Universal Pictures unveiled the first trailer for Minions 3, titled Minions & Monsters, during Super Bowl LX. The animated film, a spinoff from the Despicable Me franchise, is set for release on July 1, 2026. It features the yellow minions embarking on a chaotic adventure in 1920s Hollywood to create a monster movie.
The trailer for Minions 3 aired during the Super Bowl on February 8, 2026, providing the first glimpse into the film's plot. Originally scheduled for June 30, 2027, the movie was advanced to July 1, 2026, coinciding with the holiday weekend. This seventh installment in the Despicable Me series follows the 2022 hit Minions: The Rise of Gru and builds on the franchise's legacy, which has grossed over $5 billion globally, making it the highest-earning animated series worldwide.
In Minions & Monsters, the mischievous yellow creatures, known for their overalls and banana obsession, shift from serving supervillain Gru to pursuing their own odyssey. Set against the backdrop of 1920s Hollywood, they aim to produce a monster movie by recruiting frightening beasts as villains. The preview shows them partnering with a cute green creature before clashing with sea monsters, a giant pink bunny, and a mummy whose wrappings they accidentally unravel. A meta element emerges as the minions act in a film, escalating a battle scene into real chaos by biting warrior actors. One clip depicts a minion sprinting toward the camera, collapsing from exhaustion.
Directed by Pierre Coffin, who has voiced the minions since their 2010 debut in Despicable Me and helmed the first three Despicable Me films plus the original Minions, the project is written by Brian Lynch, known for the first Minions and The Secret Life of Pets. Production comes from Illumination founder Chris Meledandri and Bill Ryan, executive producer of The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
The franchise's box office strength is evident in past July releases: Minions: The Rise of Gru earned $125 million over the 2022 Fourth of July, Despicable Me 3 opened to $99 million in 2017, and Despicable Me 2 debuted with $83.5 million in 2013. Minions & Monsters arrives after Despicable Me 4's $230 million worldwide opening in 2024.
