A scene from “Minions & Monsters.”
Universal Pictures/Illumination Entertainment
Friends & Monsters is new in theaters, and all indications so far are that it will be another monster hit for the You are despised Me franchise but the film’s success likely won’t change how Universal Pictures releases the film.
The seventh film in You are despised Me franchise, Friends & Monsters opened in theaters nationwide on July 1. Directed by Pierre Coffin, the film traces the origin story of the group’s yellow, pill-shaped male Grus before they meet You are despised Me evil genius.
After working for other villains over the years, the Minions (all voiced by Coffin) accidentally end up in Hollywood in the 1920s as Tinseltown is at its most underrated movie. When play begins, the Minions – who can only communicate in shorthand – quickly find themselves out of a job.
Looking for a way to return to the big screen, the two Minions, James and Henry, start making a monster movie because a mysterious book they have helps bring terrifying creatures to life. However, when the monsters set out to rule the world, the Minions must band together to defeat the creation gone wrong.
Rated PG, Friends & Monsters and features the voices of Allison Janney, Jeff Bridges, Jesse Eisenberg, Trey Parker, Bobby Moynihan, Phil LaMarr, Zoey Deutsch, Christoph Waltz and George Lucas.
Under Universal Pictures’ old distribution strategy, films that grossed less than $50 million in the first few weeks of release could be released via digital streaming on premium video-on-demand after 17 days in theaters, while films that grossed more than $50 million could debut on PVOD 30 days after release.
In March, however, the studio mandated that all of its films must play in theaters at least five weekends before premiering on PVOD, which is usually 31 to 32 days, depending on the length of the month it premieres. That theatrical-to-PVOD window will increase to seven weekends — or about 45 days — in 2027.
Since March, Universal films His Memoirs again You, Me & Tuscany both played in theaters for five weekends before arriving on PVOD. However, the studio’s blockbuster is very hot The Super Mario Galaxy movie its theatrical-to-PVOD window was extended and released for digital streaming after seven weekends. And while Friends & Monsters ready to achieve a Super Mario-success rate – the last five films have earned anywhere between $937 million and $1.15 billion worldwide – Universal may begin offering the latest film on PVOD after five weekends in theaters instead of seven.
The concept of the five-weekend strategy is simple. The last two films in the franchise – 2024’s Despicable Me 4 and 2022 Friends: The Rise of Gru – both played five weekends in theaters before moving to PVOD. Love The Super Mario Galaxy movieboth films were hugely popular among moviegoers, with Despicable Me 4 earning $986.7 million at the worldwide box office and Friends: The Rise of Gru grossing $937.7 million worldwide by 2022 (a remarkable number considering the COVID-19 pandemic was still wreaking havoc on the theater business).
Thus, Friends & Monsters looking to debut in Aug. 4 on PVOD, as new releases for digital streaming usually come out on Tuesdays. If Universal changes things and extends the theatrical to PVOD window to seven weekends, the film should arrive on PVOD before Aug. 18.
How Soon Will ‘Minions & Monsters’ Start Streaming on Peacock?
Universal usually has theatrical video for distribution on demand about 118 days (give or take a day or two) or about 18 weeks from the day the studio’s films open in theaters and the day they arrive via Peacock, NBC Universal’s subscription service.
For example, His Memoirs It is scheduled to arrive at the Peacock on Friday, July 10, approximately 18 weekends after the film’s theatrical release on March 13. Accordingly, The Super Mario Galaxy movie will arrive at the Peacock on July 30, roughly 18 weekends after its April 1 theatrical release.
You should Friends & Monsters follow the same SVOD release pattern, then viewers can expect the film to arrive on Peacock on Oct. 30, just in time for Halloween.
Right now, the only way you can see Minions & Monsters is in the theater, so check your local listings for showtimes.
