The wait wasn’t long for the highest-grossing franchise, Minions. After the successful launch of its latest installment, Despicable Me 4, the creators have announced that Minions 3 will premiere in June 2027.
The franchise, written by Brian Lynch, will see its next sequel, Minions 3, directed by Pierre Coffin, who has also directed previous Despicable Me and Minions films. In addition to his directorial role, Pierre has been a voice artist for the Minions franchise since its inception in 2010.
Produced by Chris Meledandri, the founder and CEO of Illumination, along with Bill Ryan, Minions 3 is executive produced by the team behind The Super Mario Bros Movie.
Nearly a decade after its creation, the Minions franchise has established itself among the highest-grossing films, with an estimated total revenue exceeding $5 billion, including earnings from both Despicable Me and its prequel, Minions.
The franchise has achieved acclaim with hits like Despicable Me 2, which was nominated for an Oscar, and Despicable Me 3, which grossed over $1 billion. Another notable success was Minions: The Rise Of Gru, which, after its 2022 release, grossed $230 million worldwide.
The success of these animated films was highlighted by media critic Peter Debruge in an editorial for Variety. Debruge remarked, “Less than a year after dual writers’ and actors’ strikes halted Hollywood, family-friendly cartoons are significantly boosting the theatrical box office. While some may overlook these films in favor of ambitious adult sagas like Furiosa and Horizon, in a summer without a Barbenheimer—which, let’s be honest, is every summer except 2023—these animated movies are keeping the popcorn flowing … and helping to justify the megaplexes’ exorbitant air conditioning bills.”