Universal Brand Development, Illumination and the LEGO Group expanded their licensing partnership to include the Despicable Me franchise. The first collaboration will be LEGO Minions, inspired by next year’s Minions: The Rise of Gru. The building sets will hit retail in key international territories in 2020.
“We are excited to expand our partnership with Universal Brand Development to introduce the first LEGO sets based on Illumination’s Minions and the Despicable Me franchise,” says Jill Wilfert, vice president, licensing & entertainment for LEGO Group. “The films have become global blockbusters and are beloved by fans of all ages, and we believe the characters and scenes lend themselves to a creative and engaging LEGO play experience.”
Bello! LEGO Minions coming in 2020 @Minions pic.twitter.com/HjUKsRVvXT
— LEGO (@LEGO_Group) June 3, 2019
“Universal is committed to giving fans richer, more engaging experiences through best-in-class consumer products, and we are thrilled to further expand our partnership with the LEGO Group to include Illumination’s Despicable Me franchise,” comments Joe Lawandus, senior vice president and general manager, global toys and hardlines, Universal Brand Development. “Illumination’s Minions, with their bigger-than-life personalities, are global pop-culture icons, and the LEGO building sets will open up new opportunities for fans to recreate and relive their favorite moments from Minions: The Rise of Gru.”
More details will be revealed in the months ahead.
The Despicable Me franchise was previously with Mattel’s Mega Construx brand in the construction category. While the Minions are switching teams in the construction aisle, Mattel recently inked a deal to produce almost everything else Minion-related in the toy aisles.
