Movies - Minions & Monsters: When Hollywood Dreams Turn Into Cinematic Nightmares

By Mulder, 09 february 2026

Universal Pictures has officially unveiled the first full trailer for Minions & Monsters, and it immediately signals that this third standalone Minions film is aiming for something slightly different, a little bolder, and knowingly more playful with its own legacy. Aired during Super Bowl LX in a brief but memorable spot—punctuated by a Minion sprinting toward the camera only to collapse, gasping for air—the footage marked the first real look at the film’s story direction, and it did so with a wink. This time, the Minions aren’t just part of a story; they’re literally making one. Set in the 1920s, the film follows three of the yellow troublemakers as they head to Hollywood with dreams of becoming filmmakers, a premise that already feels like a cheeky love letter to early cinema and slapstick comedy. That self-awareness quickly spirals out of control when a discovered spellbook leads to the accidental summoning of a real monster, and the trailer leans hard into that tonal collision, blending old-school movie magic, physical comedy, and outright creature chaos in a way that feels both familiar and freshly unhinged. One standout moment shows the Minions shooting what appears to be a staged fantasy battle scene, only for things to go off the rails when the monsters stop acting and start biting the warrior actors for real, a gag that neatly encapsulates the franchise’s gift for escalating absurdity.

From a franchise perspective, Minions & Monsters occupies a key position. It is both a sequel to Minions (2015) and Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022), a prequel to Despicable Me (2010), and the seventh overall entry in the Despicable Me universe, a sprawling animated saga that has quietly become one of the most durable global brands in modern cinema. The film is directed by Pierre Coffin, whose creative DNA is inseparable from the Minions themselves, having helmed the first three Despicable Me films and the original Minions, while also voicing the characters since their debut in 2010. The screenplay is written by Brian Lynch, a longtime collaborator who previously worked on Minions and The Secret Life of Pets, ensuring tonal continuity even as the setting and narrative ambition expand. Production duties are handled by Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri alongside Bill Ryan, whose recent work as an executive producer on The Super Mario Bros. Movie further underlines Universal’s confidence in pairing proven animation talent with franchise-scale storytelling.

What’s particularly interesting, beyond the monster-driven hijinks, is how openly Minions & Monsters leans into meta-comedy. The idea of Minions navigating Hollywood, grappling with filmmaking itself, and unleashing consequences they can’t control feels like Illumination gently poking fun at its own industrial success, a theme that longtime fans may appreciate on a different level than the youngest viewers. It also echoes the franchise’s long tradition of stacking voice talent and pop-cultural references, following in the footsteps of earlier entries that featured performers such as Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Allison Janney, Steve Coogan, Jennifer Saunders, Steve Carell, Alan Arkin, Taraji P. Henson, Michelle Yeoh, Julie Andrews, Russell Brand, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren, Danny Trejo, and Jimmy O. Yang, even though no additional casting announcements have yet been officially confirmed for this installment beyond Pierre Coffin’s ongoing vocal performance as the Minions. The musical and stylistic cues in the trailer also suggest a period flavor that could rival the retro funk energy of The Rise of Gru, though Illumination has not yet released specific details about the soundtrack.

Originally scheduled for release on June 30, 2027, Minions & Monsters was moved up to July 1, 2026, effectively taking over the original slot intended for DreamWorks Animation’s Shrek 5, while still sharing the same summer corridor. The film will be distributed theatrically by Universal Pictures in the United States and France on that date, with its running time yet to be announced. In line with Universal’s long-term streaming agreement, the film will follow a structured post-theatrical window, debuting on Peacock for the first four months of its pay-TV run, then moving to Netflix for the next ten months, before returning to Peacock for the remainder, a strategy that reflects the studio’s evolving approach to maximizing animated franchises across platforms. With its Hollywood setting, monster-driven mayhem, and knowingly self-referential tone, Minions & Monsters looks poised to offer more than just another round of banana-fueled chaos, instead framing the Minions as both creators and destroyers of cinematic spectacle, a fitting evolution for characters who have spent more than a decade gleefully dismantling everything in their path.

Synopsis :
Set in the roaring 1920s, Minions & Monsters follows three endlessly chaotic Minions as they travel to Hollywood with dreams of becoming movie stars and filmmakers, only to stumble into real trouble when their curiosity leads them to an ancient spellbook hidden among studio props. What begins as a playful dive into the world of early cinema quickly spirals into disaster when the Minions accidentally summon a genuine monster, blurring the line between movie magic and real danger. As film sets turn into battlegrounds and staged action gives way to authentic mayhem, the Minions must face the unintended consequences of their ambition, unleashing their trademark slapstick, misunderstandings, and accidental heroism while redefining what it means to make a monster movie literally.

Minions & Monsters
Directed by Pierre Coffin
Written by Brian Lynch
Produced by Chris Meledandrin, Bill Ryan
Starring Pierre Coffin
Production companies :
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release dates : July 1, 2026 (United States), France)
Running time : NC