Chris Meledandri, the head of Illumination, spoke about the studio’s upcoming projects, notably the production of sequels for two major franchises.
The topic has been surfacing a lot lately: the big animation studios rely on sequels to bring audiences into theaters. Whether it’s Disney with Ice Age 6 and Frozen 3 (and the myriad live‑action remakes), DreamWorks with Shrek 5, or Illumination with Minions and Monsters (now playing in theaters), original projects are having a hard time breaking through.
Can we really fault the big studios when Toy Story 5 is sweeping the box office with a record‑setting opening at Pixar? Chris Meledandri, Illumination’s chief, seems to think not, since he has just announced the production of sequels to two of the studio’s most famous franchises during the Annecy Festival.
The Adventures of Illumination’s Crew
In an interview with Collider, Chris Meledandri confirmed the “active development” of The Secret Life of Pets 3, seven years after the release of The Secret Life of Pets 2, and Sing 3, five years after Sing 2. The Illumination boss also shared a few additional details about these sequels.
Chris Renaud, the co‑director of Despicable Me (alongside Pierre Coffin) and the director of the films about the secret lives of our pets, will once again be in charge for this new installment. On the subject of Sing 3, Meledandri showed particular enthusiasm for the sequel, describing it in the usual promotional terms as a “tribute to what we all love about the franchise, while introducing entirely new ideas.” The film is expected to feature the return of the director and screenwriter of the previous installments, Garth Jennings.
It’s no accident that Sing and The Secret Life of Pets are receiving considerable attention inside the studio, Meledandri notes. The two entries in Sing have grossed $634 million and $408 million worldwide, while the two Pets films have earned $875 million and $431 million. The sequels did not perform as strongly as the originals, but the numbers balance out with budgets ranging from $80 million to $85 million.
That said, Chris Meledandri stressed that the studio won’t rely solely on its franchises, and the next Illumination release should be an original story:
“If I may offer a bit of self‑criticism, I wish we would place even more internal emphasis on identifying our original films. Our next film, after Minions and Monsters, will be an original creation, with no adaptation whatsoever. […] It’s great to be able to make films based on recurring characters, but there are times when existing films overshadow the energy we devote to seeking out our next original projects.”
For now, no date or window has been disclosed for Sing 3 and Pets 3,
but the Illumination boss noted that he already has a fairly clear vision of the studio’s upcoming projects through 2031. So patience will be required. While waiting for these sequels, Minions and Monsters has been in theaters since last June 24.
