Minions & Monsters is the third installment in the Minions prequel series, and seventh in the overall Despicable Me universe, and yet somewhat surprisingly manages to stay fresh and fun now 16 years in. 

From the opening black and white old timey Hollywood scene set in the 1920s involving a Western backlot and an excellent runaway train sequence, it’s clear the latest project is exploring some new territory. Much of the animated feature focuses on the mono-eyed James, the auteur of the bunch who is trying to become a master director, and how the Minions become bona fide A-list actors.

This theme offers a kind of realistic grounding that is rare to see in the franchise, and opens up the door for things like a hilarious cameo from George Lucas playing an animated version of himself. Other stars among the cast include Jesse Eisenberg, Jeff Bridges and Academy Award-winner Christopher Waltz voicing the affable Max, an old school silent film director serving as James’ mentor.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Minions movie without some bad guys and Illumination gets creative with antagonists like the adorable yet properly nefarious demon Goomi, and a giant eyeball-covered blob monster named Irene (trypophobia sufferers be warned).

Released on digital Aug. 11 and 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD on Sept. 8, the latter media boasts a bunch of fun exclusive bonus features. “Minions take on Hollywood” provides a behind-the-scenes look at what inspired the unique theme of the 90-minute picture, how it was all put together and also a closer look at the new generation of the lovable yellow creatures; “How to Make your own Irene Blob Monster Slime” that follows along with slime influencer Snoopslimes showing viewers how to make their own blob monster, and more. 

Pick up a copy of Minions & Monsters at local and online retailers like Amazon, or follow the blog and send a message with your favourite Minion in the subject line for a shot at winning a complimentary 4K Ultra HD copy!