July 10, 2015
Minions is a 2015 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Illumination Entertainment and distributed by Universal Pictures. It is the spin-off/prequel and the third installment overall in the Despicable Me franchise. Directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda (in Balda's directorial debut), written by Brian Lynch, and produced by Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy, the film stars the voices of Coffin as the Minions (including Kevin, Stuart, and Bob), Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Allison Janney, Steve Coogan, Jennifer Saunders, and is narrated by Geoffrey Rush.
Minions debuted in London on June 11, 2015, and was released in the United States on July 10. It received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the animation, voice acting, and score, but criticized the character development and humor, which some calling it unfunny and inappropriate. It was a financial success at the box office earning $1.159 billion worldwide, and became the fifth-highest-grossing film of 2015, the 10th-highest-grossing film of all time, and the second-highest-grossing animated film of all time during its theatrical run. A sequel, Minions: The Rise of Gru, is scheduled to be released in July 2022.