According to Deadline, Universal Pictures has scheduled new release dates for two Illumination animated features, Minions: The Rise of Gru, and Sing 2. Originally set to release on July 3, 2020, The Rise of Gru will now hit theaters on July 2, 2021, the date Sing 2 was initially set to debut. Sing 2 will now open in theaters on December 22, 2021, and is currently set to debut against DC’s Black Adam.
Additionally, the Wicked musical feature has also been bumped off of the schedule from its Holiday 2021 slot. A new date for the project has not yet been set.
RELATED: Colin Trevorrow Shares New Jurassic World: Dominion Image
Written by Brian Lynch, Minions: The Rise of Gru serves as a continuation of the 2015 film Minions, this time focusing on the Minions (Pierre Coffin) during their first encounter with a young Felonious Gru (Steve Carell), a 12-year-old with a dream to become the world’s greatest supervillain.
In the heart of the 1970s, amid a flurry of feathered hair and flared jeans, Gru is growing up in the suburbs. A fanboy of a supervillain supergroup known as the Vicious 6, Gru hatches a plan to become evil enough to join them. Luckily, he gets some mayhem-making backup from his loyal followers, the Minions. Together, Kevin, Stuart, Bob, and Otto—a new Minion sporting braces and a desperate need to please—deploy their skills as they and Gru build their first lair, experiment with their first weapons and pull off their first missions.
When the Vicious 6 oust their leader, legendary fighter Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin), Gru interviews to become their newest member. It doesn’t go well (to say the least), and only gets worse after Gru outsmarts them and suddenly finds himself the mortal enemy of the apex of evil. On the run, Gru will turn to an unlikely source for guidance, Wild Knuckles himself, and discover that even bad guys need a little help from their friends.
The movie also stars Taraji P. Henson as cool and confident Vicious 6 leader Belle Bottom, Jean-Claude Van Damme as Jean Clawed, Lucy Lawless as Nunchuck, Dolph Lundgren as Svengeance and Danny Trejo as Stronghold.
Minions earned $1.159 billion globally in 2015. In the film, Minions have served (and accidentally eliminated) history’s most despicable villains. After their latest explosive mistake leaves them without an evil leader, the Minions fall into a deep depression. With the tribe on the brink of collapse, three unlikely heroes—Kevin, Stuart, and Bob—embark on a journey to find a new big boss. When their quest leads them to their next potential master, Scarlet Overkill (Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock), our three heroes must face their biggest challenge yet: saving all of Minionkind… from annihilation.
RELATED: Exclusive Dolittle Clip Highlights Michael Sheen’s Dr. Blair Mudfly
Featuring a soundtrack of hit music from the ’60s, Minions was produced by Illumination’s Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy and was directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda. Brian Lynch wrote the screenplay for the 3D-CG comedy adventure, and Chris Renaud served as executive producer of the film.
