby to spray you as you go.

All in all, kids of any age should find plenty to like from the rides, the shows, the character meet-and-greets, splash pads and climbing areas. There’s even a Sensory Garden for when the little ones (or anyone else) get overstimulated.

Whatever activities you choose to fill your day at Universal Kids Resort, I suggest you do yourself a favor and make the Bello Bay Cruise one of them.

Universal Kids Resort is open as of Wednesday, July 1, coinciding with the release of Minions & Monsters on the 2026 movie calendar. The park is located in Frisco, Texas, which is just north of Dallas.

Since their introduction in 2010’s Despicable Me, the Minions have become more than just the silly yellow henchmen of the lovable villain Gru. The've proven themselves to be a pop culture phenomenon, spurring their own billion dollar animated film, and showing audiences just how relevant they are. The latest Minions installment is a 2026 release, but takes the characters to 1920s Hollywood, where they cross paths with studio heads played by Jeff Bridges. In a spontaneous red carpet moment, someone convinced the Tron actor to do his best Minions impression, and oh boy, do I have thoughts.

At the premiere of Minions & Monsters, the Big Lebowski actor was asked by Variety to put his Minionese skills to the test, and I was not expecting this:

Yes, Oscar-winning actor Jeff Bridges just spouted near-gibberish with sub-aplomb on the red carpet. I almost thought he wasn’t going to do the impression, but then it just came out, and I ki-i-inda wish it hadn’t. It’s not terrible, but it doesn’t exactly sound like the Minions either. If anything, it sounds like the Minions when they turned rabid and purple in Despicable Me 2, as filtered through the chipmunk from Enchanted.

All I’m saying is I don’t think the Iron Man actor should quit his day job to be a Minionese translator. That’s okay though, he’s got quite the resume already.

To be honest, I don’t know if I could do much better. Minionese is both very complex and also hardly makes sense. That’s because Despicable Me director Pierre Coffin, who also voices all the titular characters, strings together random words from about 8 to 10 different world languages to make nonsensical gibberish.

The Minions creator has pulled words from French, Spanish, Dutch, Japanese, and English, to name a few, to help create Minionese. Some phrases repeat themselves and have become quite synonymous with the short denim-clad creatures, like their favorite word banana! However, instead of actual grammar and phrases, Coffin says Minionese relies heavily on melody, cadence, and physical movements for communication and reception.

The crazy language actually plays quite an important role in the plot of Minions & Monsters. After accidentally becoming silent film stars in the golden age of Hollywood, the Minions are cast aside once movies start to incorporate sound and script dialogue. To regain their fame, James is forced back to the drawing board, where he comes up with a brand new film concept: Minions vs. Monsters. Check out the final trailer below:

Minions & Monsters, the third movie in the minions' saga, has been met with high praise from critics as we head into its worldwide release. The new movie steps back from the familiar faces of the Despicable Me saga, allowing new characters James and Henry to shine as they infiltrate Hollywood’s golden age. This new territory also means an all new star-studded cast that features Jesse Eisenberg, Zoey Deutch, Allison Janey, and Jeff Bridges.

If there is anything I know to be true, it’s that a movie with the beloved yellow goobers in it is bound to be a riot for audiences of all ages, and Minions & Monsters looks to be no different. I’m excited to see what Hollywood parodies and cliches they sneak into the movie when it hits theaters July 1.

Minions & Monsters is set to hit the 2026 movie calendar in less than a week, and seven movies into the Despicable Me franchise, we all have a pretty good idea of the brand of comedy coming to us from Illumination’s little yellow blobs, right? Well, not so fast. Reviews have dropped for Minions & Monsters, and I’m genuinely surprised at the overwhelmingly positive reaction critics are having to the newest offering.

Critics are using words like “creative high” and a “peak for the series” to describe Minions & Monsters. But, like, what about the butt jokes? Apparently, all of the humor kids love is still there, but it’s also a “love letter” to Hollywood that will delight even those who have grown tired of the mischief makers, Tessa Smith of Mama’s Geeky says. She rates it 3 out of 5, declaring it her “favorite of the solo Minions movies. By a landslide,” writing:

Minions & Monsters takes us away from Gru and the other characters we’ve come to know — Kevin, Stuart, Bob, etc. — which already sets it apart from previous installments. Director Pierre Coffin (who voices all of the Minions) has the chaotic humor down to a science, Max Borg of Next Best Picture says, and the way he lets the creatures loose on the Tinseltown of yore makes this “the most refreshing entry in the franchise.” Borg continues:

Drew Taylor of The Wrap agrees that the third movie centered around the Minions themselves adds dimension to the Despicable Me universe, making it feel alive in a way that the franchise hasn’t in a while. Taylor also calls it a “love letter to Hollywood’s heyday and a celebration of the moviegoing experience.” The critic’s Minions & Monsters review says:

Guy Lodge of Variety says Minions & Monsters marks a “creative high” for the franchise by putting an actual idea at its core beyond your typical, cheerful chaos. Cinephiles will love the first half of the movie, he says, and as the monsters start to become a bigger part of the plot, it transitions from film-lovers’ playground to more of what you’d expect from a Minions movie. Lodge continues:

John Nugent of Empire agrees that much of the movie is “more of the same,” but that is what’s gotten the banana-loving creatures this far. Still, the critic does acknowledge that Minions & Monsters also squeezes “a surprisingly earnest ode to the art of storytelling” into its usual slapstick and nonsense. Nugent gives it 3 out of 5 stars and says:

What kind of franchise sees its seventh movie being lauded as the best of the series? Any movie in the Despicable Me universe — particularly involving the Minions — is practically guaranteed to come close to (or surpass) a billion dollars in ticket sales, so the fact that Pierre Coffin and co-screenwriter Brian Lynch are still making the effort to push the franchise to new creative highs? That seems like a love letter to Hollywood in itself.

If you (and/or your little ones) want to experience the latest that the Minions have to offer, Minions & Monsters hits theaters Wednesday, July 1, which coincides with the opening of the new Universal Kids Resort in Texas. The theme park, which includes a Minions-inspired land, was created for families with younger children, but my experience proved it’s fun for all ages.

The Olympics are officially underway in Italy and on the 2026 TV schedule. This means two weeks' worth of fantastic sports that you rarely, if ever, get to watch otherwise. Competitors work tirelessly for this experience once every four years, and one figure skater who thought he had lost out on the Olympic experience he wanted has been saved, thanks to, among others, Pharrell Williams.

Tomás Guarino is a Spanish figure skater who has performed a short program in international competition this season that included music from the Despicable Me and Minions franchises, and even had him dressed in the trademark yellow and blue of the popular Minions characters. He recently announced that, despite submitting his music months ago, he was only recently informed that copyright rules were going to prevent him from using the music at the Olympics. However, in an update on Instagram, Guarino says the rights issues have been worked out. His statement reads in part…

Pharrell Williams’ song “Happy” was written for Despicable Me 2 and received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song. The piece is one of several pieces of music from the franchise that appeared during Tomás Guarino’s program. As such, Williams assistance was needed to clear any potential copyright issues.

Figure skating is already underway, and the Milan Winter Olympics and the Men’s Short Program is scheduled for February 10. There wasn’t a lot of time to get the approvals needed to make the program happen, and large corporations aren’t necessarily known for moving quickly, so it says something that Universal Pictures and Sony Music were able to mobilize to clear the way for the music to be used.

Universal also owns NBC, which is broadcasting the Olympics in the U.S. It’s unclear if that helped smooth things over. One has to believe that a Minions-themed figure skating routine might be something people would tune in to see, so it’s possible that people airing the Olympics wanted to see this happen.

I’m not even a big Minions fan, but I do love watching figure skating as part of my two-week binge of all things Olympics. I’ll be looking forward to seeing this routine. Figure skating is at its best when the participants are having fun, and this sounds like it will be a blast.

Most sports fans are probably looking forward to the Super Bowl this weekend, but for me, the big sporting event worth celebrating is a little bit closer. The Winter Olympics get underway on Friday, which means two weeks of a lot of great winter sports that don’t normally get TV time. Unfortunately, one moment that was looking like a highlight, now won’t be happening at all.

A Minions-Themed Olympic Performance Just Got Canned

Tomàs-Llorenç Guarino Sabaté is a Spanish figure skater who, one can imagine, was looking forward to competing on the Olympic stage. This will be his first Olympic competition, so he was surely looking forward to showing what he can do. Unfortunately, he just informed fans on Instagram that he can’t use his planned short program because the music is from the Despicable Me/Minions franchise, and it runs afoul of copyright rules. He wrote…

Needless to say, it’s got to be a little frustrating to discover now that you have to switch the plan for your short program at the last minute. Especially considering he’s been using the program, which has him dress in yellow and blue overalls, looking like a very tall Minion, all season. He looks great…

Considering the music was submitted months ago, it’s all the more infuriating that this fell apart now, as Sabaté would have had time to change things or come up with a new routine if he’d been told months ago that the music didn’t work. Does anybody know anybody at Illumination or Universal who can get this approved?

Considering that Comcast owns both Universal, which owns Illumination, and NBC, which is broadcasting the Olympics, this seems like something that could be worked out. Of course, since we're dealing with international law, there could be all sorts of weird things going on.

A Dune Themed Skate May Still Happen

While a Minions skate is apparently cancelled, that doesn’t mean that there won’t be other skating routines done with a bit of movie magic. It turns out Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan does a short program to music from Denis Villeneuve's Dune movies, and he does it wearing a stillsuit.

Honestly, I need to see both of these performances at the Olympics. Hopefully, the Dune skater didn’t have the same problem and recently discovered he’s lost his music. Copyright issues are important, but nobody is profiting from the use of this music. Using music people know and like, and creating entertaining skates, will only increase the popularity of both skating and the music being used.

Considering all the best kids movies released within the past couple of decades, there's no denying the staying power of the Despicable Me franchise. The Steve Carrell-led franchise keeps on thriving, thanks in part to the little yellow Minions now firmly ingrained in pop culture. Bad movie reviews be damned, the films continue to generate buzz and big box office receipts, though one little kid's reaction to a Minion seemingly indicate that the characters aren't for everyone.

Little kids can be unpredictable, which seems to make them the perfect subjects of viral TikTok moments. I certainly think this mom was surprised when she decided to show her daughter a "Minion" that came to her door and the little girl reacted in a visceral way:

I honestly haven't enjoyed a Minion video so much since I watched the original Despicable Me with a Netflix subscription. Based on the comments, it seems a lot of viewers were surprised by the child punching what I assume is another child in that Halloween costume.

I do want to know what was going through the child's mind though, and why they punched the Minion. If I had to guess, they weren't fooled that it was an actual character at the door, and saw the child's silhouette clearly through the costume. Obviously, not every kid thinks fictional characters are real. (My daughter made that especially clear to me seconds after we waited an hour in line for her to hug Minnie Mouse at Disney World.)

Honestly, I love the idea of this kid remembering all the ways Minions can cause trouble and punching it in response. After all, their antics cause chaos for Gru and almost all others they interact with, so I can imagine how scary it would be for a kid seeing one in real life. Assuming this child thought she saw a live Minion, I would even be so bold to say she had an under-reaction.

That aside, it's great to see Despicable Me costumes are still a hit (no pun intended) with the kids over a decade after the first movie. Honestly, we're now reaching the point where kids who grew up watching the franchise are reaching young adulthood, so I'm half expecting Halloween Horror Nights to roll out an attraction for it in the future. This year's festivities featured some attractions that focused more on spectacle than scares, like Five Nights At Freddy's for example (it's also very popular with kids). So I think there's a definite possibility Minions could be added in some shape or form in the future.

Despicable Me aside, though, I'm excited to see all the Halloween costumes people will be wearing for the new year. I've already seen KPop Demon Hunters is a popular costume choice, but I have a feeling I'll see a few Minions as well.

The following contains minor spoilers for all the Despicable Me and Minions films.

While Disney is still king of theatrical animation, and Pixar now has the highest-grossing animated film of all time, with Inside Out 2, the most successful animated movie franchise of all time, is actually from neither studio. It's Illumination's Despicable Me films. The four films in the main series, combined with the two Minions films, have made more than $5 billion at the global box office.

The six movies in the series jump around chronologically, so trying to follow the complete story can get confusing. If you’re a Despicable Me fan who wants to rewatch the films in their chronological order, or somebody new to the franchise who just wants to follow a sequential storyline from origins to the current era, here’s a look at how to watch all the movies in the Despicable Me franchise in order, from the beginning of the story to the end,, at least until the next one comes out.

Minions (2015)

Minions is the true start of the franchise, and you can’t go much further back, considering it's the prequel that explains the evolutionary beginnings of the bumbling yellow characters, and how they have existed since the dawn of time, complete with the desire to serve the most evil humans. Three of the Minions —Kevin, Stuart, and Bob — go in search of a new master to serve, leading them to Villain-Con, where they are first hired by Scarlett Overkill (an absolutely hilarious Sandra Bullock) and her husband Herb (John Hamm).

Minions is an interesting one, as it's actually the most successful release of the franchise to date when accounting for the global box office, while conversely being viewed as one of the worst in the franchise by critics. It all comes down to just how much of the Minions and their gibberish speech one can take in a single sitting.

Stream Minions On NetflixBuy/Rent Minions on Prime Video

 Minions: The Rise Of Gru (2022)

Minions: The Rise of Gru takes place in the mid-1970s, and while the movie may be frontloaded by the Minion branding, it is more of a direct Despicable Me prequel story that sees Gru (Steve Carrell) as a young boy who dreams of becoming a supervillain, with the Minions as his hired…minions. After auditioning to become a member of the antagonist squad the Viscious 6, Gru gets kidnapped by one of their former members, causing the Minions to come together to rescue their master.

The Minions: The Rise of Gru cast is the biggest draw for this entry for older viewers. The various villains comprise a who's who of Hollywood stars, making it easier for even the biggest Minions skeptics to enjoy.

Stream/Buy Minions: The Rise Of Gru On Prime Video

Despicable Me (2010)

The first proper Despicable Me movie introduces Gru as an adult supervillain whose rival steals one of the pyramids in Egypt, causing Gru to up the ante by trying to steal the Moon. His plot to battle rival supervillain Vector causes Gru to team up and bond with three orphaned girls, leading to the discovery that even this big bad isn’t entirely evil.

The original Despicable Me is still widely seen by fans and critics as the best of the franchise, which makes sense, since this was the movie that had to be good enough to launch an entire franchise. It's certainly got the strongest heart.

Stream Despicable Me on PeacockBuy/Rent Despicable Me On Prime Video

Despicable Me 2 (2013)

Having retired as a supervillain to be a full-time father, Gru is drafted back into the world of crime by the Anti-Villain League and a woman named Lucy (Kristen Wiig), who wants the former supervillain to help them stop a new supervillain. He agrees, and his new crimefighting partner may turn out to be even more important for Gru on a personal level.

Despicable Me 2 proved to be a strong follow-up to the original, both in the eyes of fans and critics. It was clear from here that we had Illumination's first true franchise on our hands.

Stream Despicable Me 2 on PeacockBuy/Rent Despicable Me 2 On Prime Video

Despicable Me 3 (2017)

In Despicable Me 3, Gru and Lucy are as happily married as former antagonists get, but after an Anti-Villain League mission goes south, both are fired. Gru and his family are then contacted by Gru’s previously unknown twin brother Dru, where we discover that villainy definitely runs in the family, as their father was once a supervillain himself.

Despicable Me 3 was the first film in the main franchise not directed by Chris Renaud, which may explain its somewhat lackluster response from critics. While it's the global box office champ of the flagship film series, it's generally not seen as the best of those releases.

Buy/Rent Despicable Me 3 On Prime Video

Despicable Me 4 (2024)

In July 2024 we got the newest entry in the franchise, and the first Despicable Me movie in seven years. Despicable Me 4 refocused the story on the adult Gru, continuing his adventure with his job working for the Anti-Villan league and her personal life, with an increasingly large family.

Despicable Me 4 saw a former school rival of Gru's declare vengeance on the former villain after he became the latest bad guy captured by the Anti-Villain League. This led to Gru and his family, which now includes baby Gru Jr. going into hiding and taking on new identities. Despicable Me 4 opened strong at the box office, so this franchise is not losing any steam yet.

How To Watch The Despicable Me Movies In Release Order

If you want to watch all of the Despicable Me movies in chronological order, the above is the way to follow the story from beginning to end. If however, you want to watch all the films as you would have seen them in theaters, then the proper order would be.

• Despicable Me (2010)
• Despicable Me 2 (2013)
• Minions (2015)
• Despicable Me 3 (2017)
• Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022)
• Despicable Me 4 (2024)

There are now six films in the massive franchise, but it's far from done. Minions 3 was recently announced for a 2027 release. Clearly, this franchise is still massively popular. With Universal Orlando Resort opening an entire Minions Land recently, and another planned for upcoming Universal Kids Resort in Texas, it seems unlikely the movies are planning to stop anytime soon, so long as supervillains aren't running the studio.

When Sydney Sweeney isn’t starring in some of the hottest movies and TV shows, the actress knows how to have fun with her squad. Most recently, she did that in a big way for spooky season. Sweeney recently visited the 2024 Halloween Horror Nights houses with a group of friends, and she later shared a chaotic photo dump of the outing. There's a lot to love from the pics, but I'm really obsessed with her Minions and Super Nintendo World-related antics.

The Euphoria star revealed herself to be a theme park fan last spring when she effortlessly rocked Mickey Ears at Walt Disney World. Her fandom certainly shone through then, but her recent trip to Universal Studios Hollywood for the Halloween festivities was something else entirely. I wasn’t expecting her to make me want a minions rainbow hat, but she and her friends made them look so good. Check it out in the Instagram post below:

Sydney Sweeney posted a whopping 17 slides to show off her birthday celebration at Halloween Horror Nights. The actress, who has been in a couple of big 2024 movies already and has a film with Ana De Armas on the way, celebrated her 27th birthday by goofing around at the Los Angeles-based theme park. As noted in her caption, she came for Horror Nights, but “stayed for the Minions.” Quite frankly, I can understand why.

I also love that the Immaculate star took in all the goodness that the awesome Super Nintendo World had to offer. The sight of her standing in front of warp pipe and sporting a Mario hat with her pal delights me to no end.

There’s a lot going on here, but it’s clear that Sydney Sweeney and her friends came, saw and conquered Universal Studios by having a blast of a night. And, based on the Minions, Mario and Simpsons-related merch she and her friends are sporting, they really hit up those gift shops. That evening, Sweeney was even surprised with a fun birthday cake with a picture of herself on the front that says “How does 27 taste?”

Given my own recent trip to Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights, I can attest to the wild contrast between all the horrifying horror icons you can visit in the haunted houses and the other attractions. There's so much to take in, and it can be overwhelming

The Emmy-nominated actress and her crew clearly were living for their escape to Super Nintendo World, where they jumped on Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge. They also definitely went to the land of The Simpsons to play some arcade games, which is a must for visitors. They also seemingly took part in this year’s Blumhouse-themed Terror Tram, which takes guests to the original Psycho house and offers a bunch of scares.

Considering how accustomed we are to seeing Sydney Sweeney in major glam, it’s great to see her having the best time on her birthday without a lot of fuss to her look. She wore a white knit sweater and jeans – which is not exactly a viral fashion moment for her. But, then again, she has said she doesn’t let other people dictate how she dresses.

On that note, she absolutely slayed that Minions hat! Which isn't surprising since this is Sydney Sweeney, after all. Here's wishing the actress a Happy Belated Birthday and more fun theme park adventures involving Mario and the Minions!

Once the first Despicable Me movie was released in 2010, it didn’t take long for this Universal Pictures and Illumination property to become one of the most popular animated franchises. 14 years later, six movies comprise the Despicable Me film series, including two Minions spinoffs, and now it ranks as the highest-grossing animated franchise of all time. With such popularity having been achieved, one wouldn’t be faulted for wondering if we’ll ever reach a day when the Minions could be adapted into live action. Director Chris Renaud has given his blunt answer on if the humorous yellow creatures will ever be handled this way, and I agree with him on this.

Ever since 2010’s Alice in Wonderland, Disney’s been regularly churning out live-action remakes/re-imaginings of its animated movies, and many of Disney’s upcoming Disney movies will keep that streak going, including Snow White, Lilo & Stitch and Hercules. When Film Hounds asked Renaud if the Minions and the Despicable Me franchise as a whole could follow suit, he first said, “God, I hope not. That’s any answer.” He followed that up with the following:

Look, I won’t say that I’m completely against Disney having churned out so many live-action remakes. Do I think these versions are better than their animated predecessors? Usually not, but I’ve nonetheless enjoyed fare like The Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. But do I think the world of Despicable Me should be envisioned through the same kind of lens? Absolutely not, and it really only boils down to one reason: “live-action” Minions would be horrifying.

Ok, much like how 2019’s The Lion King and its follow-up Mufasa: The Lion King, which opens on the 2024 release schedule in December, the Minions in a live-action Despicable Me movie would obviously be realized through CGI and be operating in a live-action world. Nevertheless, I have no interest in learning what a “realistic” Minion would look like, because I have no doubt that image would haunt my dreams. All that being said, Chris Renaud does make a good point that the antics that unfold in the Despicable Me movies are best suited for animation. If you try to recreate them for live action, they just won’t look as good, and thus won’t be enjoyable.

For now, Despicable Me is still comfortably raking in the big bucks in an animated setting thanks to Despicable Me 4’s continuing theatrical run, and Minions 3 is set for release on June 30, 2027. You can stream the main Despicable Me movies with a Peacock subscription, but you’ll need a Netflix subscription to access Minions and an Amazon Prime Video subscription to access Minions: The Rise of Gru.

There are movies out there that will surprise you to learn they earned over that magic number of $1 billion. No one is shocked to see Avatar: Way of the Water or Titanic on the list, those movies are well known for their monster success, but then there are dozens of movies who have hit that number, mostly in the 21st Century, and some of them are really surprising. So here is our list of those, with the numbers reported by Box Office Mojo.

Zootopia

Disney's Zootopia didn't feel like it was going to be a billion-dollar franchise. Sure, the trailer was great and the movie was fantastic, but if you were placing bets on which Disney movies released in 2016 would earn more, Zootopia or Moana, most people would have guessed the latter. But it's the former that far outearned Moana, bringing in just over a billion dollars.

Aladdin

Disney has taken a lot of grief from some of the movie-going public for their live-action remakes, but the House of Mouse has consistently proven their critics wrong, at least in terms of box office revenue. Will Smith's Aladdin is one such example, as it brought in just north of a cool billion upon release in 2019. 

Finding Dory

Say what you want about Disney, but they are good at building many of their franchises. Finding Nemo was a huge hit, but its sequel, Finding Dory, smashed Nemo's box office numbers, bringing in more than a billion, beating its big brother by more than $500 million. 

Joker

Oppenheimer took the world by storm in the summer of 2023 and quickly became the second-highest-grossing rated R movie at the time. As well as it did at the box office, it couldn't top Todd Phillips' Joker. Joker became the first adult-only movie to top $1 billion in 2019.

Toy Story 3

It's probably not all that surprising that a Toy Story movie made a billion bucks. What is a little surprising is that it took until the 3rd installment of the franchise to become the first to do it. After nearly a decade since Toy Story 2 Pixar hit it big, both critically and financially, with 2010's Toy Story 3. Good things come to those who wait. 

Transformers: Dark Of The Moon

There are probably still people out there that are surprised by the monster success of the Michael Bay Transformers movies. Critics loathe them, but fans can't get enough, and that shows when they earn over a billion despite terrible reviews, like Transformers: Dark Of The Moon.

The Lion King

A year after releasing the hugely successful Aladdin live-action remake, Disney followed up with another live-action remake of one of their beloved '90s cartoons, The Lion King and it too went wild at the box office, earning more than $1.6 billion. 

Jurassic Park

This is arguably the most surprising on the list. No, not that a Jurassic Park movie raked in over a billion, each of the three released between 2015 and 2022 did that. No, what makes this entry so surprising is that it came out in 1993! It's by far the oldest movie on this list and it's astounding that it's earned over a billion. It was all earned in the '90s, of course, it's been re-released multiple times, but it just keeps crushing it whenever it is. 

Skyfall

Amazingly, it took 23 movies before the James Bond franchise had its first billion-dollar+ release. 2012's Skyfall, which CinemaBlend ranks in the middle of the pack of the Daniel Craig era was the first movie about the super spy to bring in over a billion. 

The Fate Of The Furious

Sometimes franchises just prove the critics wrong over and over. The Fast franchise is the poster child of this. While film reviewers and movie snobs often scoff at the franchise, the fans keep flocking, and The Fate Of The Furious is one huge example, as it earned more than $1.2 billion at the box office. 

Aquaman

Never underestimate the power of Jason Momoa. While it's never surprising to see superhero movies earn tons of money, the DCEU never quite kept up with its rival, Marvel. Despite mixed reviews and some bad press, 2018's Aquaman still crushed at the box office, raking in more than $1.1 billion. 

Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone

No one is surprised by the success of the Harry Potter movies. Most of the series earned just under a billion, but only just. It's also not surprising to learn that the highest-grossing movie of the franchise was the final one, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, released in 2010. What is very surprising is that number two on the list is the oldest, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, released way back in 2001. It has benefitted from re-releases, but it's still pretty shocking. 

Minions

One could argue that Minions is really a spinoff more than a prequel to the original Despicable Me and as such, you wouldn't expect it to be one of the most successful releases in the very popular series. the 2015 release earned over $1.1 billion, far out earning the main installments in the franchise. 

Alice In Wonderland

This may be the most surprising movie on the list. Tim Burton's 2010 release, Alice in Wonderland earned just over a billion dollars at the box office, which is more than all but two of Johnny Depp's Pirates of the Caribbean movies. It's just remarkable. How did this oddball movie earn so much? Well, Johnny Depp was one of the biggest stars in the world at the time, but that still doesn't fully explain it. We may never know. 

Inside Out 2

In 2024 Pixar proved it's still a force to be reckoned with when Inside Out 2 earned over $1.2 billion at the box office. Released nine years after the first movie, Inside Out 2 crushed at the box office and proved the Disney animation studio has more up its sleeve than we ever realized. 

Beauty And The Beast

Beauty And The Beast was the first '90s Disney animated movie to get the live-action remake treatment. Released in 2017, it was an instant success, packing theaters and printing money to the tune of over $1.2 billion. It paved the way for later success like Aladdin and The Lion King. 

Incredibles 2

it's never really a huge surprise when a Disney-animated movie makes a ton of dough. What makes Incredibles 2 so surprising is just how much that was. The 2018 sequel made more than $1.2 billion, ranking only below Frozen as Disney's most successful animated movie at the time. 

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

2023's The Super Mario Bros. Movie got crushed by many critics. Audiences completely ignored them, however, and generally loved it. That paid off at the box office in a big way, to the tune of more than $1.3 billion. Huge numbers. 

Despicable Me 3

After the huge success of Minions, Despicable Me 3 was released in 2016 and followed the success of its spinoff, earning just over a billion at the box office. It was followed up 8 years later with Despicable Me 4 in 2024 which wasn't a hit with critics, but still made a ton of money. 

Top Gun: Maverick

1986's Top Gun is a cultural touchstone to anyone who grew up in the '80s. It was wildly popular, and while people were skeptical of a sequel getting released almost 40 years later, the movie makers proved it was the correct decision. Top Gun: Maverick "saved" cinema, according to some, as it was the first monster release after the pandemic, bringing in almost $1.5 billion. Just incredible. 

Captain Marvel

It might not be surprising that an MCU movie would earn over a billion, lots of them have. Captain Marvel, however, was a bit of a surprise. Not only did some overzealous fans scoff at a female lead in a superhero movie, it came sandwiched between the two monster Avengers movies. Brie Larson and Marvel proved their critics wrong when the movie brought in $1.1 billion and change. 

Frozen II

Anyone who has had a kid in the last 20 years knows how huge Frozen was. Its sequel, however, was less well-received by fans and critics alike. That didn't stop fans from flocking to theaters to see it, however. It made an amazing $1.4 billion. 

Rogue One

A few Star Wars movies have made over a billion, but Rogue One is the only one outside of the main trilogy of trilogies to earn that distinction. It's also one of the best Star Wars movies since the original three. 

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy was a monster success. His follow-up, the Hobbit trilogy wasn't as successful, but the first one, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, still managed to crack the billion-dollar mark. The only one of the three to do so. 

The Dark Knight

Okay, we'll be honest, this one isn't all that surprising. Not only is The Dark Knight arguably the best superhero movie ever made, it marked Heath Ledger's most electrifying performance before we lost him far too soon. Still, for a movie as dark as it is, it's surprising it was as successful in theaters as it was. 

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

By the time Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, the fourth movie in the Pirates of the Caribbean series was released, it seemed like the franchise was running on borrowed time. The box office receipts proved that wrong in a big way when it earned more than a billion and became the second most successful movie in the Johnny Depp-led series at the time. 

The Dark Knight Rises

Another dark entry in the superhero genre is the third film in the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy. It did not have auspicious opening weekend when a gunman killed 12 people at a midnight screening of the movie. It was a tragic moment, but the box office rebounded and The Dark Knight Rises still earned over a billion.  

Barbie

While it wasn't a surprise that the Margot Robbie-led Barbie became a hit, but the absolutely huge impact of the movie took almost everyone by surprise. When it was all said and done, Barbie was the highest-grossing movie of 2023, earning more than $1.4 billion. 

Toy Story 4

It's always risky to release a sequel a decade after the previous installment of a franchise, much less decades after the original, but Toy Story 4 proved that the world truly loves the franchise as much as any other Disney has ever created. It just topped its predecessor with over a billion dollars earned in 2019. 

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Everyone knows that The Lord of the Rings trilogy was a massive success, but still, the fact that a movie released in 2003 earned north of a billion is very surprising. That's exactly what The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King did when it was released, right before it cleaned up at the Oscars. 

Transformers: Age of Extinction

Critics continue to slam the Transformers franchise, but fans don't care. The 2014 release, Transformers: Age of Extinction, proves just how much the fans don't care as they flocked to the theater, handing over a collective $1.1 billion. 

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

Only three movies released in the 1990s have ever earned over a billion dollars. Titanic, of course, is the top earner. Jurassic Park is the second. The third, is maybe not as surprising, as it's a Star Wars movie and it was the first one in almost two decades. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace may not be a fan favorite today, but in 1999 fans couldn't wait. It destroyed box offices all over the work, raking in an impressive one billion dollars. It far outpaced its sequels and that mark was not reached by the franchise again until 2015's Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens.

Since the feature arrived in early 2020, the Netflix Top 10 bar has been an interesting way for those with a Netflix subscription to see what people are watching the most of the streaming platform. While often it’s what is new on Netflix that most often appears at the top of the list, recently a beloved animated franchise has been dominating the site. 

Just about all the Despicable Me movies have been trending on Netflix’s global top 10 recently, with Despicable 2 particularly standing strong having been on the list for 13 weeks straight! Check out the top ranking Netflix titles below: 

Per Netflix’s own reporting, four out of five of the Despicable Me movies are doing incredibly well on the streaming service right now – especially considering most of these movies are quite a few years old! 

Now, you’ll have to check if these movies are available in your country (because in the United States for example, most of them are exclusive to Peacock), but overall, many of Illumination’s animated films are especially popular right now all over the world and ranking in top ten lists in anywhere from over 30 to 60 countries at the same time. 

For the many families who are bingeing the Despicable Me movies right now, it’s a good time to do so considering the next installment is part of the upcoming 2024 movies lineup. This summer, just in time for 4th of July weekend in the United States, Despicable Me 4 is coming to theaters. The new animated movie will see Steve Carell’s Gru raising a baby for the first time alongside his wife Lucy (voiced by Kirsten Wiig) along with being an Anti-Villain League agent. 

Despicable Me 4 is a long-time coming, considering there hasn’t been a movie to come out of the main franchise since 2017. In 2022, Minions: The Rise of Gru gave fans a sense of what Gru’s childhood and Minions origins was like. Although critics were not into the movie, including CinemaBlend’s Minions: Rise of Gru review getting 1.5 out of 5 stars, it went on to earn $940 million worldwide at the global box office, proving the Despicable Me takeover is very much alive and kicking. Last year, Universal Orlando Florida also opened its very own Minion Land over the summer. 

Aside from binging all those bananas Minion-filled Despicable Me movies, you can mark your calendar for Despicable Me 4, heading to theaters on July 3, 2024. 

Who would have thought animated movies geared towards the young and young at heart would be massive hits? Sarcasm aside, some of the most popular movies of all time are animated features. In fact, quite a few of them even made more than $1 billion at the box office, be it a surprise hit like 2013’s Frozen, a highly anticipated sequel like its follow-up, Frozen II, or a video game adaptation like The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which had a little something for everyone.

But what are the most successful animated movies of all time and how did they become such box office juggernauts? Well, we’re about to break down the 10 highest-grossing animated movies and the various ways they eclipsed $1 billion at the global box office.

Frozen II ($1.453 Billion)

Before Frozen II was even released in November 2019, there were estimates that the Disney animated fantasy musical would make a ton of cash at the box office, and it did just that. According to Box Office Mojo, the sequel hit the ground running with a $130 million opening weekend in the United States. The movie made a staggering $358.2 million globally during its first few weeks, per Deadline. 

By the time its theatrical run concluded in March 2020, Frozen II made $1.453 billion worldwide, with $477 million of that in the United States. And it wasn’t just because of the massive opening weekend, as the movie continued to bring in seven-figure daily totals more than two months after its debut. 

The Super Mario Bros. Movie ($1.355 Billion)

It wasn’t hard to imagine a world in which The Super Mario Bros. Movie would make money hand-over-fist, considering Illumination was making a movie about the most iconic video game character of all time. However, what the movie was able to achieve in no time at all was nothing short of impressive. According to Deadline, the Chris Pratt-led animated movie made at least $377 million during its opening five-day weekend (Easter holiday), with more than $204 million of that here in the States.

The movie would eclipse the $1 billion-mark not even a month into its theatrical run, one that totals $1.356 billion ($547 million domestically), per Box Office Mojo, and it’s still in theaters at the time of this writing in August 2023. Also of note, Mario didn’t experience a weekend dropoff of more than 50% until nearly a month into its run. 

Frozen ($1.284 Billion)

Disney’s Frozen brought in a total of $1.284 billion worldwide through its initial release in November 2013 and several re-releases in subsequent years, per Box Office Mojo. Though its sequel would have a better opening weekend six years later, Frozen drew in around $93.5 million during its first few days, and it would just continue to build up steam from there.

Be it the massive popularity of its signature song, “Let it Go,” charming story, or word of mouth, the all-time great Disney animated movie continued to be a massive hit in the United States, with eight-digit daily box office totals a common occurrence more than a month after its release; it finally left theaters (for the first time) in May 2014.

Incredibles 2 ($1.243 Billion)

Released in 2018, Pixar’s Incredibles 2 quickly became the studio’s most successful movie, pulling in an impressive $1.243 billion worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. Just like how it shattered trailer records in late 2017, the sequel to 2004’s The Incredibles became the first animated film to cross the $500 million-mark domestically (it would end up making $608.5 in North America; $1.243 billion worldwide).

Though there was a 53.7% dropoff between the first and second weeks, the movie wouldn’t dip more than 45% again until September, nearly three months after its initial release. Even more impressive is the fact it stayed in the top ten domestically for nearly two months.

Minions ($1.159 Billion)

The Despicable Me franchise was already a massive property by the time the Minions movie came out in July 2015, but it reached new heights (which haven’t been surpassed) with the animated prequel. Per Box Office Mojo, the movie brought in a stupendous $1.159 billion worldwide, with the vast majority of it, $823 million, coming from international audiences.

This isn’t to say Minions wasn’t a hit domestically, because it still made an impressive $336 million during its initial run back home. Its opening weekend alone made up $115.7 million of that total draw. 

Toy Story 4 ($1.073 Billion)

Though not the best movie in the franchise, Toy Story 4 was still a massive hit with audiences and critics upon its release in June 2019, and its massive box office numbers are proof of that. According to Box Office Mojo, the Pixar movie made a total of $1.073 billion worldwide, with $434 million of that coming domestically. Interestingly enough, the spread between domestic and international is only about $200 million in this case, unlike other movies on this list.

Also of note, Toy Story 4 had a $120.9 million opening in North America and continued to bring in a ton of cash throughout its run, which didn’t come to an end until that December.  

Toy Story 3 ($1.067 Billion)

Though released nine years before its slightly more successful sequel, Toy Story 3 was a booming success on multiple levels, and is still considered one of the top-tier Pixar movies more than a decade after the fact. Per Box Office Mojo, the third movie in the series brought in $1.067 billion worldwide, which was a lot of money back in 2010.

Like its sequel, the movie’s success was due to a number of factors including the familiarity of the franchise, that all-star cast, and incredibly emotional story, and the fact that it didn’t experience a dropoff over 60% until nearly three months into its run.

Despicable Me 3 ($1.034 Billion)

A couple of years after Minions became the first film in the franchise to cross the $1 billion-mark, Despicable Me 3 followed suit with an equally impressive box office return. Per Box Office Mojo, the Illumination movie brought in $1.034 billion worldwide, which more than covered its $80 million budget. 

The movie benefited from coming out just before the Fourth of July holiday in 2017, which resulted in a $266 million worldwide gross during its first week, per Deadline. Of that, $98 million was domestic. That trend would continue throughout its run, with $770 million, or 74% coming from the international market. 

Finding Dory ($1.029 Billion)

Released in what could be considered one of the best years for animated movies, Pixar’s Finding Dory had the heart, soul, and charm of its predecessor, Finding Nemo, and also made a ton of cash. At the time of its release, it was the highest grossing animated movie of all time at the domestic box office, and that doesn’t even touch on its international drawing power.

Overall, the movie made $1.029 billion worldwide, per Box Office Mojo. Of that total, $542.9 million, or just shy of 53%, came from theaters outside of North America. Back in the states, the movie just kept crushing at the box office, and it didn’t have its first major dropoff of 54% until nearly two months into its run. 

Zootopia ($1.025 Billion)

Disney’s Zootopia was another massive hit with audiences around the world in Spring 2016. According to Box Office Mojo, the movie brought in a total of $1.025 billion internationally, with $341.2 million of that being domestic. It didn’t have the biggest domestic opening on this list, but a $75 million debut wasn’t all that bad either.

One of the most fascinating things about the movie’s run is the fact that several weekends more than two months after its release saw box office receipts eclipse $1 million, showing that it was a massive hit with its key demographic: kids (and their parents who were dragged along). Zootopia ran wild until early August that year, nearly five months after its debut. 

BONUS: The Lion King (2019 Remake) ($1.663 Billion)

The 2019 remake of The Lion King technically made more money than any other movie on this list with a total take of $1.663 billion worldwide, per Box Office Mojo. However, since the 9th-highest grossing movie of all time blends live-action and CGI elements to tell its story, we’ll just have to leave it as an honorable mention. 

This certainly has been a fun and stat-heavy project to undertake. However, expect to see some major additions to this list in the coming years, especially with upcoming Disney movies like Frozen 3 and Toy Story 5 in the works.

While Walt Disney World is still the 900 lb. gorilla of the theme park world, especially in Orlando, in recent years, Universal Orlando Resort has made some big moves, and based on the most recent attendance numbers, theme park guests seem to be appreciating it. Not only have we seen major new thrill rides added to the parks with attractions like the excellent Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and the Velocicoaster, but Universal is also adding more family-friendly experiences, like the new Minions Land.

The newest addition to Universal Studios Florida is a mini-land that is not only based on a property that both adults and kids love, but it’s done in a way that all of them will be able to find equal enjoyment in it. The new land’s major attraction is one of the most accessible we’ve seen in a long time, and that’s just part of what the new land has to offer.

Universal Orlando’s Minions Land Is Officially Open

The official grand opening date for Universal Studios Florida’s new Minions Land happened on Friday, August 11, though the main areas and Illumination's Villain-Con: Minion Blast attraction previewed for weeks in advance. This gave a lot of guests the chance to try out the experience early. (Of course they had thoughts about Minion Blast.)

Due to the ease of load on the ride, early wait times have also not been too intense. I just looked and the ride was at 45 minutes. That could change if families get excited about trying out new stuff on the ride multiple times. 

Villain-Con: Minion Blast Is Not Your Average Dark Ride

As far as what Illuminations Villain-Con: Minion Blast actually is, the attraction takes place during the in-universe Villain-Con, with guests competing to join new baddies the Vicious 6. Those who step onto the attraction are given a blaster with which to shoot at targets, which translates to points, allowing guests to keep score and compete against their friends. It’s one of several shooting dark rides that can be found at theme parks, including Universal’s own Men In Black: Alien Attack.

However, there are a few things about Minion Blast that set it apart from its competitors. First and foremost, there’s no ride vehicle in Minion Blast. Instead, guests are asked to pick a dot on a moving walkway and hold blaster guns in their arms. They use that to take aim at the targets that are created using a combination of both practical props and screens. (Hint: shoot at anything villainous.)

This makes Minion Blast incredibly accessible, as the ride has no height requirement. Anybody who can stand and hold the blaster can use it. Even guests in wheelchairs can go on the attraction without having to get out of their chairs. This makes for quick and efficient load times as well. 

Download The Universal Orlando App To Get The Most Out Of Minion Blast

At this point, saying that you need to be sure to download the right app before visiting a theme park should go without saying. Basically, every park has one, and if nothing else, they all do a decent job of keeping guests apprised of wait times on key attractions, which is a good enough reason to have it. But the Universal Orlando app does a lot more when it comes to Minion Blast.

So you download the app, you choose a username and character in the app, and then when pick up your blaster in the queue on the Villain Con Minion Blast, you touch the app to the blaster and it pairs, kind of like using Apple Pay. It's similar to how MarioKart: Bowser’s Challenge works at Universal Studios Hollywood. This way it is also able to keep track of what you accomplish, both as far as your high score goes and how many times you've experienced the attraction. 

Each time you go on, syncing with the app will help you to unlock a variety of different additions to the game. But not only that, you can also customize your blaster, with the Director of immersive experiences Victor Lugo telling CinemaBlend and other outlets the app is a great way to make the experience change every single time. 

(Sidebar: one of the options for the standard launcher is a "fart bomb" that kids are probably gonna latch onto.)  

You can also collect loot in the queue ahead of the ride. And the app has an option to add a new player and follow other players for families. All in all, the goal is for parkgoers to experience the attraction repeatedly and to unveil cool new additions to their experience every time. This should be a great, in particular, for annual passholders.

Minions Land Has Banana-Flavored Popcorn And So Much More 

Going on rides is fun and all, but one of the best things to do in any theme park is eat, and Minions Land has some absolutely great options. The former Monsters Cafe is now the Minions Cafe, and it has some pretty tasty food for the whole family to enjoy.

In fact, Chef Robert Martinez Jr. told CinemaBlend his recommendation for first timers would be Uncle Dru's Belly Fillin' Pork sandwich,  which comes with slow roasted porchetta chimichurri sauce and green banana chips. (It's very good.) CinemaBlend got to try some food and found the bright green Agnes' Honeymoon Soup to be really good despite it's wild color, while kids are going to love drinks like The PX-41 Punch, a drink that comes in a novelty plastic cup and is basically lemonade mixed with other fruit flavors and covered with frosting on top. 

Beyond that, there are multiple places to go to grab a quick snack and have some stuff you simply won’t find anywhere else. Case in point, there's Pop-A-Nana, a kiosk where you can pick up banana-flavored popcorn. Is It Wild? Yes. Do you kinda want to try it? Of course you do. You'll also find Freeze Ray Pops and the Bake My Day bakery. There is oh so much that is banana(h) flavored at all of these locations, but Bake My Day also has a stunning PB&J cake pop and macarons that are almost too stunning to eat. 

Minions Land Has So Much More Than Minions 

Any theme park land isn’t done unless it has characters to meet and take pictures with someplace, and Minions Land is no exception. The little yellow guys, who are actually big yellow guys at Universal, are certainly around, and you’ll also find Gru, Margo, Edith and Agnes from the Despicable Me franchise as well. But that’s not all. 

The Illumination Theater, which is hosting all the Minions Land Meet-And-Greets, will also see the occasional visit by Rosita, Gunter and Johnny from the Sing franchise. It seems likely that other characters from other Illumination Animation film projects will appear over time. If you are waiting for particular characters, there are posters on the side of the theater marking who is currently appearing and who is set to appear during the next "show." So that's a helpful hint if your kids prefer Sing to Minions or vice versa. 

Minions Land isn’t the biggest and the boldest new theme park addition that we’ve seen, but not everything needs to be an E-Ticket ride to be a hit, and the new land has definitely jazzed up Universal Studios in a family-friendly and fun way. 

Plus, there is so much more on the way for Universal Studios Florida, a new land dedicated to Dreamworks has already been announced to be opening in 2024. Plus, there’s the recently-closed Poseidon’s Fury attraction, which is next in line for a major upgrade to something new. In short, the upcoming year could be a great time to visit the Florida Parks if you haven't been in a while.

You need only look at the global box office numbers to understand that there is very little on the planet earth more popular than Illumination’s Minions. The most recent entry in the franchise Minions: The Rise of Gru, the fourth highest grossing movie of the year worldwide with box office totals just short of $1 billion. This makes it little surprise that Universal Studios Florida is going to be dedicating a section of the park to the little yellow guys, as it just announced that a brand new attraction, Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast, will open next year.

The brand new Minions experience will be replacing the Shrek 4D movie that closed down 11 months ago. At the time it was strongly hinted that something Minions related would be replacing it, and rumors and leaks indicated what the attraction would be, and it appears to be exactly what we’re getting. 

The experience will be an interactive experience where guests attend Villain-Con and blast away at targets in an attempt to become part of The Vicious 6, the group of supervillains from Minions: The Rise of Gru. While we’ve seen attractions that offer this sort of interactivity before, including Men in Black: Alien Attack in the same theme park, this one has some unique elements going for it. First and foremost, rather than putting guests in any kind of ride vehicle, it will use a moving walkway. In addition the attraction will use a combination of screens and physical sets. Most attractions tend to limit themselves to one or the other.

Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast will be the second Minions-themed attraction at Universal Studios Florida, following Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem. The two rides together will come together in a new Minions Land, which will also include a Minion Cafe, replacing the former Monster Cafe that closed down earlier this year. It’s becoming commonplace to see theme park lands based on particular IP rather than more general concepts, but in most recent cases these lands have been built from the ground up to be that, in this case we’re seeing Minions Land build itself a space in the existing park.

It’s not exactly a shock to see Minions Land become a thing. The Despicable Me/Minions franchise is one of the most successful animation properties ever. Of the five films in the franchise, four of them have grossed over $900 million globally. These characters are incredibly popular not only in America but all over the world. 

Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast is set for a 2023 opening, but nothing more specific has been revealed. We usually see new attractions open in the late spring or early summer, in time for the vacation season, and since this will likely be the major attraction opening for the year, Universal will want to have it ready in time for the busiest season. 

Minions: The Rise of Gru has been a hit movie already, setting records for the 4th of July weekend, despite the fact that the new Minions film reportedly isn’t all that good. The movie has also been a social media juggernaut thanks to the Gentleminions trend on TikTok that has seen teenagers attend the movie in formalwear. However, it seems that social media clout and box office success are crashing up against each other as theaters are being forced to refund tickets due to the finely dressed guests.

While one might think that teenagers dressed in their best would also be on their best behavior, and in a lot of cases that would appear to  be true, but ABC reports that some of the Gentleminions are not all that gentle, as they’ve been getting quite wild inside the theater, disrupting the movie for the rest of the audience. Check out one example in the video below.

As one might expect, the people who bought tickets actually planning to watch Minions: The Rise of Gru were not happy to see a mosh pit break out in the middle of their theater. In places where this has happened theaters have been forced to shell out refunds. One theater apparently ended up giving $1300 in refunds in a single day. Other theaters are banning the guests in formal attire from seeing that particular movie, while other theaters have apparently simply decided to stop screening the film entirely.

The people causing problems seem to be only a subset of the larger Gentleminions trend. Some, in fact most, simply enjoy the silly fun that is going to see a ridiculous movie dressed like they’re going to prom. But some are letting that fun get out of hand, as the police are getting called in some instances.

The fact that theaters are having to issue significant refunds or even stop screening the film in order to avoid things getting out of hand in the first place is clearly a sign this whole thing is going too far. I’d hope we can all agree that interfering in another person’s enjoyment of a movie in the theater is too much. The point of movies is supposed to be enjoying a film together in a dark room full of like-minded people. If everybody wanted to dress up in suits and get a little loud, that would be one thing, but clearly that’s not what is happening here.

Whatever the issues, they likely won’t last too much longer. While Minions: The Rise of Gru was still the number two movie at the box office this past weekend, it will only continue to drop as other big summer movies come out, and social media will certainly shift its focus elsewhere. 

Minions: The Rise of Gru has already proven itself to be an early smash hit in July 2022’s first box office weekend. Apparently knowing the material the fanbase is showing up for, Illumination’s tiny terrors have made a killing for more than just Peacock Premium subscribers. Though one shouldn’t forget the rest of the Minions sequels’ expertly-picked cast, especially actor Danny Trejo, who for several reasons was absolutely a perfect match for this voice-acting gig. 

In the latest Despicable Me adventure, the actor known for movies like From Dusk 'til Dawn and Machete plays a pretty bad dude named Stronghold. A member of the Vicious 6 super group, Trejo's new role is akin to the role of Jaws in the James Bond franchise. Only instead of indestructible metal teeth, it's his hands that happen to be made of metallic menace.

During our interview for Minions 2, Trejo ran through the usual bag of tricks people might peg him as pulling from in his career. As someone who generally plays evil or anti-heroic characters in movies parents are more likely to be watching without their kids, even I was surprised at how perfect this casting was. This led to me asking just why Danny Trejo would be so sold on taking a voice acting gig where the audience is much younger than he's used to. 

The answer is something that runs contrary to the image most associate Danny Trejo with. While he’s a great villain, as well as a fantastic R-rated ass kicker, Trejo’s role of Stronghold does hew close to some of the stuff you’ve seen him do in the past. And, as it turns out,  voice acting is something Danny Trejo told CinemaBlend he’s a really huge fan of:  

Energy is key when talking to Danny Trejo, as the man will bring you in so many different directions, only to circle back to something you’d discussed previously. That’s far from a complaint though, as that sort of spirit stepped up our Minions: The RIse of Gru press day. In-between stories about how Trejo almost landed a key Sin City role, as well as tales of his many business ventures, the actor had nothing but love for Stronghold.

Riffing on his character’s appearance, Danny Trejo even remarked how, “the claws are good in a fight, but they’re tough for picking up toothpicks.” Even the fact that his character is physically bigger than Jean-Claude Van Damme’s heavy, aptly-named Jean Clawed, excited Trejo as we discussed the latest Minions movie. As we compared his Stronghold performance with his previous resume of armed figures of action, even Trejo couldn't help but get a laugh out of this next thought: 

Sean Bean might have something to say about that claim of being killed in every movie he's been in, but the point still stands. You wouldn't expect the man to love voice acting so much, but Danny Trejo has such a blast doing it that he and his representatives keep accepting projects like Minions: The Rise of Gru. 

Digging into the process of recording his voice role, you can see why Trejo was such a good choice for Stronghold. Further voicing his enthusiasm, perhaps the most important ingredient to Danny Trejo’s energy toward any project is his healthy inner child. It’s definitely something his family credits, as he further explains and exhibits below: 

Whether it’s the potential for a spinoff focused solely on his current animated baddie, or returning as Uncle Machete for the upcoming Netflix reboot of Spy Kids, Danny Trejo is ready to dive into whatever comes his way. While Steve Carell has strong thoughts on a Minionized Office, pairing this gang of helpers with the more action packed side of Machete’s character could go so many ways. 

Grounding ourselves back to reality, if you haven’t seen Minions: The Rise of Gru yet, you can head to a theater near you and change that! Plus, if you're a Peacock subscriber, don't forget that the rest of the Despicable Me saga is currently available to stream on that platform of choice. Bananas not included.

The Despicable Me minions are everywhere these days. They are simply a fact of life and pop culture that are not going anywhere soon – especially given the incredible box office numbers for Minion: The Rise of Gru in its opening weekend. But if you can think back to 2010, when the first Despicable Me came out, it was a brand new concept that immediately took hold of a massive audience. Steve Carell, who has long voiced Gru, the leader of the minion army, has revealed that he didn’t expect the giggly yellow guys to catch on when he first was approached about the animated project. 

If you think about it, the idea of minions may not have translated very well on paper. It wasn’t until the cute henchmen dazzled audiences on screen that they became beloved and viral movie characters.While speaking to The A.V. Club, Steve Carell said of the minions,

Steve Carell got honest about not totally getting the minions concept and then seeing how well they took off. The Office actor also shared more of his opinions on his animated co-stars, and whether he’s jealous they’ve stolen the spotlight:

The minions are not only movie characters, but characters with a major presence in commercial items, including fashion and costuming a lot of people have embraced. And of course Universal Studios has even invested in entire sections of their Universal Studios theme parks to be minion-themed as well. 

Since 2010, there have been three Despicable Me movies and now two spinoff Minions films. In Minions: The Rise of Gru, Carell voices an 11-year-old Gru living in the ‘70s with aspirations to become a supervillain with the minions by his side. The Rise of Gru has been met with mixed critic reviews and overall positive reactions from audiences, with moviegoers giving it an A on CinemaScore. 

The Rise of Gru debuted last weekend to an incredible $108 million domestic debut, and has already made $100 million more overseas. The movie also inspired a viral TikTok trend called “Gentleminions” that has seen audiences dressing up in suits to see the movie. Some of these dressed up fans led screenings to feature mosh pits and disruptive cheering in theaters, leading some establishments to discourage the trend from continuing. 

The Minions sequel continues the minion mayhem around the world as it is among the 2022 movie releases currently playing exclusively in theaters. 

Regardless of what side of the fence he's playing on, Despicable Me’s Gru is a character who is fun to watch. Steve Carell’s expert timing as the voice of this Illumination animated anti-hero helped the new prequel Minions: The Rise of Gru’s huge box office debut and welcomed fans back to the world of the Mini-Boss. Just because we’re seeing a younger Gru doesn’t mean he’s any less inventive, though, as Carell has teased one of the new inventions we see his character play around with in this new movie release – throwing us back to his ‘70s childhood.

There are two very familiar devices we are shown in Minions 2, and both are seemingly prototypes for weapons that future Gru uses to wreck havoc as an adult sipervillain. The first is something that harkens back to our introduction to Gru in Despicable Me, and was a subject of discussion during my recent interview with Steve Carell. 

As we had our chat during the virtual press day for Minions: The Rise of Gru, the subject of the lovable wanna-be villain in question led to a discussion on when an aspiring baddie should invent their first Freeze Ray. While that weapon is still a way off on Gru’s timeline in the new film, Carell notes a piece of his character’s arsenal in the movie essentially lays down the foundation for that very key piece of equipment:

Gru and his little yellow friends find themselves using this Cheese Ray during a rather impatient stop at an ice cream shop in Minions: The Rise Of Gru. Don’t worry about spoilers, because the trailers for this Minions film show off Gru’s sticky solution to a long wait in line. Cheesing his fellow patrons in place, our young bad guy gets the frozen treat he wants without wasting time. 

Your memory isn’t deceiving you if you think this moment sounds a bit familiar; especially if you’re a Peacock Premium subscriber who’s been revisiting the Despicable Me saga. When we were first introduced to Gru in the 2010 comedy that launched the franchise, a similar situation arose during a quest for a morning coffee. As you’ll see below, it was a perfect intro for Steve Carell’s gleefully evil villain, and the Freeze Ray that made it all possible: 

The big difference between Despicable Me Gru and Minions: The Rise of Gru’s incarnation is that we haven’t seen him go through whatever circumstances that turn him into a (somewhat) hardened criminal. Other than that, his ambitions are still as high as the Moon, though Gru is settling for a magical amulet that might gain him membership in the Vicious 6 in the new film instead of any celestial objects. 

Of course, that’s still big dreaming for the eleven-year-old, as up until his heist he engages in more mischief than theft. This leads us to the other apparatus that Minions: The Rise of Gru uses to connect the despicable lead’s past to his future. When clearing out an entire screening of Jaws with a very gassy grenade, Gru’s antics are reminiscent of his work with a Fart Gun in the Despicable Me movies. 

I won’t ruin it for anyone who still hasn’t seen Minions: The Rise Of Gru, but there are a couple more big connections to Despicable Me lore that pop up, as some notable characters show their faces this time around. For now, it's safe to say that Steve Carell's grasp on Gru and his inventions is just as sharp as it was from the moment we first saw him the character action – which is great, because with Despicable Me 4 looming in 2024, it's good to know that you can still count on Carell to bring as many smiles as possible to the table.

To find out what secrets lie behind the title card, you'll need to go see Minions: The Rise of Gru, which is currently in theaters. If you're still new to this movie, the only recommendation I'll make is that the Minions are a must-see in 3D!

Young people are headed to theaters en masse for one 2022 new release film in a pretty weird way. With over a decade of time having passed since the original release of Despicable Me, members of Gen Z who were the original targets of the franchise are showing up to the new origin film, Minions: The Rise of Gru, in full suits as part of a viral TikTok trend. And Universal while has responded, some theaters aren't happy.

The Minions franchise has spanned a good portion of Gen Z’s childhood years, and many young people in that age group are showing up in style to see Minions: The Rise of Gru. In a viral TikTok challenge, large groups of friends are flocking to theaters in full suits to see the film, and it’s quite the sight to behold. Check out one TikTok, where dozens of young adults can be seen meeting up to watch them film:

Honestly, it looks like what I would imagine a cult meeting would look like if it were held after prom night. Universal seems to dig the look, though, because they responded with a "job well done" via their Twitter account. Here is their loving message of appreciation:

There's a pretty great reason for Universal to be thrilled with this interesting development. Minions: The Rise of Gru is killing it at the box office, and while the film is targeted toward children (and also, interestingly enough, fans of The Office), it’s making a killing off of former kids as well. 

As happy as the studio is, some theater managers are evidently less thrilled with the themed display. One TikToker who participated in the trend actually got kicked out of the theater after police were called. Check out the video below, where people in suits can be seen moshing at the front of a theater:

They weren’t the only participating group of moviegoers who were kicked out of the film, as another TikTok shows a large group of suit clad theater patrons getting kicked out by a theater manager. Check it out:

I find it hard to believe that a group of people who can pull off a single file line like that could get so unruly, but the TikToker did have his phone out recording a film, so who knows! It’s safe to say that some theater managers are totally over the trend, though, with one even posting a warning that they will not be admitting anyone in “formal attire” to screenings of Minions: The Rise of Gru:

Minions: the Rise of Gru seems to be what you’d expect from a Minions movie, just with some serious audience participation. Whether that’s a good or bad thing kind of depends on how well you can take a joke and how peaceful you like your theater experience. For those who want to avoid the suit-clad Minions Stans all together, you may just want to grab a Peacock subscription and rewatch the Minions franchise while you wait for the newest film to drop on the streaming platform.

After years of many major animated movies like Trolls World Tour and Turning Red going straight to streaming during the COVID-19 pandemic, studios are finally bringing these family films back to theaters, most recently with Lightyear. Next weekend, the long-awaited Minions: The Rise of Gru is finally being released. So,should you plan to check out the flick starring a familiar bunch of overalled yellow bunches of fun? Let’s take a look at what the critics have to say. 

Minions: The Rise of Gru has had its share of delays over the years, with its original release date being summer 2020. But on the first weekend of July, the Illumination and Universal animated film is coming out. As the Minions: The Rise of Gru trailer teases, the movie will take audiences back in time to Gru’s childhood (in the 1970s) when he first meets the Minions. It serves as a prequel for the Despicable Me movies in several ways. 

On the review front, the response to the film is so far mixed. To get the most negative critique out of the way first, we’ll turn to The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw. The critic gave the movie two out of five stars and called Gru’s origin story “feeble.” Also, in his words: 

Bradshaw called the character of Gru “mildly funny,” but overall hopes the franchise is “laid to rest” after its fifth installment. Sorry to break it to you, but there’s already another Despicable Me film scheduled for 2024. Now let’s move to the more positive side of reviews for Rise of Gru. Slashfilm’s Rafael Motamayor for example called the new entry “pretty fun,” saying this: 

As Motamayor points out, the new Minions movie is especially entertaining when it comes to its use of its 1970s era, where a team of supervillains called the Vicious 6 come into the scene. The Telegraph’s Robbie Collin was also somewhat complementary about Rise of Gru in their review, with these words: 

Variety’s Peter Debruge found Rise of Gru to be predictable, but found its humor good enough to be entertaining. In Debruge’s mixed review, he said this: 

Empire’s Olly Richards caps our review roundup off with another middle ground critique, calling the movie “fun,” but also being aware of the shortcomings that perhaps hold the movie back from absolute greatness. In their words: 

There you have it. Perhaps that’s your best measure when it comes to deciding whether you’ll go to Minions: Rise of Gru when the upcoming 2022 movie hits theaters this July. Did you like the other Despicable Me and Minions movies? If you have and don’t mind some of the same old tricks, it sounds like this prequel is worth your time. However, if you’ve been hate watching your way through the others, Rise of Gru likely won’t be the one to knock your Minion goggles and overalls on. 

Minions: The Rise of Gru is coming to theaters on July 1. Check out what we know about the latest Minions movie in the meantime here on CinemaBlend. 

Despicable Me was a huge break for Illumination Studios as well as Universal Pictures when it first released back in 2010. That’s right. The first movie is going to be a tween this year in 2022 and I can hardly believe it. 

Regardless, after all this time, four movies out, and so much Minion merchandise I think I may be dizzy, the Despicable Me series has been a game-changer for animated movies, creating a franchise that everyone from kids to adults love. If you’re looking for a cute movie night and want to binge through every single one available right now, check out where you can watch the Despicable Me movies, including Minions. 

Despicable Me (2010)

The one that started it all. Released in 2010 and starring the lovable Steve Carell, Despicable Me follows a criminal mastermind in his ultimate plan, using a trio of orphan girls that will help him move it along. But what he doesn’t know is that as soon as he adopts them, they truly begin to change his life for the better. 

There’s something so sweet about the first Despicable Me movie, and I for one adore watching it every single time, whether that’s with my own father or just by myself. You can’t not love a father’s love for their daughters - especially ones that are so cute here. 

Stream Despicable Me on Netflix. 
Rent Despicable Me on Amazon. 

Despicable Me 2 (2013)

Looks like the little girls want to give Gru some love. In Despicable Me 2, Gru is recruited by super spies to try and fight against villains after becoming the world’s best super-dad - but his mission is complicated when his little girls start to scheme and get him to be with another agent, Lucy. 

Everyone needs to find love eventually, whether that’s with someone else or yourself, and Gru meets his match in this movie. But, I mean, when Kristen Wiig is voicing the character, it’s hard not to love them. 

Stream Despicable Me 2 on Netflix. 
Rent Despicable Me 2 on Amazon. 

Minions (2015)

In Minions, we find out the origin story behind those little yellow monsters that Gru employs, specifically following three of them called Stuart, Kevin and Bob, as they try to serve Scarlett Overkill, who is meant to be the evilest villain ever (voiced by Sandra Bullock).

Look, I know that the minions are everywhere. They haunt my nightmares with their bananas and one-eye stares, but at the end of the day, they’re still pretty dang cute and their origin story is actually a lot of fun. For those who haven’t seen this film, check it out. I love the little Easter Eggs they put in there that reference the Despicable Me films.

Rent Minions on Amazon.

Despicable Me 3 (2017)

The latest entry in the Despicable Me series. Despicable Me 3 follows Gru after he is fired from the Anti-Villain League, and now has to find a new purpose in life that has nothing to do with crime-fighting or scheming - that is, until he meets his long-lost twin brother, Dru, and teams up with him to take down Balthazar, an evil villain threatening the world. 

I’ve always personally liked Despicable Me 3 just because I love hearing the banter between the different voices of Gru and Dru, both of which are Carell’s voice. Their dynamic is hilarious. 

Rent Despicable Me 3 on Amazon.

Once You Finished Streaming The Despicable Me Movies…

You thought that we weren’t getting any more Despicable Me movies? Think again. It’s finally been revealed that Despicable Me 4 will be coming to theaters in 2024, so you better catch up on this family beforehand. What exactly will happen in this movie? We don’t know for sure yet, but we bet it’ll be good. 

Can’t wait that long? Don’t worry, Minions: The Rise of Gru is coming to theaters this summer as part of all the new movie releases in 2022, where you’ll get to see young Gru get to know the minions we all know about now. 

Something else you might enjoy is that there are plenty of Minion short films that are available to rent, so if you could possibly want to watch more Minion mayhem, be sure to check out these shorts for your viewing pleasure:

Rent Despicable Me Presents: Minion Madness on YouTube. 
Buy The Despicable Me 2: 3 Mini-Movie Collection on Amazon.

This series has truly changed the world of animation and I can’t wait to see it return. But I’m sure that no matter what, you’ll enjoy re-watching these classics whenever you please. Happy watching!

The world of theme park attractions has its own ecosystem of ebb and flow, refurbishment and destruction. One day you’re celebrating the opening of the Jurassic World Velocicoaster, and the next you’re saying goodbye to a decades-long staple. After the attraction based on the Dreamworks animated classic Shrek closed its doors for the last time, as previously planned, Universal Orlando has paid tribute to the ride; while also potentially setting up what’s to come as its replacement.

 Universal Studios Orlando’s Tribute To Shrek 4-D 

Leave it to Universal Studios’ official Twitter feed for the Orlando park to signal Shrek 4-D’s departure in only the best way possible. While it's a good source for jokes about churro stands, as well as throwing some shade at the competition, there are definitely layers to this social media team. Prepare to peel back the onion, and maybe shed some tears, with this simple and fond farewell: 

While this does mean there’s plenty of opportunity to start talking about those rumored replacements that are waiting in the wings, one can’t overestimate just how much of a fixture Shrek 4-D was to Universal Studios Orlando. Opening in 2003, right at the height of the franchise’s boom and about a year before the release of Shrek 2, this fourth-dimensional romp allowed park-goers to have a little more fun before the next proper chapter started. Which is interesting, as the potential replacement for this attraction seems to have been hinted at with some new construction walls, and it’s one of the handful of ideas that’s been floated since this closure was announced last year. 

Some New Hints Seem To Confirm What Will Replace Shrek 4-D

As previously reported by Orlando Park Stop, there were several rides being hinted at to take the place of Shrek 4-D, once the partial demolition and building was completed. Among the competitors were pre-existing concepts from Universal Studios Hollywood, like the Dreamworks Theater and The Secret Life Of Pets: Off The Leash. If the photos shown below from Orlando Informer are any indication, it looks like the third concept in that initial rumor mill has come to pass, as the Minions franchise is now being plastered all over the walls surrounding this shuttered ride building.

There is a chance that Universal Studios Orlando could be putting something else in this ride building, as Minions: The Rise of Gru is scheduled for release this July. It’s the sort of free advertising that any theme park extension to a Hollywood studio would be insane to pass up. Those chances still seem to be at a non-zero standing, but just barely, as Universal Studios Orlando’s social media presence has started to drop its own huge hints about what comes next; the video included below being the capper to a bunch of banana-themed imagery:

An official announcement about what’s to take Shrek 4-D’s place has not been made yet. When and if the Minions attraction is confirmed as the next tenant of this showroom under improvement, it will be interesting to see the reactions from Universal Studios fans all over. At the moment, let’s remember the joy that Shrek 4-D gave park goers for the almost two decades it operated, with an optimistic eye to the future; whatever it may bring.

Minions: The Rise of Gru peels into theaters on July 1. That’s not the only big ticket movie coming from Universal, or any other studio, in the new year! To catch the full picture of what’s headed to theaters, and whether or not that picture has changed, head to our 2022 release schedule. Should you want to relive Shrek 4-D, just without the 4D effects, the ride film is widely available through physical and digital media. At the time of this writing, you can catch it through Netflix’s streaming library, thanks to “The Ghost of Lord Farquaad” being included in the compilation Dreamworks’ Spooky Stories.

The streaming service game used to be all about Netflix, but these days just about every movie studio is making moves to orchestrate their own version of the successful business model. Within the past couple years, Disney+, HBO Max and Paramount+ have begun to establish themselves as hubs for its major studios to exclusively stream its classics, originals, and high-profile movies and TV shows. Now Universal is taking a deeper dive into the streaming pool with Peacock by giving the service a huge boost to its library.

Universal has announced that starting in 2022, all its new movies will be licensed to Peacock instead of HBO. Movie franchises including Jurassic World, Minions and Halloween will become available on streaming no later than four months after their premiere in theaters, per Variety. Peacock will have streaming exclusivity for the first four months and the last four months of the 18-month pay-one window (the first stretch of time when a movie moves from theaters to television).

And in the ten months in between the window, highly-anticipated 2022 films such as Jurassic World: Dominion can be licensed to two to three additional partners or platforms, though it will not be exclusive to the other names. In other words, Peacock just became a lot more important as a streaming service than it has ever been.

Since 2005, Universal has handed off its new titles post-theatrical releases to HBO subscribers. Now that the premium channel has morphed into streaming service HBO Max, which exclusively hosts Warner Bros’ latest releases along with the studio’s vast library, Universal is pulling back – surely in order to further grow its own subscriber base on Peacock. NBCUniversal direct-to-consumer chairman Matt Strauss said this with the announcement:

It was only a matter of time before Universal made their streaming move following this past year. Almost everyone of the five major movie studios are establishing streaming models, with Walt Disney Studios’ Disney+, Paramount’s Paramount+ and Warner Bros’ HBO Max. So far, Universal has been leaning on the theatrical model for their movie arm, with a modified two-week window before making its new films available on digital that was established during the pandemic. With a new deal with Peacock, the platform can become a hub for Universal properties.

Peacock launched last spring and has a vast library from the studio along with every season of The Office, and as of this past week the service made its new movie Boss Baby: Family Business available for its premium subscribers alongside its theatrical release.

Universal has a massive 2022 slate that will now be hosted by Peacock after its theatrical releases including Jurassic World: Dominion, Minions: Rise of Gru, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and Halloween Ends. Are you subscribed to Peacock, or will you be joining the service now? Vote in our poll below.

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Earlier this month, Despicable Me celebrated its tenth birthday. It's hard to believe that a whole decade has passed since Illumination's first feature-length animated movie made its way into theaters, but it's safe to say that the studio's brand has been ubiquitous with pop culture these past 10 years. Once an unlikely success, Despicable Me fostered a company that produces some of the most profitable movies — animated or otherwise — of our modern times. It has also resulted in many, many, many Minions sightings.

It hasn't seemed that long since the Steve Carell-led movie made its way into theaters, but it has certainly remodeled animation as we see it today. Here are some key ways in which animation has changed since 2010.

It Proved You Could Make A Flashy Animated Movie With A Relatively Low Budget, Quick Production, And Big Returns

When it came to major animation studios like Pixar and DreamWorks Animation, there was an influx of high-budget productions, notably starting in the mid-'00s, that went well above $100 million. For Pixar, every production from Ratatouille onward to, well, Onward has cost between $150 to $200 million (and that's not including marketing materials). Likewise, DreamWorks Animation (which Illumination at least somewhat emulated in their business model) has primarily made movies around $130 to $175 million since 2006. With the exception of some 2D animated features, nearly every Disney animated movie has cost anywhere between $100 to $260 million. Entirely CG-animated features certainly aren't cheap to create, though Illumination proved you can do it for a fraction of the cost.

Despicable Me cost $69 million to make, which isn't necessarily "small budget" but it's considerably cheaper compared to its contemporaries. Since then, even as their profile rises, Illumination keeps their budgets within the $63 to $80 million range. Their emphasis on marketing results in the brand's heavy, sometimes obnoxious promotional materials, but it's hard to argue with the results.

Only one Illumination movie has underperformed since 2010. While the movies themselves aren't always praised, the studio knows how to make movies both cheaply and quickly, producing fast turnarounds and high profits. As a result, we've seen more animated movies made on tighter budgets with heavily marketing strategies. Last year, for instance, Abominable came out from DreamWorks Animation with a $75 million budget. Likewise, The Addams Family cost a mere $24 million.

They Smartly Market Their Movies To Their Core Demographics, Resulting In More Kid-Centric Animation Than Ever Before

While one could argue about the quality (or perhaps lack thereof) of Illumination's output, the studio rakes in a lot of money. As noted before, this is the result of clever, inspired marketing tactics, with the company spending as much time and effort promoting their movies as they do making them. When it comes to the teasers, TV spots, and other trailers and promotions for Despicable Me and Minions, for instance, the ads have a Looney Tunes-esque short film quality that entertains the children and leaves them wanting more. It might seem simple, but it's ingenious in its approach. If you want to get kids to see your new animated movie, instead of simply showing them clips, get them endeared to the characters and their silly, childlike hijinks.

This approach has resulted in other studios making more cutesy, attention-grabbing movies and shows that smartly market their core concepts. One of the biggest recent examples is DreamWorks Animation's The Boss Baby, which combines the rambunctious, near-villainous antics that you might see in Despicable Me or Minions combined with the marketability of a big-eyed baby wearing an adorable little business suit. It seems simple, but it ultimately relies on the studio being smart with their materials and knowing who their target demographic is and how to appeal to them.

They're More Focused On Characters And Jokes Opposed To Strictly Narrative-Based

While this trend didn't start with Illumination, the animation company harkens back to an older age of animation — particularly older animated shorts from Disney and Warner Bros. — that focused more on characters, jokes, and set pieces opposed to strictly narrative-based. Every Illumination movie pays great attention to vignette-esque sequences that keep young audience members enticed and entertained throughout the course of their jubilant, bubbly runtimes.

While it doesn't result in the same rich, intricate plots as Pixar's finest films or Laika's well-crafted movies, these family films tend to be consistently amusing and enjoyably goofy, providing some high-energy bits of entertainment with just enough emotional undercurrents to win over audiences by the masses. The results aren't necessarily the most original movies or the most imaginative stories, but they can carry their own charm.

In an effort to capture this balance of fast-paced electricity, several animation movies seem to have borrowed from Illumination's template of focusing on jokes and characters with the same intensity as other studios might focus on their story and spectacle. Some recent examples that seemed at least partially inspired by Despicable Me's rapid success include Hotel Transylvania, The LEGO Movie, The LEGO Batman Movie, Storks, The Boss Baby, The Emoji Movie, and Illumination's own The Secret Life of Pets, which copy-and-pasted Toy Story's template but focused more on the cutesy day-to-day antics of household pets. The model doesn't guarantee success, but several of these movies found their audiences — and a few have seen great acclaim.

A Greater Insistence On Catchy Pop Songs In Movies

While one could argue the inclusion of pop songs in animated movies gained more prominence in the 2000s, notably with once chart-topping rock and pop songs informing Shrek's soundtrack and the title green ogre's irreverence to the classical fairy tale storytelling, Illumination's interest in capitalizing on their brand and their most marketable aspects came into play with Despicable Me 2's soundtrack. Pharrell Williams served as a musical consultant on the original Despicable Me, but we really saw the fruit of his labors in the sequel when his single, "Happy" soared to the top of the charts and earned him an Oscar nomination, as well as greater notoriety and fame. It was a win-win for the studio and the musician. The latter gained more exposure and listenership while the former only continued to find their audience.

Pop music was at the core of Illumination's 2016 animated feature, Sing and other studios were also bringing tunes to the forefront of their features. The vibrant infusion of poppy animation and pop songs played a big hand in creating DreamWorks Animation's Trolls and this year's Trolls World Tour. Inspired by the success of both Despicable Me and The LEGO Movie, the animation company found a way to bring back a once-popular toyline and incorporate the sugary, high-energy cotton candy sweetness of Illumination's brand and make one of their most financially successful new franchises, notably as the company struggled to find its footing in the 2010s, box office-wise, outside of a few major hits.

Creating earworm songs that get stuck in your head and get your booty shaking certainly isn't new, but Illumination found a way to make it work in their favor. It's easy to see how other animation studios can and will copy off their homework in this lucrative fashion.

The Influx Of Minions (And Studios Trying To Make Their Own Minions)

Whenever you think of Despicable Me (or even Illumination in general), the first thing that might come to mind is the minions, the plushy yellow ... err ... things that steal the show from Gru and his daughters. This isn't incidental. From their cutesy antics in the animation company's logo to their pop culture bombardment, from merchandise to memes, Illumination clearly followed the money, and they're not stopping until the gravy train reaches its final stop. The minions were the central focus of Despicable Me 2 and 3's promotional materials and received their solo short films, commercials, and more in the interim. Not only that, but they also got their own spin-off movie, 2015's Minions, which easily became one of the studio's biggest, most profitable box office successes.

From there, the message became clear: the minions aren't the sideshow anymore. They're the main attraction, and that's why they'll get another movie, Minions: The Rise of Gru, next year. This sequel bridges the gap between the Despicable Me trilogy and its spin-off prequel, which will likely prove to be another astronomical hit. Certainly, Hollywood took notice. While there have been Minion-like hits before, from Care Bears to Smurfs to Muppet Babies, this spin-off movie demonstrated the cultural dominance that these former supporting characters hold on pop culture when given the main stage.

We've already seen animated movies copying off its success. Most recently, Scoob! featured a bunch of tiny robot henchmen who were notably similar in size and design to the minions, with the villain, Wacky Races' Dick Dastardly, modeled more off Gru than his Hanna Barbara origins.

What do you think of Despicable Me's modern influence on animation? Let us know in the comment section!

It’s been a while since we’ve seen Gru and his Minions on screen together, as 2017’s Despicable Me 3 served as the latest adventure in the hit that put production company Illumination on the map. Which makes the plot for Minions: The Rise of Gru all the more fitting as Steve Carell’s heartwarming villain is getting more of an origin story in this latest animated comedy.

And you can see what part of that story entails, through the first trailer to Minions: The Rise of Gru!

A bit young to be trying to take over the world, Gru finds himself and his Minions embarking on a quest that every would-be villain in the Despicable Me universe dreams of fulfilling: becoming a member of the Vicious 6. Of course, with a new villain organization comes some new villains, and an impressive voice cast to bring them to live.

Opposing Steve Carell’s Gru in Minions: The Rise of Gru are vicious antagonists such as Belle Bottom (Taraji P. Henson,) Nunchuck (Lucy Lawless,) and Jean Clawed (Jean-Claude Van Damme,) among the rest of the Vicious 6 and whomever they should employ to retrieve a magical stone that Gru has stolen from their lair.

The shenanigans on the menu for Minions: The Rise of Gru feel very much in line with what we’ve seen before, not only as part of the Despicable Me series, but also in the previous prequel effort Minions. Seeing as only the little yellow assistants to evil could repeatedly recover an important stone, only to trade it for some kids’ Pet Rock, this ‘70s flavored romp further fills in the backstory to Gru’s rise to evil power in a way that fans are going to truly fall for.

You can see the true beginnings of our favorite mastermind’s eventual rise to power in Minions: The Rise of Gru, as this trailer has finally confirmed this long held notion that the next Minions film would cover such an event. With a smaller band of Minions and a much smaller base of operations that still somehow has multicolored lighting that has everything looking like a party, Gru’s humble origins are ready to finally be told.

All that’s missing is any indication of whether previous Minions baddies Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock) and her husband, Herb (Jon Hamm,) or any other characters previously introduced in this spinoff universe, will be returning. Whether any more familiar faces show up or not, there’s a good chance that this movie could become one of 2020’s highest grossing films, seeing as the Despicable Me universe has consistently spawned insanely successful hits.

All these questions, and more, will be answered when Minions: The Rise of Gru makes the world a little more despicable on July 3.

There are few filmmakers quite as legendary and iconic as Peter Jackson. The Lord of the Rings director is now lending his vision and clout to a new literary adaptation, Universal Pictures' Mortal Engines. Jackson is producing and writing the upcoming blockbuster, which is adapted from the novel of the same name, and has the potential to turn into another massive franchise with his name attached. The cast and crew of Mortal Engines recently appeared at New York Comic-Con, where they revealed the first 25 minutes of the upcoming blockbuster. This includes a surprise cameo by Despicable Me's Minions, although they're actually used in the perfect way.

Mortal Engines jumps right into its action, revealing a post-post apocalyptic world many years in the future. The Earth as we know it no longer exists, after various countries destroyed each other in a flurry of nuclear attacks referred to as the Sixty Minute War. Now in a steampunk inspired future, any surviving pieces of our world have become priceless relics. This includes a statue of two Minions, which are referred to as "American Deities". I guess the history books remember how much Minion-related merch has been around in the past five years or so. While not exactly worshipped, enough money has been spent to call the minions deities in their own right.

The first 25 minutes of Mortal Engines does lots of this world building, revealing how things have changed since the world ended with the Sixty Minute War. The physical environment of the planet is mostly scorched earth, and reference is made to a bridge that connects the various continents. And with resources so limited, society has turned into a Mad Max-esque hellscape-- except you have a chance to get captured and survive if your traction city is overrun.

The giant driving cities of Mortal Engines will likely take up much of the film's buzz, before it arrives in theaters in about a month. As the titular Mortal Engines, the movie opens up with an epic chase scene. The sheer power of a mobile London is made clear, as it towers above the smaller scavenger city that's attempting to run away. Like a typical Peter Jackson project, the visual affects are absolutely stunning, and quickly help to get the audience invested. Seeing how the mobile cities function interpersonally and technologically is fascinating, and each giant rig provides an excellent setting for thrilling action sequences. Spoiler alert: there's plenty of action in the first 25 minutes of the movie.

Luckily for cinephiles, they won't have to wait too long until all the answers are revealed. Mortal Engines will arrive in theaters on December 14th 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Up until very recently, Nintendo has been guarded with its wide net of beloved video game franchises. After the total critical failing of the Super Mario Bros. movie in 1993, the video game maker has been understandably cautious about sending Legend of Zelda, Metroid, or Donkey Kong to Hollywood, and has kept to what it knows: making awesome video games. Apparently, at some point down the line, Nintendo realized it could make a zillion dollars by cashing in their characters in new media. Not only is a Nintendo theme park coming, but Detective Pikachu and Super Mario Bros. are getting movies. It's the latter that has us especially excited... and a little concerned.

Nintendo's most iconic franchise will be turned into an animated movie by Illumination (Despicable Me, Secret Life of Pets) with Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto producing. Detective Pikachu is a fairly low stakes situation, but Super Mario Bros. getting a movie is a big deal. It's a pretty big sign of trust from Nintendo and could very well start a new saga of video-game movies. Trouble is that video games movies are typically terrible but there are steps that Illumination and Nintendo can take to make it so they learn from the mistakes of Mario's first movie. Here's what we want to see in the Super Mario movie.

Keep Illumination In Check

Illumination has obviously found a lot of success, having made some very popular animated movies that have gone on to make a ton at the box office. However, these movies are more often than not just kind of okay, quality-wise. They are making movies targeted primarily at kids, which is totally fine, but to Illumination, that means putting lots of farts jokes, butt cracks, and other low hanging fruit. Super Mario isn't anything like that and is charming as hell, filled with well-designed creatures and incredibly imaginative worlds. I don't want to see Toads become the new Minions. Illumination is pretty good at emotion, though, so Nintendo just needs to reign in the studio's worse impulses.

Don't Make It One Big Reference

The appeal of a Mario movie doesn't really need to be explained, given the importance Hollywood places on recognizable IPs and nostalgia. Movies and TV shows with an emphasis on nostalgia (like, say, Stranger Things) run the risk of not being anything more than the sum of its references. With dozens of games and characters, the Super Mario movie shouldn't get too hung up on callbacks. These callbacks are nice for fans, but all good things come in moderation. If the movie was one reference after the next, it wouldn't be fulfilling. There also needs to be a worthwhile story to get us entertained, and it wouldn't hurt to break some new ground.

Keep Mario Silent (Mostly)

One of the hardest things about adapting Nintendo characters is that a huge chunk of them never say anything outside of a few key catchphrases. Mario never speaks in full sentences and only communicates through "Wa-ha!" and the occasional "Let's-a go!" The animated movie shouldn't change this. Mario has been around for decades and giving him a full voice and personality is, frankly, too weird. It's really difficult to imagine him as anything but the cheery plumber who silently saves the day, and trying to add depth to him runs the risk of shattering his image. However, just about every other character does speak, so a movie could rely on those characters to supply dialogue that Mario cannot.

Also, Charles Martinet has done the voice for Mario, Luigi, and tons of other characters for years, and it would be really cool if they had him do the movie voices, as well. Not every animated movie has to have an A-list celebrity voice cast!

Branch Away From The Games

I literally can't count the number of Mario games Nintendo has made, so there's no shortage of source material for Illumination to take inspiration from. But just because all that material is there, doesn't mean it all has to be used. No one Mario video game is THE Mario video game. The majority of them are essentially the same story-wise, but Illumination shouldn't just do an adaptation of, say, Super Mario 64 or Super Mario World. Take what's needed from whichever games, but don't be afraid to branch away from them. If people want to see Super Mario Odyssey, they just can play it. Let's see something fresh, which leads me to my next point...

Create An Original Story

Even people who have never played a Mario game probably know the basic premise: Princess Peach is kidnapped by Bowser and it's up to Mario (and Luigi, sometimes) to save her. That's the basis for the bulk of the Mario franchise and everything else is just meant to be a fun experience for the player. This leaves Illumination a lot of room to play around and come up with something new to add to the kidnap plot. A Mario movie actually needs a plot, character development, and stakes, while a video game just has to provide fun levels to play through. Mario stories are deliberately light because they aren't the main attraction. A movie needs to step it up in certain categories, and maybe the best way to do that is to take the basic elements and make something new with them. Hell, maybe Peach doesn't even get kidnapped!

Have Fun With It!

Mario games haven't been around for so many years for no reason. Not only is the polished platforming super fun to play, but the world is so damn charming. Mario games are silly and a movie should embrace that feeling. Animation means that the sky is the limit and there are no restrictions in showing off all the wonders of a typical Mario game. I want to see a kingdom based entirely on cooking or an evil turtle man use a bell to turn into an evil cat-turtle man. These games are ridiculous and there's so much opportunity with that. Honestly, as long as the movie is fun and imaginative, that's three-fourths of the battle right there.

It's been too long since everyone's favorite mad scientist, Gru (Steve Carell), took center stage in his own Despicable animated adventure. Universal took a detour to Despicable Me 3 by allowing the Minions to run wild. But now Gru is back, and he isn't alone. Find out what's happening in Despicable Me 3 with the new trailer, which just arrived:

Illumination Entertainment dropped the first teaser for Despicable Me 3 this morning, more than likely so that the film's trailer can be attached to Sing during its theatrical release next week. A surprisingly Minion-lite affair, the trailer shows the film's ostentatious new villain making a daring heist, with only some bubble gum, a sonic blaster of some sort, and a weaponized Rubik's Cube. Thankfully, Gru and Lucy are on the case, which leads to the former villain fighting the current baddie, in a match that ends with rather disastrous results.

While Gru may be working with the Anti-Villain League instead of carrying out his evil ways, the world is still full of villains that need vanquishing. In the case of Despicable Me 3, that villain is former child star turned menace to society Balthazar Bratt, voiced by South Park's Trey Parker. After his career as the star of the hit sitcom Evil Bratt came to a crashing halt, due to the onset of puberty, Bratt slipped into the shadows and became an 80's obsessed super-villain. Seriously, who else would wear shoulder pads and a mullet like it was their job?

Also returning for Despicable Me 3, or Despicable M3, as the trailer predictably calls it at the end, is Kristen Wiig's Lucy. Since Gru and Lucy's marriage at the end of Despicable Me 2, an obvious story-line that could be followed will be how married life has changed the pair, as well as Gru's three girls. While we don't see the trio of young ladies Gru's raising in this first look, we do see Lucy trying to form a portmanteau of her name and Gru's. Naturally, he's not a fan, and says as much in a way that only Gru can.

Directed by Kyle Balda and Pierre Coffin, the upcoming Despicable Me 3 is also set to introduce Gru's twin brother -- a conceit that was always popular on cheesy '80s television dramas and soap operas, but one that also has a ton of potential here. Steve Carell also will voice Gru's twin brother, Dru, though other than some concept art that's floating around the internet, there's no concrete details on what his role will be in this film, or if it's going to be included. We'll have to wait for another trailer to see how that pans out.

Despicable Me 3 will hit theaters this summer, with June 30th, 2017 being its most currently mentioned release date.

Oscar Season is in full swing, and this year looks like a mixed bag as far as nominations go. With so many vastly different films getting Oscar buzz, it’s really a crapshoot to guess which films will be nabbing nominations, as well as the coveted golden statues. 

One method for predicting which films will actually nab Academy Award nominations is by looking to the Producers Guild Award noms. First established in 1990 by the Producers Guild of America, these nominations and awards have been very telling regarding the climate of the film world, and which way the Academy will likely be going. The 2016 PGA nominations have just been announced and the movie nominees are: 

The Darryl F Zanuck Award For Outstanding Producer Of Theatrical Motion Pictures

The Big Short

Produced by Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner

Bridge Of Spies

Produced by Steven Spielberg, Marc Platt, Kristie Macosko Krieger

Brooklyn

Produced by Finola Dwyer & Amanda Posey

Ex Machina

This film is in the process of being vetted for producer eligibility

Mad Max: Fury Road

Produced by Doug Mitchell & George Miller

The Martian

Produced by Simon Kinberg, Ridley Scott, Michael Schaefer, Mark Huffam

The Revenant

Produced by Arnon Milchan, Steve Golin, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Mary Parent, Keith Redmon

Sicario

Produced by Basil Iwanyk, Edward L. McDonnell, Molly Smith

Spotlight

Produced by Michael Sugar & Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, Blye Pagon Faust

Straight Outta Compton

Produced by Ice Cube & Matt Alvarez, F. Gary Gray, Dr. Dre, Scott Bernstein

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures

Anomalisa

Produced by Rosa Tran, Duke Johnson, Charlie Kaufman

The Good Dinosaur

Produced by Denise Ream

Inside Out

Produced by Jonas Rivera

Minions

Produced by Chris Meledandri, Janet Healy

The Peanuts Movie

Produced by Craig Schulz, Michael J. Travers

There may not be a more democratic way to see what movies people were interested in throughout 2015 than search results. It should be a strong indicator of the things that movie fans wanted to read about. Google has released their list of the most searched movies this year, and while most on the list won’t be surprising -- they were all successful films this year -- their order doesn’t match the box office totals.

Half of the Top 10 box office successes don’t even makethis list, while one of the films wasn’t even from this year. Check out the most searched for films of 2015. Are your choices on here?

10. Mad Max: Fury Road

Box Office Totals: $153,636,354 (Domestic)

Our Review:

"As crazy, thrilling, gorgeous and awesome as anyone could really hope, and guaranteed to be one of the best big-screen spectacles of the year."

9. Minions

Box Office Totals: $336,033,085

Our Review:

"In the end, Minions’ annoying tendencies are ultimately more than made up for by a luscious aesthetic, fast-paced energy, and plain old-fashioned silliness that you can’t help but fall for."

8. Avengers: Age of Ultron

Box Office Totals: $459,005,868

Our Review:

"Joss Whedon understands what makes these dysfunctional heroes tick, and there’s an immeasurable delight that comes with seeing them in action, together, on the big screen."

7. Inside Out

Box Office Totals: $356,461,711

Our Review:

"Inside Out has the exact same kind of old school Pixar magic that turned the company into the biggest modern name in animated feature films. It’s a perfect addition to the ever-growing legacy. It’s a phenomenal, touching and special piece of art, and fittingly a mind-blowing and emotional experience."

6. Pitch Perfect 2

Box Office Totals: $184,296,230

Our Review:

"I found this sequel to be fun, goofy and an overall crowd-pleaser. When it comes to prospective initiates, though, Pitch Perfect 2 might be a tough sell."

5. Furious 7

Box Office Totals: $353,007,020

Our Review:

"You're never given a milliseconds rest, and the entire blockbuster unfolds like an elongated music video to the most mainstream song you've never heard."

4. 50 Shades of Grey

Box Office Totals: $166,167,230

Our Review:

"Done well, Fifty Shades Of Grey could have introduced a mainstream audience to the intriguing world of BDSM...Instead Fifty Shades Of Grey never verges on the complex, and as a result is both painfully lame and tediously simplistic."

3. Straight Outta Compton

Box Office Totals: $161,197,785

Our Review:

"There’s a lot of story that needed to be pushed out in two-and-a-half hours, but rushing through the material leaves little opportunity to explore more emotionally charged moments in these men’s lives. [Y]ou can tell, despite its faults, that audiences will easily invest themselves in this story."

2. American Sniper

Box Office Totals: $350,126,372

Our Review:

"[T]he longer you wear American Sniper, the better it fits. Eastwood doesn’t flinch from the horrifying acts of war that took place during the Iraq War. But the movie shortchanges Kyle’s blood relatives in favor of the 'family' he fought and died for in the military."

1. Jurassic World

Box Office Totals: $652,270,625

Our Review:

"It’s not exceptional in any specific way, but it satisfies as a fun summer blockbuster that will get audiences excited to see dinosaurs on the big screen again. For what it’s worth, it’s one of the best Jurassic Park movies we’ve seen."

We're nearing the holidays, which means a ton of big box sets have been appearing at various retailers over the last several weeks. It's a trend that will continue in December, as The Walking Dead fans, Marvel fans and more will see a few really cool sets hit shelves. A bunch of Digital releases are also out this month and while the new entries are thin compared to the last few months (which saw a bunch of this summer's hits get released), there's still a lot to choose from. You can take a look at the December 2015 stuff coming out soon, below.

December 1

Fear the Walking Dead: Season 1 Blu-ray

As a spinoff to one of the most popular TV shows currently airing, AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead had a built-in audience waiting to witness the origins of the outbreak that changed all of humanity. And though the show itself wasn’t as much of a game-changer as The Walking Dead proper, there is a lot to like about it, particularly the Los Angeles location and the mix of family drama with zombie action. As Madison Clark, Kim Dickens plays the mother of a sporadic addict (Frank Dillane) and an intelligent sorta-rebel (Alycia Debnam-Clark), and she’s dating Cliff Curtis’ English teacher Travis Manawa, whose family baggage includes a moody son (Lorenzo James Henrie) and a snappy but kindhearted ex-wife (Elizabeth Rodriguez). (Other characters include a troubled family led by Ruben Blades and Mercedes Mason.) Though it’s only six episodes, Season 1 gives audiences a good look at how rapidly things spiral into madness when incurable epidemics arise, and how humans are often just as dangerous as the undead in these situations. Unfortunately, the two-disc Blu-ray only comes with two special features that give generic background info on the show itself and the characters; a commentary or two would have been nice. Still, at least the show is good. Order it here.

Other December 1 Blu-ray And DVD Releases

The Walking Dead Season 5 Limited Edition Blu-ray

Amy

Mistress America

Goodnight Mommy

90 Minutes in Heaven

Grace of Monoco DVD

Some Kind of Beautiful

Cooties

Assassination

Zoo: Season 1

Mississippi Grind

Lost in the Sun

Tokyo Tribe

The Hunting Ground

Roger Waters The Wall

Amy Schumer: Live At The Apollo

Week of December 1 Digital Releases

Ted 2

Life (December 4)

Transporter Refueled

December 8

Minions Blu-ray

At its very core, a Minions movie shouldn’t work. The small, yellow villainous aids don’t really speak after all, and typically communicate via somewhat discernible voices. But thanks to a clever voiceover, numerous site gags and a few human characters, Minions is pretty fun. Now, Universal Studios Home Entertainment has released the full Blu-ray for the hit animated flick, and if you grab the 3D Blu-ray, not only does it come with a fun 3D cover, but it also comes with a slew of extras directly aimed at fans of the Despicable Me franchise films. An interactive map is on the disc, which features fun animated work from the film and more, although it’s not really that kid friendly. The highly-touted 3 brand new Minions mini-movies are perfect for the kids, though. You might miss them if you are going through the other extras if you aren’t paying attention, as they are listed on the menu separately from the other bonus features, but that’s a small complaint. If you want an idea of what these mini movies are like, there’s a whole website dedicated to them. There’s hardly ever a time that bonus features are truly outstanding, but the min imovies really work; my favorite was "Cro Minion," but it’s a toss up. Order the Blu-ray itself over at Amazon.

Ant-Man Blu-ray

It’s hard to believe characters like Ant-Man and Star-Lord have managed to capture the collective hearts of audiences around the world, but here we are about to head into 2016 and both franchises are household names. Ant-Man, in fact, managed to bank more than 500 million worldwide at the box office, and should have a pretty good run on Blu-ray. The movie follows Paul Rudd as Scott Lang, a former criminal who has recently been released from prison and through a series of interesting coincidences he comes into contact with Marvel’s Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), is introduced to the Ant-Man suit and goes on a mission to save the world from a very bad villain, much like Marvel’s other movies. It’s all a bit different, however, considering the Ant-Man can shrink and has a bunch of ants to help him get in (and out of) tight spots

Anthony Mackie (reprising his role as Falcon), Lang’s buddy Luis (Michael Pena) and Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) are all nice additions to the cast, and if you haven’t caught Ant-Man yet, you should really give the movie a watch. Since you are checking this review, we are guessing you have, and you you’ll probably be happy to hear that Walt Disney Home Entertainment’s Blu-ray release of the film is worth checking out. There’s deleted scenes and the like, including one showing posing as a cable guy to get into Pym’s home. There’s a gag reel too—which fits since the movie is among the funniest Marvel has put out--and audio commentary that’s worth poking your head into if you are interested in Peyton Reed’s take on the film. .

At the end of the day, Ant-Man is also the movie closing out Marvel’s Phase 2, and it’s worth picking up. The Ant-Man Blu-ray, DVD and Digital release is available everywhere, today, and you can order it, here.

Other December 8 Blu-ray And DVD Releases

Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase 2 Collection

Hannibal: Season Three

X-Files: The Collector’s Set

The X-Files Complete Season Blu-rays Seasons 1-9

Under The Dome: Season 3

Aladdin Blu-ray (December 10)

The Transporter Refueled

Knock Knock

Family Guy Season 13

You Can't Take It With You Capra Collection Blu-ray

Week of December 8 Early Digital Releases

War Room

Pawn Sacrifice Hitman Agent 47 (December 11)

December 15

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation Blu-ray

A lot of people dig the fantastic sets and cool wit within Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, but I’m happy to tell you the basic storyline works, too (as McQuarrie notes on the Blu-ray, he "jam(med) as much exposition as you can into small spaces.") Soon after we catch up with Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), William Brandt (Jeremy Renner) and Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames), a mysterious entity known as the Syndicate becomes a major chess player in the game, wreaking havoc. Unfortunately, the IMF is disbanded and Hunt becomes the lone rogue who can save the day, maybe with a few of his old teammates helping out covertly. Former MI6 agent Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) also joins Hunt on the adventure, which packs a complex story into 2 hours and 11 minutes. Bonus features within Paramount Home Media Distribution’s set include a look at the big plane scene from the beginning of the film—which has been everywhere in the time since. Cruise also actually sits down with writer/ director Christopher McQuarrie for the commentary, as well. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the fifth movie in the franchise may very well be the best Mission: Impossble. Judge for yourself when you nab the Blu-ray, DVD and Digital copy, here.

Ted 2 Blu-ray

Three years ago, Universal Studios brought us Ted, a raunch comedy that came right in the middle of the Mila Kunis trend and made more than half a billion dollars worldwide. Of course, that sort of success often leads to sequels, which is why Ted 2 is being released onto Blu-ray—sans Mila Kunis—this month. In the opening moments of the Seth MacFarlane directed movie, Ted (also Seth MacFarlane) is moving forward with his life, marrying his sweetheart Tami-Lynn (Jessica Barth). However, Ted’s happiness is short-lived as his personhood comes into question and he has to fight to get his life back after being declared property. His pal, John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg), joins him on the journey but ends up involved in his own romantic subplot with Sam L. Jackson (Amanda Seyfried), instead. The movie has its moments but is ultimately uneven; the extras on the disc are also uneven, but the unfinished deleted scenes are still worth a watch and at one point features MacFarlane slinging insults at the characters played by Wahlberg and Seyfried. Most importantly, if you wondered how the impressive Comic-Con set was constructed and worked out without actually being shot at Comic-Con, there’s actually a couple of short segments on that available in the special features. You can order Universal Studios Home Entertainment’s Blu-ray set, which includes a DVD and Digital copy, over at Amazon.

Other December 15 Blu-ray And DVD Releases

Fantastic 4

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation –The Finale DVD

Extant: The Second Season

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials

He Named Me Malala

Mission Impossible: The Ultimate Collection

Time out of mind

December 22

Pan Blu-ray

Director Joe Wright has been known for his large set pieces and interesting staging for some time. His new film Pan takes a cue from his last film Anna Karenina in terms of a unique look and perspective, and is equally memorable. However, the story told in Pan is less so. This reimagining of the classic J.M. Barrie novel has little in common with Barrie’s work. Instead it’s an origin story set in WWII, featuring pirates who snatch orphans and stow them on a boat in the sky, including Peter (Levi Miller), who later earns the nickname Pan. The characters seem new in this version; Smee and Hook are both much younger men (Adeel Akhtar and Garrett Hedlund) and the real ruthless villain is none other than Blackbeard (Hugh Jackman). Once in Neverland, it’s all pretty fanciful and looks great on my home TV, but the story isn’t quite there. At least there are some musical moments that are odd but perfect (like Nirvana rendition near the beginning). Warner Bros. Home Entertainment’s set is available on Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray and Digital, and a slew of extras make their way onto the disc—at least if you purchase the Blu-ray copy. Fans of Joe Wright will be pleased to see director’s commentary with the set, and other extras look at the elaborate look at Neverland, early concept art and how Pan was inspired by J.M. Barrie’s original works. Producer Greg Berlanti pops up in some of these extras and I half expected him to go all Arrow on us, but he behaves himself. Overall the bonus features are a B+. If you liked the pirate weirdness, you can order Pan over at Neverland Amazon.

December 22 Blu-ray And DVD Releases

Pawn Sacrifice

War Room

Pan

Nasty Baby

Dragon Blade

Defiance: Season Three

Dominion: Season Two

Week of December 22 Early Digital Releases

The Martian

Everest

December 29

December 29 Blu-ray And DVD Releases

Ray Donovan: Season Three

The Intern

The Perfect Guy

Walk In The Woods

Hitman Agent 47

Jenny’s Wedding

Shameless: Season Five

Heist

Bone Tomahawk

Simply put, most animated sequels are turgid. As the series go on longer and longer and animators and voice artists start to phone it in, you are often left wondering what it was that made you like the original in the first place.

But, as Hotel Transylvania 2 surprisingly revealed over the weekend, sometimes animated series can actually hit their stride with their follow-ups. Sure, it’s a rarity. But when it does happen it’s a pleasant revelation. But which animated sequels are deemed the finest? Well, here to help are the 10 best animated sequels in history. Take a look and, possibly, disagree below.

10. The Rescuers Down Under

Released 13 years after the original Rescuers film, it was a genuine surprise that The Rescuers Down Under managed to recapture some of the glory of its predecessor when it hit cinemas in 1990, while it even managed to have more impressive action scenes.

Sure, it didn’t come close to matching the original’s plot or heart, but with Bob Newhart and Eva Gabor returning to their roles as Bernard and Miss Bianca, respectively, and providing the same loveable camaraderie that was dotted throughout the original -- plus John Candy and George C Scott lighting up their characters with their own virtuoso performances -- there’s still plenty to love.

9. Kung Fu Panda 2

As I said at the top, sequels are a tricky business. This is another animated follow-up that doesn’t quite match the quality of its original, but, unlike Rescuers: Down Under, it wasn’t a massive flop, and actually grossed more money (internationally) than its predecessor.

Unfortunately, Kung Fu Panda 2’s biggest problem is that its plot is just too similar to the original. But Jack Black is still both hilarious and charming, while the animation is truly spell-binding, all of which more than makes up for the sequel's slight flaws. Its 3D is even spectacular.

8. Monsters University

It says a lot about Monsters, Inc. that even though Monsters University is funny, warm, and an engaging exploration of how Mike and Sulley came to be BFFs, it was still a tad disappointing.

An elongated final act ruins the great rhythm of its opening two thirds, while Monsters University’s other problem is simply just how great the rest of Pixar’s output is. In comparison to Up, Wall-E, Ratatouille and a few certain sequels that you’ll see mentioned soon enough, the prequel fails. Still, as its own entity, it’s great family entertainment, and a more-than-worthy sequel, mainly because it’s great to hang out with Mike and Sulley when they are at this age.

7. Despicable Me 2

Finally, here’s a sequel that actually does outdo its predecessor! I was beginning to think we’d never find one. Packed with wonderful visuals that are morphed into increasingly captivating and hilarious gags and images, Despicable Me 2 picks up the baton from its 2010 compatriot and then merrily speeds with it right into the gloriously absurd.

Sure it’s not quite as original as Despicable Me, but the Minions really come into their own with the sequel, setting up their own spinoff film. Now, bring on Despicable Me 3!

6. Fantasia 2000

Talk about taking your time; Fantasia 2000 was released a whole 60 years after Fantasia broke new ground for Disney. And while it might not have made the cultural impact of the 1940 film, it was still operatic, poetic and downright astounding.

Just like its predecessor, Fantasia 2000 consists of eight animated segments that are set to classical music. And, because of the advance in technology, it outdoes Fantasia and is simply gorgeous to look at. Sure, some of the scenes are a bit of let down, but overall, if you let it wash over you, it’s supremely entertaining.

5. Shrek 2

Shrek was a pop culture phenomenon when it was released back in 2001. More adult than Pixar’s films, but still with enough visuals for kids to enjoy, it was always going to be a big ask for its sequel to match up.

Shrek 2 manages to remain at least on par with Shrek, with some critics even insisting that it was actually better than it. And it’s not hard to see why. Shrek 2 evolves its universe by introducing us to Princess Fiona’s home and kingdom, as well as the hilariously funny Puss In Boots (Antonio Banderas). Plus, it’s still packed with prescient cultural references and humor, and unfolds in a bright and lively fashion.

4. How To Train Your Dragon 2

It’s easy for sequels to rehash the same old ideas of their predecessors. Some filmmakers do this on purpose so they don’t mess with their winning formula, while others do it by accident.

How To Train Your Dragon 2 is the perfect example of how to evolve and build upon an original’s success, while at the same time reminding everyone why they fell in love with the franchise in the first place. There’s a grandiose scope and ambition to How To Train Your Dragon 2 that is thrilling, fun, and it even has room left over for plenty of heart and depth too.

And rather than being worried about How To Train Your Dragon 3 matching it, I'm genuinely excited to see where the story goes.

3. Madagascar 3

Probably the most surprising inclusion on my list, especially since it’s so high – but Madagascar 3 is in the Top 3 for a good reason … it’s an awful lot of fun to watch.

While Madagascar and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa both grossed impressive sums, but were still only met with mixed reviews, Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted was a critical and financial success. That’s because it unfolds at a break-neck speed and never relents as the group of characters travel around Europe and get caught up in all kind of scrapes. It’s bright, funny, but most of all, it’s smart, while it’s also infinitely better than its predecessors, and most other animated sequels, too.

2. Toy Story 2

I think we all knew that Toy Story 2 was going to be right up there, didn’t we? Buzz and Woody, and the rest of Andy’s toys, gather back together, and in the process we learn more about the characters, while at the same time just enjoy spending time with them again.

Sure, Woody’s main plot is a bit overly schmaltzy. But Buzz, Hamm, Rex, Slinky and Mr. Potato Head’s adventure trying to find everyone’s favorite Sheriff is still up there with some of the funniest stuff Pixar has ever done. Plus, the introduction of Jessie, Barbie and Zurg injects a new spirit and zeal to the proceedings, while, as Pixar tends to do, it’s just as emotional as it is funny. It’s a near-perfect sequel. Which is why there’s really only one other follow-up that could top it …

1. Toy Story 3

Just when you thought there wasn’t anywhere left for the Toy Story franchise to go, they returned with the most impressive and finest installment, not just of the series, but of Pixar’s entire oeuvre.

With Toy Story 3, Pixar somehow managed to play and toy with our emotions, all against the backdrop of a 15-year epic that audiences can’t help but connect with. Seriously, this group of characters is like family to pretty much every one of us. It’s slick and lusciously animated, takes its plot to lengths that no animated feature had ever dared go before, and it ends in a teary, emotional but satisfying manner. All in all, it’s easily one of the best films of the last 25 years, and proof that Toy Story really is the best movie trilogy of all time. Easily.

This poll is no longer available.

Minions has already grossed a little over $1 billion worldwide. As if that wasn’t enough of a victory, the film is looking to make a splash in China, and is slated for release on September 13th. So, if you’re a big studio that’s been having a record breaking year, much like Universal Pictures, you’re naturally going to do what you can to put your film out there as memorably as you can. If Kevin, Stuart, and Bob frolicking on the Great Wall of China isn’t memorable, then frankly we don’t know what is.

The Hollywood Reporter tipped us off to this wacky promotional plug for this summer’s highest grossing animated hit. The trio of Minions were spotted parading about on one of the most legendary structures in the history of the world, and this has us asking some major questions. First, is Gru planning to steal the Great Wall of China in Despicable Me 3? Second, and more importantly, is the Great Wall still standing after the world’s three most mischievous Minions have paid an impromptu visit? We’d like to think so, as further photographic evidence has proven that Kevin, Stuart, and Bob found a special surprise.

With a plentiful supply of bananas, our yellow friends seem satisfied with their latest venture into the outside world. And Universal is looking at a very satisfying trip to the bank if China’s love of all things Minion holds true to history. When Despicable Me 2 was on its money making tear back in 2013, China was the second highest grossing territory to rake in the international portion of the film’s $970.8 million total. While the Chinese market only rallied a modest $52.9 million into the film’s coffers, it was still pretty impressive considering the first film wasn’t even released in the country. How’s that for brand saturation?

China is still a burgeoning international film market, and they are even helping less successful movies lift their bottom line to somewhere more desirable. Case in point is Terminator Genisys, which recently opened in the country’s cinemas to a $26.9 million debut weekend. That might not be a lot by domestic standards, but in China that’s an honestly warm showing. Not to mention the fact that while Terminator Genisys isn’t a box office bonanza, it’s done well enough that the Chinese result has helped spark new hopes that the franchise will continue. Which means that the future is looking bright for Despicable Me as well as the Minions side franchise.

Minions is currently wreaking havoc in theaters nationwide, with China experiencing the fun first hand on September 13th.

You know you're having a good year when you're making as much money in eight months that competitors took 12 months to earn - and that's the story of Universal Pictures in 2015. Thanks to hits like Fifty Shades of Grey, Furious 7, Jurassic World, and Minions, the studio has been pulling in an incredible amount of money, and they've actually just passed yet another record. This time it's in the category of grosses from abroad, as to date since January the company's has pulled in $3.78 billion internationally - which makes it the highest-grossing year ever at the international box office.

The Hollywood Reporter has the latest jaw-dropping figures, and notes that Universal has released four of the top five released movies in 2015 - with Disney's The Avengers: Age of Ultron being the title in the way of the studio's clean sweep. The news comes right on the heels of the news that the international branch of the studio reached the $3 billion mark faster than any other studio ever - and that came after it became the fastest ever to reach $2 billion. Combined with the amount of money that Universal has generated from domestic sales, grosses have already been pushed above $5 billion total, and it's only the fourth studio to reach that mark (and, again, it's only August).

There has been a lot of speculation in regard to exactly what's been driving Universal's absolutely amazing box office run this year, and while there are certainly many factors, slate diversity has clearly played an important role. Box office grosses for Jurassic World and Furious 7 show that they're being enjoyed by everyone, and Minions clearly speaks to kids around the world, but hugely successful titles like Fifty Shades of Grey and Straight Outta Compton have respectively brought women and black audiences to the theater, and it's worked out exceptionally well for them.

With the amount of cash that's already been raked in, Universal could sleepwalk through the rest of the year, but the reality is that they still have some huge titles coming in the next four months (even without anything as big as Star Wars: The Force Awakens or The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2). Arguably the biggest upcoming title is Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs - which had a seriously rough trip through pre-production, but now stands to not only make a good chunk of change, but also get some attention from the Oscars. Further bolstering the slate are the likes of Guillermo del Toro's Crimson Peak, Baltasar Kormákur's Everest, Angelina Jolie's By The Sea, Michael Dougherty's Krampus and even M. Night Shyamalan's The Visit. So just how high will the total go? We'll be very interested to see the final numbers when January comes around again.

In news that will rival that Dolph Lundgren starring in Kindergarten Cop 2 report for the most bizarre story of the day, the New York City authorities have busted a massive drug ring that was using Minions and Frozen toys, among others, to smuggle huge amounts of cocaine into Manhattan.

According to NBC New York, after an extensive surveillance and wiretap campaign, a high-level drug smuggler named Albert Fortosa was arrested along with four others. Fortosa and his cronies were mailing boxes of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Harlem hidden in gift boxes and packaged along with toys, including those adorable yellow Minions and Olaf, the Josh Gad-voiced snowman from Disney’s hit animated film Frozen.

Knowing that they’re full of cocaine certainly gives you a different perspective on the manic grins and that bizarre, incomprehensible language that the Minions speak. I guess it also explains why you might think a snowman was talking to you—do you think they chose Olaf due to the obvious allusion, or did they just have a bunch of extra Frozen toys laying around?

Authorities intercepted five packages, containing two pounds of illicit narcotics, with a street value estimated at $225,000. Addressed to people with fake names, or citizens who had nothing to do with the nefarious drug ring, the packages were dressed up to look like birthday presents. They were even wrapped, though in addition to the children’s toys, these deliveries also included wireless internet router boxes full of cocaine. You also have to wonder why they just had a bunch of empty router boxes lying around.

Fortosa was arrested accepting one of these illegal deliveries, which the police believe he was responsible for arranging. Also part of this alleged conspiracy was Daniel Reyes, a Brooklyn based distributor; Derrick Santana, who was reportedly responsible for moving these drugs through nightclubs in Brooklyn and Manhattan; Joseph Owens, one of Fortosa’s partners; and Mallory Claudio, another individual who factored into the scheme. They were all arrested on August 4.

In a move straight out of a television police procedural like The Wire, or some similar program, police worked backwards using wiretaps, surveillance, and various undercover drug buys. Santana was the first suspect to pop up on their radar. As they kept an eye on his activities at an assortment of nightclubs throughout the city, he inadvertently led them to Reyes, who supplied the drugs to Santana, and up the ladder the investigation went.

There are 71 total counts, and, thus far, all of the defendants have pleaded not guilty, and are being held on bail. They are all expected to appear in court shortly.

In the latest rendition of "hard-to-believe stories of the week," a giant Minion was on the loose in Ireland. Seriously. A large, inflatable Minion, one of the beloved characters from the Despicable Me franchise, broke free from its restraints and went on the road in Dublin, causing a traffic jam. In his defense, he was probably just trying to help, knowing how things typically go when Minions try to lend a hand.

The Telegraph reports that a 40-foot-tall inflatable Minion was erected in Santry to liven up a fair. However, strong winds blew the Minion over and into the streets at around 3 p.m. Its tumble caused a 15-minute traffic jam, which was quite a sight. SomeECards tweeted a photo of the Minion in action, originally snapped by Erin Van Londen and posted on Facebook. As she told The Journal.ie, "it’s been very windy in the area."

The Today Show tweeted a similar image, showing a close-up of the culprit. Fans of the franchise will recognize this guy as Kevin, a member of the lead trio in the Minions spin-off movie.

Thankfully, no one was injured and the Minion was soon deflated and carted away in a wheelbarrow. A fitting end for such shenanigans.

Ever since debuting in 2010’s Despicable Me, the Minions have become popular characters among children and the family friendly crowds. These living Twinkies have served the world’s greatest villains over the centuries, including the T. Rex, Dracula, Napoleon, and a tyrannical pharaoh. In the Minions movie, which was released on July 10 of this year, we saw them encounter Scarlet Overkill (voiced by Sandra Bullock) at a villain convention. The movie marked another success for the franchise and acted as a prequel to Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2, both of which feature Gru (Steve Carell) as the Minions’ master.

The Minions will return once again on June 30, 2017 when Despicable Me 3 hits theaters.

In the last five years, movie-goers have seen a sea of the little yellow rascals known as "Minions" hit the big screen, both through two Despicable Me movies and a solo film (which just dropped in theaters earlier this month). One mystery that has persisted about the creatures, however, is why they are all portrayed as male. Well, now the creator of the characters has answered this question, and revealed the very simple truth: he couldn't imagine women being as stupid as the Minions are.

Prior to the release of the Minions movie, The Wrap had the opportunity to interview the film's co-director Pierre Coffin, and it was during their conversation that the filmmaker (who also voices the Minions) revealed why all of the yellow creatures are boys. He explained,

This explains Coffin's approach to the gender decision from a creative standpoint, but the whole subject is still a bit unclear from a biological standpoint. After all, how are there so many Minions and how have they survived as a species for so long if they are all dudes? In the trade piece, it's noted that Coffin has ruled out both reproduction and division as a means of increasing population - though The Wrap notes that there are some fan theories about both cloning and the idea that humans are actually transformed into Minions with a machine called a "Minionizer."

While Pierre Coffin wouldn't reveal the exact biological specifics of the Minions, he did drop some interesting trivia about the origins of the names of the three main characters: Kevin, Stuart and Bob. Believe it or not, a good amount of forethought went into the selection of the names, and their individual characteristics are informed by what they're called (for at least two out of three of them, anyway). The director explained,

Despite not having any small, yellow female characters, Minions has already making an absolute killing at the box office. Critical reception hasn't been super positive, but the film has already made $624 million worldwide -which is enough to already make it the fourth most successful movie of 2015 (behind only Jurassic World, Furious 7, and The Avengers: Age of Ultron). The movie is also only going into its third weekend here in the United States, so there's plenty more money-making potential ahead for the animated franchise.

Do you think that there should be female Minions, or do you think that the franchise is doing just fine without them?

After the chaos that ensued when parents began to ‘hear’ Minions McDonald’s figurines reciting seemingly foul language, it is nice to hear about one toy working in a complete opposite way. Instead of allegedly teaching a child a four-letter word that rhymes with truck, this Minions toy actually helped to save a little girl’s life. A 5-year-old suffered only minor injuries after falling from a third-story apartment window, all thanks to a stuffed Minions teddy bear toy.

The young girl was playing in a bedroom with the stuffed teddy bear when she apparently fell backwards out of an open window. According to a statement from the Colorado Springs police (via Reuters) the girl accidentally fell backwards out the window, and as she fell she continued holding onto the Minion teddy bear, which is believed to have cushioned her fall. The child was quickly transported to a local hospital and was treated for a broken arm. It could have been a lot worse had the toy not cushioned her fall, though. Who would have thunk it? A Minions toy doing good?

With the negative attention Minions toys had previously gotten, this comes as good news for the film, who now can try and stay on good graces with parents. But even after the whole McDonald’s toy debacle, parents were still rushing their kids to the theaters to catch the latest installment to the Despicable Me franchise. Minions absolutely destroyed the box office its opening weekend, and continues to. Seeing those Twinkie-looking henchmen everywhere, in toys, on t-shirts is certainly helping to keep a money-making franchise booming. Minions nabbed the title of the second biggest weekend of all time for an animated film, holding second to Shrek the Third but beating out Toy Story 3. It is one of only four animated features to even cross the $100 million threshold in its opening weekend, and overseas has been increasingly successful as well.

What started as a few quirky little sidekick henchman, desperately trying to please evil masterminds, became a national phenomenon. Even just the fact that these side-characters have their own movie now is incredible, not to mention toys being made of the Minions toys. This plush Teddy Bear is one of the Minions in the film’s favorite toy. Bob, formally known as King Bob is one of the three protagonists in the Minions movie. He is known for carrying around a teddy bear named Tim. Tim is a brown plush bear with yellow buttoned eyes, apparently with special skills (like saving a little girl’s life). So if you want to keep your kids safe, he’s the little guy to buy (oh and maybe keep your windows closed).

If you’ve been keeping up with the current state of the box office, you’re well aware that Illumination Entertainment and Universal are presently raking in money hand over fist with their animated Minions. At this rate a sequel is all but guaranteed, and as it’s never too early to start the dream casting process, the filmmakers have one big time name at the top of their list to play the villain in Minions 2: Chris Pratt.

Talking to The Shuttle about the Despicable Me spinoff, animator and producer Chris Renaud was asked, what actor, in a dream scenario, he would like to lend his voice the antagonist of Minions 2. He said:

This is, obviously, not official in any kind of way, and no one is meeting with the Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World star about this, though stranger things have happened. They did, after all, get Sandra Bullock to voice the villainous Scarlett Overkill in this film.

Even if Renaud does somehow magically wind up snagging Chris Pratt, he may have to fight to get there. Fellow producer, Chris Meledandri, has another name at the top of his villain list: Robert Redford. Meledandri said:

But this is all a long way off in the future. Before we even get to see more from the early days of the mischievous yellow troublemakers in Minions 2, they’ll once again team up with Steve Carell’s Gru for Despicable Me 3, which is slated to hit theaters in the summer of 2017.

In the meantime, however, as Renaud, Meledandri, and more kick around ideas for potential sequels, Minions is already a massive hit. During it’s opening weekend in the U.S. it took the top spot at the box office with $115 million, which is bigger than any other animated debut aside from Shrek the Third, and notably higher than Inside Out’s $90 million last month, though the Pixar movie is on track to be one of the top five earning movies this year.

Early estimates had the film topping the billion-dollar mark, and with an additional $287 million from international markets, it is already well on its way. Reviews haven’t been great, which could impact the longevity of the film, but they certainly haven’t dampened public enthusiasm on iota.

When Despicable Me arrived in theaters in 2010, no one would have guessed that its funny little yellow sidekick characters would go on to land their own movie or that the movie would have the second highest animated opening ever.

Minions opened at a massive number one with $115 million, topping all other animated openings except 2007's Shrek the Third and its $121 million start.

That's notably higher than Inside Out's $90 million debut last month, but the question now is whether or not Minions can keep up in the long run. Inside Out dropped to third place this weekend but at $283 million it's on par to end up in the year's top five grossing movies.

Jurassic World continued its incredible climb, stopping just short of the $600 million mark this weekend. At $590 it's the fourth highest domestic grossing movie of all time, inching closer to Marvel's The Avengers' $623 million third place total.

Three other new movies arrived this weekend, but were unable to cobble $20 million between them. Horror flick The Gallows bowed in fifth place with $10 million. Ryan Reynold's latest effort, thriller Self/Less only banked $5 million for a weak eighth place. Ninth place went to Baahubali: The Beginning, an Indian movie now getting a release in the US. Its $3 million domestic debut sounds small, but in perspective with its small 236 venue release, its $15,000 per screen total is second only this weekend to Minions' $26,000 per screen total.

For the full weekend total, check out the chart below:

Minions *

$115,200,000Total: $115,200,000LW: N

THTRS: 4,301

Jurassic World

$18,100,000Total: $590,638,000LW: 2

THTRS: 3,441

Inside Out

$17,108,000Total: $283,638,000LW: 1

THTRS: 3,644

Terminator: Genisys

$13,700,000Total: $68,718,000LW: 3

THTRS: 3,783

Magic Mike XXL

$9,640,000Total: $48,359,000LW: 4

THTRS: 3,376

Ted 2

$5,600,000Total: $71,619,000LW: 5

THTRS: 2,171

Max (2015)

$3,420,000Total: $33,705,000LW: 6

THTRS: 2,088

When the box office numbers arrived for Universal and Illumination’s animated prequel Minions, jaws dropped. There was no doubt that the little yellow henchmen would do very well opening weekend, but a record breaking performance? Well Sandra Bullock and her minions dominated the box office nabbing the title of the second-biggest weekend of all time for an animated title.

With a $46.2 million debut on Friday, which is the best opening day in history for an animated film in North America, and according to The Hollywood Reporter, the family-friendly prequel quickly rose to a $115.2 million debut. Up against other openers, horror film The Gallows and Self/Less this weekend, Minions left its competition in the dust. And since the studio only spent about $74 million for the Despicable Me prequel (which is a relatively modest number when it comes to animated features) they are seeing quite the success.

Minions still holds second to Shrek the Third which continues to hold the title for the largest three-day debut of all time with a $122.5 million, but beat out Toy Story 3 which had taken in $110.3 on their opening weekend. The only other animated feature to even cross the $100 million threshold in its first weekend was Shrek 2 at $108 million.

Overseas Minions has been increasingly successful too. The title rolled out in select markets two weeks ago and is already a blockbuster earning more than $200 million. Compared to the last installment to the Despicable Me franchise in 2013, Minions still boasted higher results, though comparisons can be difficult considering Despicable Me 2 debuted over a long Fourth of July Weekend, which brought in a high $143.1 million, but only $83.5 million as the three-day take.

The animated feature will undoubtedly continue to grow, as the franchise has become increasingly popular among the younger generations. Critically, Minions is taking in much harsher reviews than its previous Despicable Me installments, but does have star power attached to set it apart. Minions tells the origin of the funny-looking henchmen known to serve many of the renowned villains throughout history from Dracula to T-Rex to Napoleon. But while their dedication to their masters in unquestionable, they are not the best at their jobs, and often their antics result in the demise of their masters. The latest film focuses on three of these yellow creatures, who have headed to a supervillain convention in search of their latest boss. There they meet Scarlet Overkill, voiced by Sandra Bullock, who could just be exactly what the destructive trio have been looking for.

Those pesky little Minions are up to no good once again. But this time, rather than assisting the world’s most evil villains in their attempt to control the globe, they have decided to ruin the lives of the world’s youth with foul language. And they’ve done this all with a McDonald’s toy, which some parents insist utters a rather expletive word.

Parents across the good states of Alabama, Ohio, and Florida have each come out and insisted that the Minions toys that come with a Happy Meal are each uttering a swearword. The toys are relatively simple to use. All you to do is hold it in your hand and then thwack it on a hard surface. However, McDonald’s customers are apoplectic because rather than declaring something family-friendly these toys are allegedly instead stating, "What the fuck."

Several parents from across this trio of states have come out and complained about these crude, rude toys. According to Yahoo, one rather annoyed mother from Alabama told WSFA, "Honestly, the beginning, I don’t know what it’s saying, but the last few words sound like, ‘W-T-F’." As you can imagine, people whose ears were violated by this random declaration of profanity immediately took the opportunity to complain. You can check out an image of one of the mischievous, potty-mouthed toys below.

But McDonald’s are insistent that this entire incident has been blown way out of proportion, and these toys aren’t actually swearing at all. McDonald’s spokesperson Lisa McComb has come out and explained to Yahoo Parenting that these toys are simply speaking Minionese.

If you’re not fluent in Minionese this is the language that the characters have uttered through Despicable Me, Despicable Me 2 and now Minions. McComb explained that Minionese is a "random combination of many languages and nonsense words and sounds."

McComb also took this opportunity to apologise to anyone who has confused the characters’ gibberish and sounds for profanity, but she was insistent that the toy doesn’t actually swear. She helpfully revealed that the Minion Caveman Happy Meal toy that has been accused of polluting the minds of the youth actually says, "para la bukay," "hahaha," and "eh eh."

A psychiatrist also explained that parents are probably hearing this specific sweary phrase because it is suggested that it is there and they are then filling in what they think they’re hearing. Meanwhile kids are just hearing funny noises. Rest assured, Minions, which is out now in cinemas across the US, doesn’t possess any foul language.

The Minions are back, and faster than you can say "Banana" the anticipation has been building. What could be another record-breaking money maker for Universal is set to be the talk of the town, and the movie your kids/friends will more than likely be dragging you out to. Which means that you’re going to want to know how to wisely invest your money in going to see this summer’s latest moneygrabber! So join us in saying "bello!" once more to To 3D Or Not To 3D!

While we won’t be talking about how good the actual film itself is, we’ll definitely be talking about how good the 3D treatment suits Minions, both in concept and execution. So if you’re looking for a critical approach on the film, you’ll have to turn to our review on the site. Otherwise, sit back and enjoy our third dimensional assessment of the world of Minions.

Fit Score

5/5

Honestly, how do you not go into a film like Minions thinking it’s going to be adapted for the 3D approach? Children’s movies are natural fits for the third dimension, and Minions definitely is no exception. With bright colors, madcap action, and two other films in its universe getting 3D roll outs, Minions is right at home with 3D.

Planning & Effort Score

5/5

The Despicable Me films were both released in the 3D format, and pretty much 9 out of 10 kids films are built with the 3D format already in the release strategy. So 3D was always going to be a part of the picture for Minions, especially considering it should be easy to create some great 3D effects in a CGI film. The key phrase being "should be."

Before the Window Score

4/5

Minions' greatest strength as a 3D movie is it knows how to throw things at the audience. The 3D conversion team put a lot of effort into making things stick out, with guns being aimed at the audience, objects being thrown, and some really cool perspective shots adding to the 3D spectacle. A couple scenes even made me flinch, convincing me that if there were a film that’d make me believe a lava gun was being fired at me, it’d be this one.

Beyond the Window Score

2/5

For as much as Minions likes to throw things at the audience, it doesn’t throw the audience into the film all that much. For the life of me, I can’t remember a part of the movie that really drew my eye into the background. It’s a weird dichotomy when it comes to a 3D film, but alas Minions trips itself up most in this part of the equation.

Brightness Score

3/5

If the Beyond The Window test wasn’t disappointing enough, the second disappointment of Minions is its aversion to brightness in picture quality. Remove your glasses during any point in the film, and you’ll see a substantially brighter picture than the one you see with the glasses on. This is especially disappointing for a film like Minions, which has a rich color palette all over the film’s images.

Glasses Off Score

3/5

Minions manages to do some decent work in the blur department, which is usually a good sign that depth is being created. However, it’s not as blurry as some of the better 3D conversions we’ve covered this year. Also, Minions lacks blur in the foreground when characters are front and center. It’s not a smoking gun, but it can indicate - as it does with Minions - that there’s not a lot of depth being generated.

Audience Health Score

4/5

While Minions holds up for the most part when it comes to audience health, there are a couple sequences that cause a tiny bit of eye strain. Your stomach won’t have a problem with the extremely kinetic action sequences, but in some cases where an object is moving in close up, the 3D wonks just a little.

3D SCORES RECAP

3D Fit

5

P & E

5

Before The Window

4

Beyond The Window

2

Brightness

3

Glasses Off Test

3

Audience Health

4

Total Score

26/35

Final Verdict: Minions is an OK 3D conversion, but not one to rush out to. While it’s certainly not the worst 3D on the market right now, it’s not a spectacular enough conversion to warrant instant approval. Still, you could be spending your 3D money on worse films, and if the kids want to go, then you’ll get some good sight gags out of the deal.

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The summer keeps on rolling on, and this week it seems as though there is something for everybody. With three movies on the docket, there’s something for the kids, the horror junkies and those who want to subject themselves to mid-summer sci-fi. It’s Minions, The Gallows and Self/Less.

Just remember, I'm not reviewing these movies, but rather predicting where they'll end up on the Tomatometer. Let's take a look at what This Rotten Week has to offer.

POSTER HERE, LINK IT TO PREVIEW PAGE

PREDICTION RATING HERE, LINK IT TO ROTTEN TOMATOES PAGE

Rotten Watch Prediction

73%

While watching the trailer for Minions, I found myself trying to think of who the titular yellow devels would serve in today’s modern world. Considering they need to aid the most despicable of masters in whatever scheme he/ she sees fit, there are a lot of contenders in our current world. Whether or not they would have the same kind of draw as Sandra Bullock and Jon Hamm, on the other hand, is another matter entirely.

Check out the history of the Minions with the trailer below:

In a prequel to Despicable Me, Minions retraces the steps and history of these little yellow, goggle-eyed squeakers. It seems they’ve spent their entire life span working (and failing) to serve the most evil entity in the world. Where they fail, apparently, is that they eventually accidentally off their master. From the trailer they’ve worked under T-Rex’s, Dracula, King Tut, Napoleon and a host of others. Now, we get their story (Pre-Gru) in how they came to America. It looks cute enough.

Pierre Coffin is back directing after helming both of the previous Despicable Me titles (81% and 74%, respectively). This latest looks to fall right in line with the first two. Early reviews have the flick sitting in the mid-70s already, with most critics enjoying the third installment. Some think it falls a little flat with the Minions (and their non-speaking communication) falling a little flat or running long, but that seems to be a minority opinion.

PREDICTION RATING HERE, LINK IT TO ROTTEN TOMATOES PAGE

Rotten Watch Prediction

52%

For many teenagers, high school is already terrifying – and one can imagine making a scary movie about a bunch of kids sneaking into a haunted school to reenact a horrible tragedy from 20 years ago only serves to accentuate the feelings of angst. Turning it into the scene of a scary crime only proves that the whole institution is a literal horror show. Murders or no murders.

See a prank gone wrong in the trailer for The Gallows below:

Producer Jason Blum knows a thing or two about the horror genre. Blumhouse Productions has put out flicks like Insidious, The Purge and the Paranormal Activity franchise. These flicks all rate high on the cling-on-to-your-date’s hand and close your eyes scale. All of the production house’s stuff hasn’t been great, but they’ve put out enough legit horror stuff to give The Gallows the benefit of the doubt. The trailer looks scary enough.

I’ve said for a while that I’m not a big horror film guy. I don’t seek the movies out and rarely put myself through the act of crapping my pants. So I won’t be seeing this flick. But for those that enjoy the genre, this film appears right up your alley. A group of teenagers seeks to put on a reenactment of school play in which a kid "accidentally" hangs himself. What ensues is the old "we can’t get out of here and someone/thing is picking us off one-by-one." Some of the imagery is startling with jostling camera work adding to the manic feeling of terror.

PREDICTION RATING HERE, LINK IT TO ROTTEN TOMATOES PAGE

Rotten Watch Prediction

19%

Having one’s consciousness planted into another body would have its positives and negatives. It’d be pretty rad to chuck one’s old noodle into the brain of say, a high school aged kid. With greater knowledge and experience, we’d all have a nice go of it heading back to school and teaching folks a thing or two. On the other hand, you wouldn’t get to look at your real self in the mirror every day… and that’s gotta get a bit creepy.

Take a look at another brain switch in the trailer for Self/Less below:

Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s much to get excited about with the "old man inhabits younger man’s body" story we’ve got going here. It feels very much like a been-there-done-that scenario. Sure, it’s a super-rich Ben Kingsley trying to stave off death for a little bit by scientifically/ medically transplanting his brain into Ryan Reynold’s frame, and sure things go well for a while, but I don’t want to shock you here - eventually he starts feeling some ill effects and things begin crumbling around him. Who saw that coming?

While I don’t know every single beat of the movie, the trailer leads me to believe we are about 90% there. Kingsley gets the switch. Things are super hot and awesome for a bit. He gets some of the old body’s memories back. The lab that performed the surgery has some ulterior motives (I know, shocking) and now it’s an external fight against the bad guys along with an internal fight between the two consciousnesses. The only thing we don’t see is the ending, though I suspect that’s predictable as well.

Director Tarsem Singh doesn’t leave a great deal to get excited for with some of his other work like Mirror Mirror (49%) and Immortals (35%) falling flat with critics. The newest threatens to come in as his lowest rated work yet. It’s at 17% through six reviews so far and I’d be shocked if it climbed much higher. We’ve seen this thing before.

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I had a very solid week last time out with two wins in the critical prediction department. And though I’m happy to come close with a guess, it gives me no pleasure celebrating the score for Terminator: Genisys (Predicted: 37% Actual: 27%). As a big Terminator fan ,I’m always hoping this franchise turns itself around. Their last big hope, in my opinion, was The Sarah Connor Chronicles, but that got axed. This latest film doesn’t appear to do the franchise any favors in the "being good" department. What a shame. I suppose there’s still hope - the future isn’t written after all - but it’s been quite some time since we’ve had a lot to hang our Terminator hat on.

Meanwhile, Magic Mike XXL (Predicted: 65% Actual: 63%) was a near direct hit. I had a head start on this film, so I can’t take full, front on credit (that’s a male stripper joke, sort of) but it’s nice that I fell within in a few percentage points. Who knew a mini-franchise about male strippers could get this much critical traction? But alas, Channing Tatum seems to just melt everyone around him.

Next time around we see Trainwreck, and Ant-Man. It’s gonna be a Rotten Week!

Minions is still over a week away from hitting U.S. cinemas, but it’s already amassed quite a chunk of cash overseas, which suggests that it’s going to be a huge success once it finally does. In fact, it’s made so much money that it both knocked Jurassic World off the top of the box office in the U.K. and opened to the biggest total ever for an animated feature film in merry old England. 

The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Minions took in the amount of $18.2 million across the pond, which was more than double what Jurassic World amassed. The reason for that is probably because this is the third week that Jurassic World has been in cinemas. But that shouldn’t downplay just how successful Minions has already been for Universal and Illumination Entertainment. 

The aforementioned total is higher than any other animated feature film has reached, and in order to claim this coveted title, Minions surpassed the $18 million mark that Toy Story 3 set in back in 2010. We’re still not quite sure how inflation will alter this, but, for the time being at least, those adorable yellow Minions should be unintelligibly yelping and screaming with joy. 

Minions impressive box office figures in the U.K. comes off the back of its sensational opening few days in Australia, Indonesia, and Brazil, where the film broke animated records in each successive territory. This suggests that Minions is going to be just as resolutely successful as its predecessors Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2 were. And if it can come close to the latter's $970.6 million haul then Universal will be exceedingly happy. 

Even though Jurassic World was toppled by Minions, it’s still all good news for Universal. That’s because the studio financed both of these pictures. Meanwhile Jurassic World’s $76.6 million gross in the U.K. means that it’s the most successful film there since 2012’s Skyfall, which is yet more proof that Universal has had a ridiculously good 2015 thus far.

The likes of Fifty Shades Of Grey, Jurassic World, Furious 7, and Pitch Perfect 2 have each come from the studio over the last 6 and an a bit months, and these movies have taken in a combined total of $3.6 billion across the world. And we’ve still got half of the year to go. This means that Universal executives are currently strutting like a Minion in a thong, an image you can see below.

If you live in the U.S. and want to see the above in motion, you have to wait until Minions is released on July 10th.  

Universal’s decision to release Minions into a variety of territories several weeks before it hit US cinemas seems to have worked wonders, because early tracking figures for it suggest that the spin-off to the Despicable Me franchise is going to make a huge amount of money.

Minions was released in Australia and Indonesia earlier this week, and according to Deadline the film has made a very impressive start in these countries. Even though it was only released in just 461 locations, it has so far managed to gross $987,716.

It’s no surprise that Minions has started things off so well in these nations, though. $602.7 million of 2013’s Despicable Me 2’s $970.7 million box office total was amassed overseas, and both Universal and Illumination are confident that Minions will continue the success of the franchise in an emphatic manner. It’s also been predicted that Minions could be one of the few summer films that actually open to over $100 million this summer.

So far, only Furious 7, Jurassic World, both of which were also Universal, and Avengers: Age Of Ultron, which opened domestically to $147 million, $208.8 million and $207.4 million, respectively, have managed that feat. Now, Minions isn’t expected to get anywhere near to these gargantuan sums. But it is thought that the animated sequel's vast appeal to young children and families alike should help it make a major splash.

It’s also thought that Minions will easily outdo its one main animated rival this summer at the box office: Inside Out. Jurassic World’s monumental debut last weekend, which saw it eventually take in $524.1 million across the world in its opening three days, is expected to extend into a second weekend, where it has been predicted that it will take in at least another $100 million.

This means that Inside Out’s estimates are at a reasonable $60 to $70 million. But it also means that Pixar’s 15th animated adventure will be the first to not enter the box office charts at number 1 (likely). However those of you who are worried that this might have an adverse effect on the future plight of original work from the studio shouldn’t worry – because it’s widely believed that Inside Out will have an elongated success over the next few weeks that will see it hit an impressive sum.

Reviews for Minions have started to trickle out ahead of its July 10 release date, and, so far, they’ve failed to match the critical acclaim that has befallen Inside Out. But the small, yellow creatures are just so adorably yellow and small that that won't stop it toppling Riley’s emotions at the box office. You should still immediately see Inside Out now that it’s in cinemas across the country. Because it really is just as good as everyone says it is.