Release Order Recommended
0 / 7 watchedFilms as they arrived in theatres, prequels and sequels alike. The order most people watch in.
Chronological Order
0 / 7 watchedEverything in story order. The three Minions films move to the front because they all predate Gru.
About Despicable Me
The mainline run follows Gru in sequence: Despicable Me (2010), Despicable Me 2 (2013), Despicable Me 3 (2017) and Despicable Me 4 (2024). The Minions films step backwards in time. Minions & Monsters, released July 1, 2026, is set in 1927 Hollywood, decades before Minions (2015) and Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022).
Chronological order therefore opens with the three Minions prequels, then the Gru films as released. Release order is the simpler first watch and loses nothing, since the prequels only fill in backstory for characters you have already met.
Good to know
Chris Meledandri said in June 2026 that no Despicable Me 5 story has ignited interest yet, so the fifth film is possible but unannounced. Only the prequels separate release order from story order; the Gru films themselves run straight through. Minions & Monsters is the seventh franchise entry. No further Despicable Me entry has a release date.
