Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
September 11, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Screen & Stage • Film

Minions

Minions is a 2015 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Illumination Entertainment and distributed by Universal Pictures.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

Minions is a 2015 American animated comedy film and a spin-off prequel to Despicable Me. It follows the Minions as they search for a new evil master.

What it is

The film presents the Minions as small yellow creatures who have existed since the beginning of time, serving history’s most despicable masters. Directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda from a screenplay by Brian Lynch, it was produced by Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures.

Key details

Minions premiered in London on June 11, 2015, and was released in the United States on July 10, 2015. It became commercially successful, noted as the first non-Disney animated film to pass US$1 billion at the box office.

Series

Minions launched the Minions film series within the broader Despicable Me franchise. A sequel, Minions: The Rise of Gru, was released in 2022.

In short

  • Spin-off prequel to Despicable Me
  • Follows Minions searching for a new master
  • First non-Disney animated film to pass $1 billion
  • Sequel Minions: The Rise of Gru in 2022
Canadian angle

The film was distributed internationally by Universal Pictures, which gave it theatrical release in Canada as part of its wider North American rollout.[1][3]

Quick questions

What is Minions?
Minions is a 2015 American animated comedy film and a spin-off/prequel to Despicable Me.
What is Minions about?
It follows the Minions as they search for a new master after serving a long line of unsuccessful ones.
When was Minions released?
It premiered in London on June 11, 2015, and was released in the United States on July 10, 2015.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minions_(film)
    Supports: 2015 film, directors, writer, premise, premiere and U.S. release date
  2. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minions_(film_series)
    Supports: Minions film series and commercial success
  3. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Despicable_Me
    Supports: Franchise context and sequel information
  4. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minions_(Despicable_Me)
    Supports: Description of the Minions characters and fictional species context