TIL: 'Minions' Gross Breaks Billion; Universal Makes History

Universal and Illumination Entertainment’s animated gold mine “Minions” breaks $1 billion at the world box office, making it one of only three animated films to ever do so.

That’s right, the beloved bespectacled canary colored “Minions” feature achieves a rare feat, snatching the #3 spot in highest grossing animated films at the international box office. With a production of $321.9 million domestically and $682 million internationally, “Minions” also takes the podium as the top grossing feature film of 2015, animated or otherwise, at the international box office.

What is perhaps even more interesting this event signals a 1st in history for “Minions” Studio, Universal. The 1st studio to have three films break the $1 Billion mark within a single year, specifically 2015. Universal also brought box office bread winners, “Furious 7” ($1.51 billion) and current big-budget IT-man Chris Pratt’s “Jurassic World” ($1.63 billion).

This also is a crowning jewel for Illumination Entertainment as their highest grossing release to date. “Minions” puts Illumination’s repertoire of five films, “Despicable Me,” “Hop,” “Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax,” “Despicable Me 2” and “Minions” over the $3 Billion mark collectively at the world box office. Illumination was just shy of having another addition to the $1 Billion box office club with “Minions” parent film sequel, “Despicable Me 2,” coming in shy of $1 Billion in 2013 with about $971 Million.

The other two animated feature films that currently complete the $1 Billion box office trifecta include Disney’s recent box office bling “Frozen” ($1.27) and Pixar’s iconic trilogy topper “Toy Story 3” ($1.06 Billion).

The race to break a billion is far from over and the club is by no means closed to new members. As of current, Pixar and Disney’s recent animated introspective “Inside Out,” and arguably “Minions'” most formidable competitor, has already collectively accrued $701 Million. Given that is has yet to debut in a number of international markets and it’s current position ahead of “Minions” has grossed $343 Million domestically alone, the $1 Billion trifecta may very well become a foursome by year’s end.