Minions & Monsters’ Big Gamble Could Change Despicable Me Movies Forever

Minions & Monsters is taking a huge risk by not including one of the franchise’s most famous characters. The gamble could change the future of the Despicable Me series.

Set in the 1920s, Minions & Monsters is a prequel that explores the origins of the beloved yellow creatures and their role in Hollywood. According to the logline, the movie showcases how the Minions “became movie stars, lost everything, unleashed monsters onto the world, and then banded together to try and save the planet from the mayhem they had just created.”

Pierre Coffin, who directs the film, returns to voice the Minions. Since the film is set in 1920, Minions & Monsters features a new line of characters and voice roles. Noticeably absent from the cast is Steve Carell‘s Gru, the Minions’ boss. Minions & Monsters is the first film in the Despicable Me franchise without Gru, a risk that could alter the course for future movies.

Why Gru’s absence from Minions & Monsters matters

Before Minions & Monsters, Gru has been the traditional lead in five of the six movies in the Despicable Me franchise. 2015’s Minions barely featured Gru, but it did include a younger version of the character at the end. It’s fair to say that Gru has become synonymous with the Despicable Me franchise. Where there are Minions, Gru is usually not too far behind.

Minions & Monsters is betting on its yellow creations to draw audiences to the theaters. The gamble worked in the first Minions, which grossed roughly $1.2 billion worldwide. 2022’s Minions: The Rise of Gru, which featured a preteen version of Gru, was also a financial hit at $940 million.

Minions & Monsters is a true test case on whether these Despicable Me spin-off movies need Gru to thrive. Box Office Pro has Minions & Monsters grossing up to $85 million over the three-day weekend and between $95 and $115 million over the five-day holiday weekend.

Minions & Monsters doesn’t need to gross over a billion to be considered a success. If it ends its run at $800 millions, Universal will still be extremely happy. There is also a world where the movie underperforms, forcing Illumination to bring back Gru and make Despicable Me 5. It could go either way, but I’d bet on it working out.

The Despicable Me movies can continue to include Gru. If Minions & Monsters becomes a hit without Gru, the shelf life of these spin-offs increases. Perhaps Illumination can explore more spin-offs that don’t include Gru.

Source: Comingsoon.net