Published Jul 4, 2026, 12:05 PM EDT
Fariba Rezwan is a Lead Editor for the Movie News team. She has been with ScreenRant for nearly five years, with roles ranging from list editor to junior news editor.
During that time, Fariba has led coverage for breaking movies and TV news, including Hunger Games, Marvel, and streaming. Additionally, she has actively provided commentary and reactions to the biggest movies and shows on her YouTube channel, The Movieception Show.
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The Despicable Me franchise celebrates a Rotten Tomatoes streak with bananas.
Sixteen years ago, Illumination released the blockbuster hit Despicable Me, which made over $544 million. While the studio ventured with original content like* The Secret Life of Pets* and Sing, the now-$5.4 billion franchise is its biggest darling, spawning over three sequels and multiple spinoffs. **Minions & Monsters **is the latest installment, which earned near-universal positive reviews and set a Rotten Tomatoes record as the franchise’s highest score with 91%.
While many critics declared the latest *Despicable Me *spinoff as the franchise’s best, the audience’s official verdict is now in. With over
500+ verified ratings, Minions & Monsters has a 76% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s now the third straight Despicable Me movie to earn a positive Popcornmeter.
Minions & Monsters reviews praised the love letter to Hollywood’s Golden Age, while still maintaining the franchise’s slapstick humor. Despite a few issues with the rushed pacing, the story was nevertheless refreshing and funny, with the focus primarily on the three Minions.
The Illumination series has experienced an up-and-down trend during its 16-year run. Although the first two* Despicable Me *movies earned audience approval, moviegoers weren’t as pleased with the first Minions spinoff and the 2017 entry, which scored 49% and 53%, respectively. However, consensus improved with subsequent releases, Minions: The Rise of Gru and Despicable Me 4, with scores in the 80s.
In fact, the second prequel has the highest audience score in the franchise with 89%. Part of that high approval was likely attributed to the viral TikTok trend, in which teenagers and young adults dressed in suits to watch the movie.
Although Minions & Monsters earned a positive audience score, it surprisingly doesn’t equate to the critics, at least compared to past installments. Despite the franchise’s best critics’ score, the audience rating is actually the third-lowest. The critically mixed* Despicable Me 4 *earned an 86% audience score, setting a huge 10-point difference. Based on a few reactions, some moviegoers took issue with the structure and weren’t as receptive to the direction and humor.
Nevertheless, the Minions spinoff series has seen an upward trend in critical reception, whereas the Despicable Me movies saw a decline with each installment. While Minions & Monsters may become Illumination’s biggest feat yet, as the studio’s highest Rotten Tomatoes score ever, a fourth spinoff movie or* **Despicable Me 5 *has yet to be announced.
Unfortunately, despite critical and audience approval, Minions & Monsters debuted with a $63.5 million opening during its 5-day holiday weekend, which is short of projections. That sets a record low for the *Despicable Me *franchise, as even the three-day forecast is just $38.5 million. It’s unclear how much that would impact the franchise’s future.
Minions & Monsters takes place four decades before the 2015 movie, as the titular creatures set out to make their break in 1920s Hollywood by shooting a monster movie, which eventually turns into a pursuit to save the planet. Long-time Despicable Me director and Minions voice star Pierre Coffin returns to helm the movie and co-wrote it with Brian Lynch. New cast members include Allison Janney, Christoph Waltz, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeff Bridges, and Zoey Deutch.
Minions & Monsters is now playing in theaters.
Minions & Monsters ](/db/movie/minions-3/)
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Brian Lynch, Pierre Coffin
Chris Meledandri, Bill Ryan
Henry / James / Ed / Dick / The Minions (voice)