The Despicable Me Franchise’s Streaming Popularity Is A Great Sign For Its Upcoming Sequel

The next Despicable Me movie is releasing in theaters soon, and the franchise’s current popularity on streaming is a good sign that the upcoming film will be another success. 2010’s Despicable Me was a hit upon its release, grossing over $543.2 million worldwide. The film launched a series that has now become the highest-grossing animated franchise, having grossed $5.6 billion worldwide, as of 2025.

The 2010 film from Illumination introduced audiences to Gru, voiced by Steve Carell, a man who strives to become the world’s greatest villain, with the help of his cute and chaotic Minions. For one of his schemes, he adopts three sisters to pose as a wholesome father. However, he develops a strong bond with the girls, and eventually becomes a good guy, choosing his new daughters over his villainous ambitions.

While Gru and his relationship with his daughters are highlights of the series, the minions have become incredibly popular characters. In 2015, the Minions received their own spinoff film, Minions, which grossed $1.16 billion worldwide. The 2022 sequel, Minions: The Rise of Gru, was also a box office hit, earning $940.5 million worldwide.

Now, 16 years after the release of the first film, the Despicable Me franchise is still popular. Currently, Despicable Me and 2024’s Despicable Me 4 are trending on different streaming services. It’s a promising sign for the third film in the Minions series, Minions & Monsters, which is set to hit theaters on July 1.

Despicable Me And Despicable Me 4 Are Trending On Streaming Ahead Of Minions & Monsters

The Despicable Me franchise is seeing popularity on two streaming services. According to Flix Patrol, Despicable Me is the No. 6 movie on HBO Max’s U.S. movie chart. The film is currently between 2025’s Death of a Unicorn, which is at No. 5, and 2018’s Crazy Rich Asians, which sits at No. 7. Meanwhile, Despicable Me 4 is the No. 2 film on Prime Video’s U.S. movie chart, in between 2026’s Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War, which holds the No. 1 spot, and 2012’s Battleship, which is at No. 3.

Despicable Me 4 was the most recent film in the franchise, and saw Gru and his family move to a new neighborhood after a notorious villain escapes prison, and vows to get revenge on Gru. The film also featured the introduction of the Mega Minions, as well as Gru’s new son, Gru Jr. While the film received mixed reactions from critics, it was a major hit at the box office, earning over $972 million worldwide.

The popularity of Despicable Me and Despicable Me 4 on streaming shows that there is still interest in this franchise. It’s perfect timing as Minions & Monsters will release in theaters soon, and it’s a sign that the sequel has a strong chance of continuing the series’ success at the box office.

Could Minions & Monsters Cross $1 Billion At The Box Office?

The Despicable Me films consistently perform well at the box office, and the series has produced two billion-dollar films. Minions and Despicable Me 3 made over $1 billion worldwide. Minions & Monsters certainly has a chance of crossing the $1 billion mark, but it’s not a certainty. The last two films in the franchise, Minions: The Rise of Gru and Despicable Me 4, both made over $940 million worldwide, but didn’t reach $1 billion.

Additionally, Minions & Monsters will be facing strong competition in July. The live-action Moana film premieres on July 10, with Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey premiering the week after that on July 17. The month ends with the release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31. Minions & Monsters will need to have strong legs at the box office to reach $1 billion, and the Despicable Me franchise’s recent streaming popularity is an indicator that it could have a solid theatrical run.

Video Game(s)

Despicable Me: Minion Rush, Despicable Me: The Game, Minions Paradise

Created by

Sergio Pablos