Illumination Founder Confirms Sing and Pets Sequels in Motion

Ahead of the Annecy premiere of Minions & Monsters, Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri confirms Sing 3 and The Secret Life of Pets 3 are in active development, discusses the studio’s next original film push, and shares updates on upcoming projects including a B

When Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri sat down for a conversation ahead of the world premiere of Minions & Monsters at the Annecy International Film Festival. he didn’t sell the excitement with vague hype. He called Annecy “the single best place in the world to screen an animated film” — and then emphasized what that night means for the people who actually make animation. not just watch it.

Minions & Monsters. the third standalone Minions movie and the seventh film in the Despicable Me universe. is set to open in theaters and in IMAX on July 1. Meledandri described Annecy’s crowd as a rare mix: animation fans and animators whose knowledge makes the reception feel different. “They’re excited. we’re excited. ” he said. framing the premiere as a long-awaited payoff after years of building the movie.

The film itself is a “love letter to Old Hollywood,” directed and written by familiar voices from the Minions orbit. Pierre Coffin is back, joined by co-director Patrick Delage (Despicable Me 4) and co-writer Brian Lynch (Minions). Meledandri positioned the story as a hero arc in motion: the Minions “inevitably band together to save the world from the mayhem they created.” The voice cast includes Allison Janney. Christoph Waltz. Jeff Bridges. Zoey Deutch. Trey Parker. and more.

And even before the premiere, Meledandri made clear that Minions & Monsters isn’t the only thing Illumination is steering toward.

Sing 3 and The Secret Life of Pets 3 are both coming — and both are actively in development. Meledandri said the studio has been working on them “for a while. ” calling them two movies the filmmakers. the studio. and he himself “love.” He explained that returning to Pets took time. waiting for an idea that would earn its place rather than just producing another Pets entry. He also pointed to Chris Renaud’s involvement: Renaud co-directed Despicable Me with Pierre Coffin. and he’s the original director of Pets. “So. we are well underway. working hard on an idea that I’m hoping that we’ll make soon. ” Meledandri said.

For Sing 3. he said Garth Jennings. the writer-director behind the previous Sing movies. is currently focusing his energy on a story that honors what audiences love while introducing “some entirely new ideas.” Meledandri also suggested announcements are likely “relatively soon” for both Sing and Pets.

But there was another priority running under the sequels: Illumination wants more room for new stories. After being asked about the status of their broader studio planning. Meledandri said his time horizon runs through 2029. 2030. and 2031. adding that he doesn’t have every film perfectly slotted. though he has a “pretty good picture” of the slate through 2030.

Then he got more direct about what he thinks needs extra attention inside the company.

“My next film that will come out after Minions & Monsters will be an original. no underlying material. ” he said. even while acknowledging how hard it is for original IP to break through. He described how the Illumination brand has grown since Despicable Me. and how that recognition helps — especially when traditional marketing options feel diluted. Still, he warned that existing franchises can crowd out the time and energy spent finding the next original idea.

That balancing act — relying on sequels while pushing for new ground — also shaped the way Meledandri talked about Illumination’s identity versus bigger studio comparisons. The objective at launch, he said, was never to chase ubiquity. He compared their growth with Pixar’s footsteps but emphasized a practical point: even partial awareness of what an Illumination movie means can bring in audiences who decide to check it out.

For Meledandri, it’s part of how Illumination stays relevant across generations. He pointed to the way Despicable Me’s audience aged, fell away, and then returned later driven by nostalgia. He also connected that pattern to Minions: The Rise of Gru — and to a decision made with Universal to hold the movie rather than release it on streaming when COVID hit. “By the time the movie came out. ” he said. it hit the kind of timing he’d been told about earlier in a conversation with the owner of a Japan clothing company. Beams.

The Minions weren’t just a brand success story in his telling. They became the proof of something that can’t be forced: Meledandri described meeting with Pierre Coffin. Chris Renaud. and Eric Guillon during early development. where he was told they wanted Gru’s henchmen to be unlike the creatures in the original story concept. He said he embraced the search. then couldn’t take his eyes off the first iteration of the Minions when they were shown.

He also tied cost control to how Illumination keeps building. “I had a huge motivation in the beginning. ” he said. focused on making sure the first movie was profitable so there could be a second. He credited production decisions and a producing partner. Janet Healy. who moved to Paris and worked with the core team as their production ecosystem grew from about 90 people. While he admitted “the creep” of costs happens over time across the industry. he suggested the gap between Illumination and other studios isn’t as radical as it once was — even as he said he remains proud of their efficiency levels.

The future slate, as Meledandri outlined it, isn’t limited to sequels. He said Illumination is working closely with Mattel on an animated Barbie movie. The collaboration. he explained. was driven by a key hurdle: they needed a story approach “utterly distinct from the live-action movie.” He added that there’s no filmmaker attached yet beyond the Illumination and Mattel development ecosystem. and that they’re still in story-definition phases.

Meledandri also discussed Illumination’s Nintendo film partnership. He said he can’t give a timing or title for the next Mario movie. but he emphasized that Nintendo collaboration remains a “very important part” of Illumination and that the studio is excited to continue. When asked about a potential solo Starfox movie. he framed the conversation as a decision rooted in Nintendo leadership. saying the idea of crossing IP between Nintendo properties was explored with Shigeru Miyamoto and that the studio takes cues from him. “If he believes that it can work. ” Meledandri said. “then we develop the courage of our convictions about the idea.” He also said he has ongoing discussions with Nintendo beyond production. including his role on their board.

He even weighed in on other animated work outside Illumination. Meledandri confirmed he’s producing Shrek 5. and said his role there is more consultative than his creative responsibilities with Illumination films. He also said he’s excited by the differences in how animation processes unfold at other studios. referencing his previous work and past experiences.

When the conversation returned to Minions & Monsters, it landed on a standout casting element: Trey Parker’s role. Meledandri said it was the second time he and Parker have worked together. pointing to a chemistry between Parker and Pierre Coffin. He described how Parker has a particular rhythm in the recording booth. noting that outside of the session. Parker isn’t involved in the writing process. Meledandri then teed up Parker’s character as a surprise: Parker plays a monster with an “Illumination” design that’s memorable. combining charm and deception.

Minions & Monsters — running 90 minutes and arriving to theaters and IMAX on July 1 — is now set for its Annecy world premiere. But the bigger story in Meledandri’s seat wasn’t just what audiences will see this week. It was the roadmap he sketched: Sing 3 and The Secret Life of Pets 3 in active development. an original film next after Minions & Monsters. and a wider slate stretching from Barbie and Nintendo collaborations to future possibilities he says will likely bring announcements “relatively soon.”.

Minions & Monsters Chris Meledandri Illumination Sing 3 The Secret Life of Pets 3 Annecy Mattel Barbie animated movie Nintendo The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Starfox Shrek 5 Trey Parker