The lovable villain Gru and his Minions have entertained kids and adults ever since their global domination began in 2010 with the release of Despicable Me. The comedy animation gave way to numerous sequels, short films, and Minions spin-offs. If you are planning to watch all of the Despicable Me and Minions movies, this streaming guide will take you through every entry in order (chronological and release). We'll also show you where you can watch them right now on streaming services in India.
How to watch the Despicable Me movies in chronological order
If you want to watch the Despicable Me franchise in chronological order, the most important thing you need to know is that the Minions movies act as prequels to the Despicable Me movies. This is each Minions movie explores the origins of the titular creatures and eventually show how they meet a much-younger Gru. Once you’ve seen all of the Minions movies (including Minions and The Rise of Gru), you can then watch the four Despicable Me movies from 1-4.
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Minions (2015)
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Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022)
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Despicable Me (2010)
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Despicable Me 2 (2013)
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Despicable Me 3 (2017)
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Despicable Me 4 (2024)
Set in the 1960s, Minions offers more context on the adorable creatures who have always sought to assist the greatest villains of human history. Their search eventually lands them to New York City where they meet the villain Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock). The three main Minions who lead the narrative are the ones named Stuart, Bob, and Kevin.
Minions: The Rise of Gru acts as a direct sequel to Minions and a prequel to the Despicable Me movies. It’s this installment of the franchise that tells us how the Minions teamed up with the future-villain Gru (Steve Carell). Set in the 1970s, Gru is depicted as a teenage inventor who has plans to take over the world.
Steve Carell’s Gru acts as the protagonist of the Despicable Me movies that follow. While Gru always wished to be the world’s greatest villain, his morals change after crossing paths with three orphan girls. Accidental fatherhood and his bumbling Minions turn Gru into a more kind-hearted figure, going against other villains instead.
Despicable Me 2 paired Gru alongside the secret agent Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig) who later became a major character in the franchise. Despicable Me 3 also introduced Gru’s identical twin brother (also voiced by Steve Carell). In Despicable Me 4, Gru is also joined with a new member in the family: his infant son Gru Jr.
French animator Pierre Coffin directed the first three Despicable Me movies along with the prequel Minions. Kyle Balda co-directed Despicable Me 3 and also directed Minions: Rise of Gru. Chris Renaud is another recurring director in the franchise, having co-directed the first two Despicable Me movies and the upcoming release Despicable Me 4. Interestingly, Coffin and Renaud also provide the voices behind each of the Minions.
Apart from its 3D animation and the babbling Minions, the Despicable Me franchise is also known for its songs. The most popular example is perhaps Pharrell Williams’ 2013 hit “Happy” from Despicable Me 2. Other musical classics include “Rich Minion” and “Turn Up The Sunshine”, both from Minions: The Rise of Gru.
How to watch the Despicable Me franchise in release order
To watch the franchise in release order, you can start with the first two Despicable Me movies and then watch the first Minions. Despicable Me 3, the second Minions movie and the fourth entry can be watched next. In the list below, you can find all the Despicable Me and Minions movies in release order along with all offers to stream, buy or rent them in India.
