Cash-Cow Franchise: The film series has become this for Illumination Entertainment, becoming its most profitable work. As of 2020, it is the highest grossing animated film franchise of all time.note Technically, many of the other listed franchises had animated installments; notably, The Lord of the Rings and Transformers both had animated movies made before their more well-known live action installments, while Batman had both a theatrical entry in an animated series and a LEGO adaptation in 2018, not to mention various direct-to-video animated films. At the same time, they usually only make up a very minor portion of the overall take, compared to Despicable Me, which is entirely animation. On top of that, the Minions are pretty much everywhere in one way or another. Their faces are up there with SpongeBob and The Simpsons in terms of "cartoon characters we can slap onto a yellow product".
In the The Good Place episode "What We Owe to Each Other", Michael wins a stuffed Minion from a claw machine. He calls it an ugly yellow toddler, but thinks it's one of the most beautiful things he's ever seen.
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off: In a photo from their honeymoon to Florida, Scott and Ramona are seen interacting with a Minion outside Universal Studios Orlando.
, it is the highest grossing animated film franchise of all time. note On top of that, the Minions are pretty much everywhere in one way or another. Their faces are up there with SpongeBob and The Simpsons in terms of "cartoon characters we can slap onto a yellow product".