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Illumination’s Despicable Me franchise is the biggest animated franchise ever, but fans are about to lose two of the movies on Netflix. Both Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2, which follow the story of reformed super-villain Gru, his Minions, and his family, are scheduled to exit Netflix on April 1st. The films’ respective $544 million and massive $970 million box office gross made them massive commercial successes and among the highest-grossing animated movies ever, with the sequel placing at No. 17 and the original only just recently being nudged out of the top 50 amid the string of animated blockbusters in recent years. When the two movies leave Netflix, subscribers will still be able to stream Despicable Me 3, Minions: The Rise of Gru, and the Minions & More and Minions & More 2 shorts.
The Despicable Me Franchise Is an Animated Powerhouse
Despicable Me launched Illumination’s catalog and immediately put the studio on the map as a major competitor in the animation industry. The story of a supervillain-turned-family man brought a perfect balance of heartfelt emotional storytelling and slapstick humor, something that has largely been maintained throughout its three sequels and two spinoff prequels, and proved to be an entertaining watch for viewers of all ages. The movie’s straightforward plot was effective, charming, and rewarding, helping it soar to a “Certified Fresh” 80% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 83% audience score. It also established massive pop culture icons with the Minions.
