Animated franchises are some of the biggest moneymakers around. In 2024, the highest-grossing film of the year was Pixar sequel Inside Out 2, which brought in over $1.6 billion worldwide. Not too far behind it was another Disney sequel, Moana 2, which brought in over $1 billion as well. Despite lesser reviews, Moana 2 far exceeded the gross of 2016’s Moana, which made $643.3 million. Likewise, the original Inside Out did not break $1 billion. This trend showcases the power of franchising animated content, as the sequels and threequels often make more money.

Looking more broadly than last year, animated sequels are fairly dominant on the all-time charts. Inside Out 2 is now the no. 8 highest-grossing movie of all time, and Frozen II sits at no. 14. Other sequels have easily cleared $1 billion, such as Incredibles 2, even if their franchised content is not as revered as their originals. Now, the success of the animated franchise is showcased once again as a 2022 sequel makes it onto the streaming charts.

Minions: The Rise Of Gru Is Succeeding On Streaming

It Is A Sequel To A Spinoff

Minions: The Rise of Gru has become a streaming hit nearly three years later. It is both a spinoff and a sequel; it follows up the 2015 film Minions, which is a spinoff of the main Despicable Me franchise. Though not the highest-grossing movie in the Despicable Me universe, Minions: The Rise of Gru made a whopping $940 million worldwide and spawned multiple viral trends. The reviews for Minions: The Rise of Gru were somewhat mixed, with the film holding a 69% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Years after its release, Minions: The Rise of Gru has risen to success once again on the Prime Video charts. Per FlixPatrol, the Despicable Me franchise film is no. 8 on the top 10 movies in the United States today, February 6. The movie is situated between The Equalizer and The Equalizer 2 and above Dwayne Johnson’s Rampage.

Our Take On Minions: The Rise Of Gru’s Streaming Success

This Is Good News For The Despicable Me Franchise

Minions: The Rise of Gru‘s Prime Video charts appearance is not the first time that a Despicable Me film has made it onto the streaming charts recently. Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2 regularly hit the Netflix charts in the days before they were set to leave the platform last month. These trends show that audiences still have a big demand for the Despicable Me movies, even if a franchise installment is not actively in theaters. This is a good sign for the Despicable Me franchise, which will likely continue to be one of the most dominant animated franchises currently in production.

Source: FlixPatrol