After the previous installment in the franchise pushed it to a major financial milestone,Minions 3is getting an earlier release date. Having first launched as a prequel to theDespicable Memovies, the spinoff series quickly began building a bridge to the present day storyline with its 2022 sequel,The Rise of Gru. Despite the most recent sequel,Despicable Me 4, pushing the franchise to the $5 billion mark,Minions 3wouldn’t be confirmedto be in the works until July 2024, being set for a June 2027 release date.
The Hollywood Reporterhas brought word that Universal is shifting some of its upcoming release calendar around. One such movie getting a new release date isMinions 3, with theDespicable Methreequel spinoff now set for a August 06, 2025 date, taking over the slot fromShrek 5, which is now set for December 23 that same year. This also putsMinions 3in theaters nearly a full year early, having originally been set for a June 18, 2025 release date.
What The New Release Date Means For Minions 3
It Continues A Franchise Tradition
While release date changes are not unheard of in the world of films,Minions 3being pushed up by nearly a full year is a much rarer thing. Given production on animated movies typically takes years to complete, release delays are far more common with the genre than being pushed up on a studio’s calendar. However, considering Illumination Studios Paris is generally the home for the studio’s output, it may also stem fromShrek 5’s productionbeing delayed amid the Palisades Wildfire shutting down much of Southern California.
Regardless of the studio’s decision to bring the movie up by a full year,Minions 3hitting theaters in July 2026 actually continues a tradition for the franchise. Across the four mainline movies and twoMinionsspinoffs,everyDespicable Memoviehas hit theaters in July, the sole exception beingDespicable Me 3, which released on June 30, so still spending much of its theatrical time in July. See how the previousDespicable MeandMinionsmovies performed in their respective release dates in the chart below:
80%
83%
75%
85%
55%
49%
59%
53%
70%
89%
56%
87%
$969.2 Million
While the shift up in its release plans certainly points towards the studio’s confidence in the movie’s timeline,Minions 3will be facing a lot of competition in the Summer 2026 calendar. The two weeks prior to the threequel will see the releases of Pixar’sToy Story 5, a major foe in getting the family demographic, andSupergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, while the following July week will see the debut ofthe live-actionMoanaremake, another family friendly competitor.
Our Take On Minions 3’s New Release Date
The Rise Of Gru’s Success Is A Good Indicator Of Its Victory Chances
Though its predecessor didn’t face as much competition asMinions 3will, if the movie can match the same creative quality as the 2022 spinoff sequel, it could also matchThe Rise of Gru’s box office success. Despite going up againstThor: Love and Thunderand fellow animated releasesPaws of Fury: The Legend of HankandDC League of Super-Pets, the previousMinionsmovie set multiple box office records, including the largest Independece Day opening weekend, that I can’t imagine the next installment would be that overshadowed by its competition.
Source:THR
Despicable Me
Gru, a villain with ambitions to steal the moon, adopts three orphaned girls to aid his scheme. Unexpectedly, he finds himself growing attached to them, which complicates his plans. As Gru grapples with newfound fatherhood and his villainous aspirations, he discovers that love and family can change even the most hardened hearts.
