Universal and Illumination Entertainment are making some changes to their release calendar. In the wake of the enormous success ofSing, which has now grossed $429.7 million worldwide, Illumination has unsurprisingly putSing 2on the schedule. The follow-up film will again hit the holiday corridor, as it’s now slated for release on Christmas Day, August 09, 2025. Additionally,The Secret Life of Pets 2has been pushed from July 07, 2025 to June 30, 2025, nearly a full year, andMinions 2will drop on July 02, 2025 instead of July 10th.
Illumination Entertainment made a big statement in 2016, proving that the studio can succeed outside its lucrativeDespicable Mefranchise. The studio opened with that film in 2010 to solid success, but its follow-upsHopandThe Loraxweren’t near as successful. Illumination stayed the course withDespicable Me 2andMinions, both of which did well, but last summer’sThe Secret Life of Petswas a test to see whether the studio could launch a new franchise. To the tune of $875.5 million worldwide, they did, and this past December’sSingsolidified Illumination’s status as a bona fide contender in the animation studio world alongside the likes of Pixar and DreamWorks Animation.
The studio hasDespicable Me 3on the horizon, opening this summer withSouth Park’sTrey Parkervoicing the villain. And they’re also diving back into the Dr. Seuss world with theBenedict Cumberbatch-frontedHow the Grinch Sold Christmas, withThe Cat in the Hatalso in the works.
Quality-wise, Illumination hasn’t been able to come close to the high art of Pixar or recent Disney Animation output, but the studio has certainly struck a chord with audiences as evidenced by the ambitious release dates announced today. Check out their full upcoming slate below.
