With other franchises that have reportedly made around the $10 billion mark being the entirety of the Warcraft series, Grand Theft Auto, Dragon Ball and Star Trek, it's clear only the most popular worlds and mythos make this kind of money, and usually have to do so over the course of a considerable number of decades due to just how big the numbers in question here really are.
However, one popular animated movie franchise has netted itself a lofty $12 billion in revenue over the span of just 16 years, underlining its swift rise to the top financially, and its impact on the world of animation as one of the cultural cornerstones for the genre of the past on-screen era. Said series is set to get even easier to watch and rewatch, too, since a major release in the series is returning to Netflix soon.
2015's Minions Is Coming To Netflix In August 2026
August 2026 is set to have many movies appear on Netflix, but few are bigger in the animated realm than Minions, which is due to arrive on August 1, bringing in the start of the month with a major addition to the platform. The Despicable Me franchise has an estimated $12.3 billion from its collective sales (as per Deadline and The Numbers) - including both its box office and overall movie sales, and the staggering merchandise and retail empire the series has built along the way, too.
While Minions' 2015 release means it didn't kick off this impressive record, it certainly has played a major role in contributing to the animated series' success, by taking the focus away from supervillain Gru and his reformation of sorts as he builds a family for himself, and placing it on his eccentric sidekicks the minions, delving into their history before they found Gru himself, and then their early days with the scientist.
As the start of this prequel side to the wider franchise, Minions is thus a crucial part of the franchise, and was a massive box office hit in its own right, making $1.15 billion there alone, letting it be a crucial cornerstone in Despicable Me's overall financial total.
Minions Is A Perfect Match For Netflix
Minions returning to Netflix after previously leaving the streaming service is something that's sure to benefit the platform and movie series alike, thanks to just how much the film and franchise are a sterling match for Netflix itself.
Minions' box office results speaks to its success and popularity - meaning it meshes with Netflix's beneficial history of having major hits from previous years be a rewatchable part of its viewing roster - but the film's tone and story make it an even better match for the platform.
Historically, family-friendly releases from popular animated movie or show series have been colossal hits on Netflix - as evidenced in a major way by the immense streaming success of KPop Demon Hunters and now Swapped - and Minions perfectly slots into this territory, meaning it makes all the more sense to have the movie on the streaming service, since it's effectively a permanent hit with a truly broad audience.
Release Date
July 10, 2015
English (US) ·