Minions and Monsters Preview: Reviews, Cast, Plot and everything we know about the film
Minions and Monsters is the latest Minions film. Out in cinemas on July 1, the new movie takes your favourite yellow characters in a brand new direction. Here we round up everything we know about it.
Illumination’s favorite yellow henchmen are back in Minions & Monsters, a chaotic 1920s Hollywood prequel—here is everything you need to know about the movie’s plot, star-studded cast, and early reviews.
The Plot: A new trio of Minions (James, Henry, and Ed) try to film an indie horror movie in silent-era Hollywood, only to accidentally summon real creatures using a magical spellbook.
The Voice Cast: Co-director Pierre Coffin returns to voice the Minions alongside an all-star ensemble including Christoph Waltz, Allison Janney, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeff Bridges, Zoey Deutch, and Trey Parker.
The Reviews: Critics praise the first half as a brilliant, hilarious tribute to silent comedy legends like Charlie Chaplin, though some note the monster-filled second half gets a bit chaotic.
The Release: The film hits theaters on July 1, 2026, with a fast-paced, family-friendly runtime of 1 hour and 29 minutes.
The world’s favorite denim-clad, gibberish-speaking yellow henchmen are returning to the big screen, and this time, they are trading the modern era for the glitz, glamour, and ghouls of early Hollywood. Illumination Entertainment is expanding its multi-billion-dollar franchise with Minions & Monsters, a prequel that promises a fresh spin on the beloved formula.
As the anticipation builds ahead of its theatrical debut, critics are already weighing in with vastly different takes on what this monster-sized adventure brings to the table. Here is everything you need to know about the film.
What Is Minions & Monsters About?
Moving away from modern-day antics and the 1970s era of Gru, Minions & Monsters travels all the way back to 1920. In a franchise first, the story steps away from the iconic trio of Kevin, Stuart, and Bob to introduce a brand-new group of playful Minions—including James, Henry, and Ed—who find themselves crashing a Hollywood set at the dawn of silent cinema.
Through their natural knack for physical comedy, they accidentally become overnight movie stars. However, their 15 minutes of fame vanish with the arrival of the “talkies.” Desperate to keep making movies, James and his friends decide to direct their own DIY horror flick. Things go hilariously haywire when real, giant creatures are accidentally unleashed upon Old Hollywood. Predictably, chaos ensues, and the Minions must band together to save the planet from the very monsters they brought to the big screen.
What the Critics Are Saying
The reviews show a fascinating split between critics looking for deep storytelling and those celebrating the pure, unadulterated joy of the Minions’ physical comedy.
Empire says:
“The overall tone remains as juvenile as ever. It is goofy and giggly and resolutely wedded to stupidity. There’s little attempt to add much depth to the story, in the way that Pixar might try to — it is essentially, once again, just a series of contrived opportunities for the little guys to get up to chaotic mischief. And so it goes. The world keeps on turning”.
Variety disagrees, calling the film:
“ a clear peak for the series: a Minions movie with an actual idea at its core beyond general cheerful chaos, and proof that the pill-shaped devils are served better as stars than as sidekicks”.
Cast, Crew, and Runtime
Minions & Monsters boasts a crisp runtime of 1 hour and 29 minutes, making it a perfectly paced ride for families.
The film is directed by franchise veteran Pierre Coffin (who also returns to voice the Minions) alongside co-director Patrick Delage. Illumination has lined up a stellar, star-studded voice cast to breathe life into the human characters, including:
Jesse Eisenberg
Christoph Waltz
Trey Parker
Allison Janney
Jeff Bridges
Zoey Deutch
Bobby Moynihan
Phil LaMarr
Soundtrack and Music
The film’s original score is composed by Academy Award-nominee John Powell, a veteran of brilliant animated soundscapes. Audiences can expect a delightful auditory blend of 1920s ragtime jazz, dramatic silent-film orchestrations, and thunderous monster-movie themes that perfectly match the chaos on screen.
Why It’s Worth Watching
Whether you lean toward Empire’s view of joyful stupidity or Variety’s praise for its core creativity, Minions & Monsters looks to be an absolute blast.
The 1920s Hollywood setting is a brilliant playground for the Minions. Because they speak entirely in Minionese, their humor has always been rooted in classic slapstick—making the silent film era the perfect historical backdrop for their antics. Adults will appreciate the clever nods to cinema history, Buster Keaton-style stunts, and classic monster-movie tropes, while kids will love the introduction of a new tribe of Minions and the colorful, larger-than-life creatures. It’s an energetic, visually stunning summer blockbuster that knows exactly how to make audiences smile.
Minions & Monsters hits cinemas on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. Pre-book your tickets now at https://myvue.com
Our review is coming soon.