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Despicable Me Movie Watch Order in the correct order

How to watch the Despicable Me movies in order

Last updated: April 8 2026

Written by: ChronoChris

Despicable Me launched one of the most successful animated franchises in history, built around the lovably grumpy supervillain Gru and his army of yellow, gibberish-speaking Minions. With multiple sequels and spinoffs, here's how to watch the entire Despicable Me universe in order.

What started as a charming animated comedy about an unlikely family has grown into a global phenomenon. The Despicable Me franchise — produced by Illumination — has grossed billions worldwide and spawned a spinoff series centered entirely on the Minions. Whether you're after Gru's heartwarming story or the chaotic slapstick of the Minions, there's an order that makes the most sense for your watch party.

🕐 Release Order

Release order is how the franchise was meant to be discovered — starting with Gru and the girls, then expanding the world with Minions and Mega villain stories.

  1. Despicable Me (2010)
  2. Despicable Me 2 (2013)
  3. Minions (2015)
  4. Despicable Me 3 (2017)
  5. Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022)
  6. Despicable Me 4 (2024)

Note that Minions (2015) is set in the distant past — long before Gru was born — while Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) is a prequel set in the 1970s when Gru is a young boy. If you prefer a chronological experience of the entire universe, you may want to rearrange your watch order.

📖 Story Chronology

Watching chronologically reveals the full backstory of the Minions and young Gru before dropping you into the main trilogy. Here's the full story in timeline order.

  1. Minions (2015) — set in prehistoric times through the 1960s
  2. Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) — set in the 1970s
  3. Despicable Me (2010)
  4. Despicable Me 2 (2013)
  5. Despicable Me 3 (2017)
  6. Despicable Me 4 (2024)

Which Order Should You Choose?

First-time viewers should start with Despicable Me (2010) in release order — it's the heart of the franchise and the best introduction to Gru and the girls. The Minions films work well as bonus content after you've already fallen in love with the universe. If you're rewatching or watching with kids who are big Minions fans, the chronological order can be a fun alternative that adds context to the Minions' ancient loyalty to villainy. Either way, Despicable Me is a consistently entertaining franchise suitable for all ages.

🔗 Related Guides

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Did we miss anything? Let us know and we'll keep this guide up to date!