"Minions", a prequel/spin-off to "Despicable Me" franchise, has crossed the USD 1 billion mark at the worldwide box office, which is considered a rare feat for an animated film.
The movie, from Illumination Entertainment and Universal, has grossed USD 321.9 million domestically and USD 682 million internationally to become the Number 3 animated film of all time and the top grossing of 2015 to date, said The Hollywood Reporter.
This milestone also marks the first time any studio has had three films cross USD 1 billion at the worldwide box office in a single year. "Furious 7" has earned USD 1.51 billion for Universal, while "Jurassic World" has earned USD 1.628 billion to date.
The only other animated titles that have crossed USD 1 billion are Disney's Frozen (USD 1.274 billion) and Pixar's "Toy Story 3" (USD 1.06 billion).
"Pixar" and Disney's "Inside Out", the summer's other animated tentpole, has earned USD 701 million to date. It is ahead of Minions in the US with USD 343 million in earnings, and has yet to open in many international markets.
