'Despicable Me' Franchise Crosses $5B Globally as Next 'Minions' Film is Announced

More than ten years after their creation, the Minions have become the most iconic animated characters of their generation.

Globally recognized and beloved by fans of all ages, they have propelled Illumination’s Despicable Me and Minions to a global box office of over $5 billion becoming the only animated franchise to ever reach the milestone.

This year’s Despicable Me 4 confirmed that the Minions continue to rule the July 4 holiday weekend with the film opening as the No. 1 film globally earning $230 million worldwide. The film brings back Steve Carell as Gru, a reformed supervillain, and pits him against Will Ferrell as Maxime Le Mal, a former schoolmate turned bad guy and rival.

The franchise includes Minions, one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time, as well as the Academy Award®- nominated Despicable Me 2 and Despicable Me 3, which each made more than $1 billion at the global box office. In 2022, Minions: The Rise of Gru shattered box office records with the highest grossing July 4th opening weekend in U.S. history and became the #1 film internationally and worldwide.

Fresh off the worldwide blockbuster success of the summer’s funniest comedy, Despicable Me 4, Illumination expands its joyful animated universe with a sensational new chapter in the biggest global animated franchise in history: Minions 3.

Announcing Minions 3 (June 2027)

Written by Brian Lynch (Minions, The Secret Life of Pets films), Minions 3 will be directed by Academy Award® nominee Pierre Coffin, a director of the first three Despicable Me films and the first Minions film. Coffin has also provided the voice for the Minions since their film debut in 2010. The film will be produced by Illumination’s founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and by Bill Ryan (executive producer, The Super Mario Bros. Movie).

The franchise includes Minions, one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time, as well as the Academy Award®- nominated Despicable Me 2 and Despicable Me 3, which each made more than $1 billion at the global box office. In 2022, Minions: The Rise of Gru shattered box office records with the highest grossing July 4th opening weekend in U.S. history and became the #1 film internationally and worldwide.