The Super Bowl always delivers the biggest entertainment news of the year, and Super Bowl LX was no exception. Illumination has finally pulled back the curtain on the third installment of the beloved spin-off franchise, officially titled Minions & Monsters.
Fans who were expecting to wait until 2027 for more yellow mayhem received some incredible news. The film’s release date has been moved up significantly, with Minions & Monsters now scheduled to hit theaters on July 1, 2026. This puts it in a massive year for animation, sharing the 2026 calendar with the highly anticipated Shrek 5, which arrives later that December.
The new trailer leans into a meta-narrative, showing the Minions working on a movie set. True to form, the chaos quickly spirals out of control during a fantasy battle scene where the Minions take their “monster” roles a little too seriously, actually attacking and biting the actors playing the warriors. Another clip features a signature moment of physical comedy with a Minion running directly into the camera lens before collapsing from exhaustion.
This third chapter is in very capable hands. It is written by Brian Lynch, who penned the first Minions and The Secret Life of Pets, and directed by Pierre Coffin. Coffin is the creative force who has directed the first three Despicable Me films and has famously voiced the Minions since we first met them back in 2010. Production is being led by Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri and executive producer Bill Ryan.
While the full voice cast for this specific adventure is still being kept under wraps, the franchise has a history of attracting massive stars like Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michelle Yeoh, and Steve Carell. If the previous films are any indication, Minions & Monsters will be another star-studded, hilarious ride for the whole family.