Despicable Me is one of the most successful animated franchises in recent memory, and the little yellow Minions are a cash cow for Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment. So it should come as no surprise that they’re back in theaters this summer.
Minions: The Rise of Gru takes us back to the 1970s when Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) was just a little kid aspiring to be a super villain. When he heads to the headquarters of the nefarious team known as the Vicious 6, he almost gets laughed out of the room. But then he uses one of his patented gadgets to steal an important artifact from their lair, officially starting him down his path of being a bona fide super villain. Unfortunately, what happens after that complicates things for the kid. Watch the Minions: The Rise of Gru trailer below to see what happens. Read More »
Posted on Sunday, February 2nd, 2020 by Jacob Hall
While some animation aficionados like to turn their noses up at the work of Illumination, there’s no denying their power at the box office. And the first footage from Minions: The Rise of Gru, which arrived during the Super Bowl, suggests that they’ve crafted yet another billion dollar hit. If you have a child in your life, you’re probably going to end up seeing this one. Probably a dozen times or more.
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In this edition of Sequel Bits:
- Keanu Reeves is down for more Constantine movies, and I support this idea.
- James Cameron goes bowling (to kick-off more Avatar sequel filming).
- Napoleon Dynamite is getting a sequel…in comic book form.
- The new Ghostbusters sequel will use (some) practical effects.
- Thank god, they’re making another Minions movie.
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Illumination and Universal Pictures have the next six years covered. The production company, founded in 2007, has made some monster hits with Despicable Me, Minions, The Secret Life of Pets, and most recently, Sing, which is getting a sequel. Today, Illumination announced four new release dates.
Below, learn more about the Illumination Entertainment release dates just announced.
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Posted on Thursday, January 26th, 2017 by Angie Han
You knew this was coming: Sing, Illumination’s “American Idol, but with animals” movie, is getting a sequel. Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment have just set the follow-up for Christmas 2020, putting it in the same slot that did so well for the first Sing.
Meanwhile, The Secret Life of Pets 2 is getting pushed back a year to 2018, and Minions 2 is moving up just a tiny bit. Read More »
Posted on Thursday, October 27th, 2016 by Jacob Hall
In this edition of Theme Park Bits:
- A new Ghostbusters ride is coming to Germany’s Heide Park.
- Universal Studios is developing an entire theme park land for the Minions.
- Season of the Force is finally heading to Disneyland Paris.
- Hong Kong Disneyland’s Iron Man Experience is approaching its opening date.
- Animal Kingdom’s Avatar-themed land is truly taking shape.
- Disneyland previews footage and costumes from Doctor Strange.
- Universal extends Halloween Horror Nights.
- And more!
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Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment have announced that a new Minions short film will play before their summer release The Secret Life of Pets. Learn about the short film, titled Mower Minions, and see the first image, after the jump.
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Posted on Tuesday, January 5th, 2016 by Angie Han
There are years when the awards race feels all but locked in by early January, when even the most casual Oscar followers can rattle off a list of frontrunners and the ceremonies themselves promise few surprises. This is not one of those years. True, there are a few titles that you can safely bet on making it to the final cut, like Spotlight and The Revenant. But there are a great many films still on the bubble. Some of them got good news today, as the PGA announced their nominations for the 2016 awards, and others just saw their odds get a little bit longer. Read the full PGA Awards nominations 2016 list after the jump. Read More »
Posted on Monday, December 28th, 2015 by Angie Han
Generally speaking, studios, filmmakers, and stars are happy to see their films land on awards shortlists or critics’ top 10s. But then there are the lists they’d probably rather not be on, like this one of the most pirated movies of 2015.
To be sure, most of these movies did just fine even without the pirates’ box-office dollars. This year’s #2, Furious 7, was a favorite of pirates basically from the moment it opened, and it still managed to set records. (Records which were later broken by Jurassic World and then Star Wars, but never mind that.) Still, it’s gotta be annoying to think of all the money they didn’t make because some people didn’t feel like paying. Especially since a couple of these titles could’ve used that extra boost. Find out what the most pirated movies of 2015 are after the jump.
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Cool Posts From Around the Web:
Kids have found plenty to enjoy about the slapstick, gibberish antics of the little yellow guys known as Minions, and at the end of the day, that means the Illumination Entertainment film accomplished what it set out to do. But these characters worked so well in small doses in Despicable Me that a movie focusing just on the Minions feels like nothing more than a marketing move.
And that’s exactly what the Minions Honest Trailer brings to the table, right down to accurately pointing out that a movie about young Gru and his Minions would have been a much better movie. Read More »
