Universal Pictures and Illumination have released the newest trailer for “Minions & Monsters,” the next chaotic chapter in the studio’s blockbuster animated universe.
Fresh off the worldwide success of 2024’s “Despicable Me 4,” Illumination expands its joyful, absurd corner of animation with an all-new story featuring new characters, bigger spectacle, and the same unpredictable Minion energy that has helped make the franchise the biggest global animated series of all time.
This time, the film promises a rambunctious and ridiculous tale charting how the Minions conquered Hollywood, became movie stars, lost everything, accidentally unleashed monsters onto the world, and ultimately had to band together to save the planet from the very mayhem they created. It’s a premise that leans fully into the franchise’s cartoon logic. It’s where catastrophe and comedy are usually separated by only a few seconds of screen time.
“Minions & Monsters” is directed by Academy Award nominee Pierre Coffin, who previously helmed the first three “Despicable Me” films and the original “Minions,” while also serving as the voice of the Minions since their 2010 debut. The screenplay is written by Brian Lynch (“Minions,” “The Secret Life of Pets” films) and Coffin.
The film is produced by Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri alongside Bill Ryan, with Lynch serving as executive producer.
More than a decade after their introduction, the Minions remain among the most recognizable animated characters in the world, helping propel the Despicable Me and Minions films to more than $5.6 billion at the global box office.
With “Minions & Monsters,” Illumination looks to once again turn pure animated chaos into crowd-pleasing spectacle, only this time with literal monsters along for the ride. The film opens in theaters on July 1, 2026
