REVIEW: “Minions & Monsters” (2026)

(Source: IMDb) 

The yellow, pill-shaped henchmen of supervillain-turned-super-spy dad Gru from Illumination’s ever-popular Despicable Me series have arguably become more iconic than their costars from that same series. So much so, that they’ve not only been the mascots of Chris Meladandri’s CGI company (based in France). They’ve had three standalone movies up to this point. Their solo debut in 2015 traced their origins from the dawn of time to the 1960s, while their 2022 follow-up chronicled their early days with a much-younger Gru, when the latter wanted to be part of a league of supervillains. 

With this year’s Minions & Monsters, the setting takes place in 1920s Hollywood, as the little guys not only keep looking for a dastardly master to serve (a carry-over from their first flick), but also (quite accidentally) break out into the film industry, including the transition between silent pictures and talkies, and black-and-white to color. It sort of retcons their backstory. (Or does it?) But what may be lacking in an overall, decades-spanning story arc, this 2026 tentpole makes up for in its world building and nostalgic throwback to early-20th Century cinema. (Be prepared for a special cameo from the creator of a certain galaxy far, far away, as well as other beloved Universal stars.) 

Co-creator and director Pierre Coffin should be commended for not only voicing just about every Minion we see onscreen, but also for giving them a distinct verbal language (a combination of different dialects and accents) and distinct personalities. At the heart of this story is aspiring writer-filmmaker James, who comes up with the idea of making a monster movie. Despite chagrin from everybody in his clan, his only support is from the troublemaking Henry and the mute Ed (a scene-stealer). Their journey chronicles their unexpected rise of stardom, their fall from it (as many silent film stars experienced then), and them getting back up in new ways. 

Illumination not only continues to excel with crowd-pleasing, moviegoing experiences. They also managed to keep certain elements under wraps, including their voice cast for this flick. The roster of Minions & Monsters includes the likes of an against-type Christoph Waltz (as a diminutive director who comes to appreciate and believe in the Minions and their work, and where they can go from there). Jeff Bridges, Jesse Eisenberg, and Zoey Deutch lend their vocal talents as well (no spoilers on their respective characters, but I will say they’re a treat to watch and listen to). 

More discerning parents and families, on the other hand, will likely be turned off by this movie’s supernatural angle. While 2022’s The Rise of Gru had an ancient medallion at the center of its story, the Minions, this time, use a spell book they stole from an evil warlock to bring ancient creatures to life for their aforementioned movie, including a quirky, squid-faced scientist (voiced by Trey Parker). This results in imagery that is occult-like and dark, although portrayed through silly and outrageous lenses. But still. Then there’s the film’s numerous macabre elements (highlighted in the reasons for the MPA's stamped PG-rating), including examples of how their previous “bosses” met their demises. These give a sense of, “Really, they went there?” 

It may be an otherwise fun time at the movies, especially for self-proclaimed cinephiles and audiences of or into that particular era, with clever references and homages to A Trip to the Moon, The Great Train Robbery, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Harold Lloyd. (I think the last studio film set during the 1920s was Damien Chazelle’s ambitious but hedonistic Babylon.) It's a creative, ambitious, subversive, and genre-bending outing, to be sure, balancing comedy, slapstick, and heart, all evenly and effectively. But the warning labels on the book/script cover of Minions & Monsters—if only from its PG-rating—shouldn't be overlooked or ignored.