'Minions & Monsters': Banana mishaps give way to monster mayhem in first look from 'Despicable Me' spinoff
Universal used the biggest night in television to remind everyone that the Minions are not done causing problems. Far from it. A short spot aired during the game featured a single Minion sprinting straight toward the camera against a blinding white background, shouting one word, "Minions," then another, "Monster," before an off-screen roar cut through the noise. The message flashed quickly, "Watch the trailer." The title followed just as fast: 'Minions & Monsters'. That was all it took. Online, a much longer trailer dropped soon after. This new chapter isn't about fetching gadgets for Gru or accidentally ruining his plans. This time, the Minions are chasing monsters. Literally.
The story sets them loose on a strange mission that sends the banana-loving troublemakers around the world in search of terrifying creatures to star as villains in their very own monster movie. Because, of course, that's the idea they land on. The footage is loud, messy, and unapologetically ridiculous. The Minions form an odd bond with an adorable green creature. It all looks harmless at first glance, then soon they tumble into danger after danger. Sea beasts rise from dark waters. A massive pink bunny with a permanently sour mood becomes a genuine threat.
A mummy enters the picture and quickly regrets it when the Minions begin pulling at his wrappings, accidentally revealing him down to the bone. It's exactly as unhinged as it sounds. What really pushes the trailer into internet-ready territory, though, is the music choice. BLACKPINK's 'How You Like That' blares in the background, turning the preview into a hyperactive combination of pop swagger and animated mayhem. The movie marks the third standalone 'Minions' spinoff and the seventh film overall connected to the 'Despicable Me' universe, as per Variety. The Minions first appeared in 2010 as Gru's barely controllable helpers, stealing scenes and, eventually, entire movies.
Pierre Coffin, who helped shape the look and sound of the franchise from the beginning, is directing the new film. He's also once again providing the voices of the Minions themselves. The screenplay comes from Brian Lynch, another longtime contributor to the Illumination universe. Production duties fall to Illumination founder Chris Meledandri alongside Bill Ryan. Moreover, the Minions were last seen on the big screen in 2024's 'Despicable Me 4', which followed 'Minions: The Rise of Gru' in 2022. Across those releases and the earlier films, the franchise has quietly stacked up nearly $5 billion worldwide, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Still, the team behind the movies has been open about wanting to avoid repetition. In a 2024 interview around the release of 'Despicable Me 4', director Chris Renaud explained that, "There are always conversations like that, and what we can do and where we can go with the characters. Nothing specific at the moment, particularly since I just finished this one, but there are always those conversations on, "Where else can they go and what changes can we make? How can we keep it exciting and fresh? We'll see what happens." 'Minions & Monsters' looks like the result of that thinking. Universal Pictures will release the sequel in theaters on July 1.
