Major animated franchises have some of the biggest success potential of any film format. Because families often attend these films and thus buy multiple tickets, they can quickly become major box office hits. This was witnessed last year with Inside Out 2, an animated sequel that went on to make $1.6 billion worldwide.

Pixar (and Disney as a whole) has somewhat of a stronghold in the animated arena. The Toy Story movies have made over $3 billion collectively and have received great reviews. DreamWorks has also had notable success with the Shrek franchise.

The animated studio Illumination came out of nowhere in 2010 when it released Despicable Me. That movie made $544 million and led to multiple sequels and spinoffs. Now, another franchise entry is fast approaching, and it could be huge.

Minions 3 Releases In One Year

It Comes Out July 1, 2026

Minions 3 is releasing just under one year from today, which is scheduled for July 1, 2026. This comes two years after Despicable Me 4 and four years after the viral sensation Minions: The Rise of Gru.

So far, there are no definite plot details for the threequel. However, Pierre Coffin will return to voice the Minions, and Romesh Ranganathan is slated to appear as a character named Dr. Nefario. Other characters that could return include Steve Carell as young Gru, which would make sense if Minions 3 were to directly follow up The Rise of Gru.

How Big Will Minions 3 Be Compared To The Rest Of the Franchise?

The Series Has Been On A Good Track

Minions 3 has the potential to be a big box-office success. Both of the previous entries in the spinoff franchise have been big moneymakers, with the first Minions making over $1 billion. The Rise of Gru also made an impressive $940 million at the box office.

Last year’s Despicable Me 4 was also a huge hit in theaters, making $969.5 million worldwide. While this and The Rise of Gru trended slightly down from their predecessors, their big totals still bode well for Minions 3.

That said, Minions 3 will have some compeтιтion. Toy Story 5 releases on June 19, 2026, and will still be in theaters by the time Minions 3 comes out. Craig Gillespie’s Supergirl movie is also slated for June 26, but the target audience won’t be much of an issue.

Which Animated Franchises Come Close To Despicable Me & Minions At The Box Office?

Shrek 5 Comes Out Next Year, Too

The Despicable Me movies are the highest-grossing animated franchise of all time, and Minions 3 will only grow that total. However, the next in line among record-breaking animated franchises is Shrek, which is also under Universal. Shrek 5 is currently scheduled for December 23, 2026.

Still, there is a $1.6 billion difference between the Despicable Me and Shrek franchises. So, even if Shrek 5 is huge, it will be nearly impossible for it to beat out the Despicable Me franchise. As such, Minions 3 has virtually nothing in its way to becoming a box office hit and ᴀsserting the franchise’s dominance.