With Minions & Monsters hitting theaters next week, Illumination’s latest romp through the Megaverse is already sparking debate—thanks to one tiny, brick-built joke. In an exclusive chat at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, writer-director Pierre Coffin and Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri pulled back the curtain on the film’s most divisive moment: a Lego gag that has audiences either howling or scratching their heads.
The scene in question? Without spoiling too much, it involves our favorite yellow henchmen playing with a certain plastic building toy in a way that Coffin admits “might be polarizing.” He told Collider’s Steve Weintraub, “I think it’ll be a polarizing moment. Some people will find it hilarious, others will be like, ‘Why did they do that?’” The joke, which riffs on the Minions’ signature chaos, was carefully calibrated to land as a loving nod to pop culture—but not everyone is on board.
Deleted Harry Potter References and Hollywood Homages
The film is packed with Easter eggs for cinephiles, from nods to silent-era Hollywood to a museum tour voiced by Allison Janney that’s a treasure trove of references. But one major homage didn’t make the cut: a Harry Potter callback. “We had a whole sequence where the Minions try to use a wand, but it just didn’t fit the story,” Meledandri revealed. “We loved the idea, but it felt too forced.” The team ultimately trimmed it to keep the focus on the monster-movie mayhem.
Coffin, who also voices all the Minions, explained the grueling process of cracking the story. “The first screening was 45 minutes of just Minions speaking gibberish. I thought, ‘This is never going to work,’” he laughed. Now, the team writes everything in English first, then Coffin improvises the Minionese. “It’s still a lot of work—directing, doing all the voices, iterating—but we’ve found a rhythm.”
The End-Credits Scene That Almost Didn’t Happen
One of the film’s biggest surprises is its end-credits scene, which Coffin calls “a little treat for fans.” The duo revealed it was a late addition, born from a brainstorming session where they wanted to leave audiences with a smile. “We knew we needed something that tied back to the Lego joke and the monster theme,” Meledandri said. “It’s a payoff that rewards repeat viewings.”
For more on the making of Minions & Monsters, check out our full review and see how it stacks up against the franchise’s darkest, funniest entry yet.
What’s Next for the Minions?
With a star-studded voice cast including Trey Parker, Jeff Bridges, and George Lucas, the film is a love letter to Hollywood’s Golden Age. Coffin hinted that the Lego gag might just be the start of more meta humor in future installments. “We’re always looking for ways to surprise the audience,” he said. “If a joke divides people, that means it’s working.”
As for the deleted Harry Potter scene? Meledandri teased, “Maybe we’ll save it for a special feature. Never say never.”
