It’s challenging to envision a world devoid of the Minions or Gru, as the Despicable Me series has firmly established itself in global society. From Minion memes to Gru’s unique “gorls” and the catchy Pharrell Williams song “Happy,” its influence is ubiquitous. With four standalone Despicable Me films, two Minions spinoffs (and a third scheduled for 2026), the series has proven to be financially successful. At this stage, these characters seem destined to join the ranks of timeless figures like Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse, who consistently generate new escapades.
Regardless, every tale begins at some point. Fifteen years ago, the initial “Despicable Me” graced theater screens and not only minted money but also established Illumination as a new animation powerhouse. What seemed daring in July 2010 has grown into a successful franchise by 2025.
The Odds Were Once Stacked Against Despicable Me
It was quite unexpected that “Despicable Me” might not have much room to grow in terms of box office success considering its competition in the 2010 cinema market. Before its release on July 9, 2010, only a handful of non-Disney or DreamWorks animated family films had earned over $150 million domestically (two of these were sequels to “Ice Age”). The movie industry had been cautious since 2006, when numerous animated films attempted to replicate the success of “Shrek,” but most failed due to the challenging box office environment for non-Disney/DreamWorks/Blue Sky Studios animated productions.
In recent years, my admiration for animated films has been met with disappointments such as “The Wild”, “The Ant Bully”, and “Doogal”, among others. The exception being “Curious George” released in February 2006. It seemed that Universal Pictures, the distributor of “Despicable Me”, was taking a break from animated productions due to its relatively limited success in this genre since the ’80s hits like “An American Tail” and “The Land Before Time”. After a string of box office flops in the ’90s, Universal shied away from family-friendly animation for quite some time. Given its checkered history with animation and the general challenges faced by non-Disney/DreamWorks features, I found myself wondering if “Despicable Me” would manage to defy these odds and make a mark in the world of animation.
In both instances, the response was an overwhelming affirmative. Kicking off with $56.39 million in North America, Despicable Me benefited greatly from positive word of mouth, amassing a staggering $251.6 million domestically in total. Interestingly, Despicable Me surpassed all three DreamWorks Animation releases in 2010, even outperforming the fourth Shrek installment. Furthermore, it earned more money in the US than contemporary Pixar films like WALL-E and Ratatouille. Bucking conventional wisdom, Despicable Me demonstrated that successful family-friendly animated movies could indeed emerge from unexpected places.
Despicable Me Also Launched Illumination Into the Stratosphere
One consequence of numerous mid-2000s animated films failing at the box office was that several animation studios responsible for these productions eventually closed down. Studios such as Vanguard Animation, C.O.R.E., and IDT Entertainment, among others, struggled to live up to their potential following the release of their 2006 animated features. Sony Pictures Animation also experienced difficulties in finding success after debuting its first theatrical movie, “Open Season,” in 2006; it wasn’t until the creation of the “Hotel Transylvania” franchise that they managed to establish a firm footing.
After the release of “Despicable Me” in 2010, Illumination Entertainment swiftly soared to success and became a prominent animation studio, consistently producing full-length animated films. Subsequently, they released hits like “The Lorax,” “The Secret Life of Pets,” and “Sing.” Although opinions on the artistic value and critical reception of these projects varied, they all proved to be profitable ventures. With Universal Pictures backing Illumination, the studio that previously avoided animation family films has now emerged as a leading contemporary force in this genre (the acquisition of DreamWorks Animation in 2016 further boosted its standing).
The impact of the “Despicable Me” series extends far beyond its own brand or production team. By outsourcing animation to French artists, the movie’s budget was kept relatively low at $69 million. This cost-effective strategy, initially popular among direct-to-video animated films and TV shows, is now being adopted by most non-Disney animation studios today, such as Skydance Animation and Paramount Animation. The influence of “Despicable Me” can be seen everywhere, showcasing its profound effect on popular culture.
In summer 2010, releasing an original animated movie not linked to Pixar or DreamWorks seemed risky. Fifteen years later, it’s evident that the daring decision for “Despicable Me” was a success and more so. If not for this move, would we be anticipating “Minions 3”?
Despicable Me is now streaming on Peacock.
https://comicbook.com/movies/news/despicable-me-4-minions-franchise-future-sequels-interview/embed/#
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2025-07-06 22:11