Is ‘Minions & Monsters’ OK for little kids? What parents need to know
Is ‘Minions & Monsters’ OK for little kids? What parents
Patrick Ryan, USA TODAYWed, July 1, 2026 at 7:36 PM UTC
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Spoiler alert! We're discussing the plot of the new "Minions & Monsters" movie (in theaters now), so beware if you want to go in completely cold.
Louis, we think this is the beginning of a banana-ful friendship.
“Minions & Monsters” is ready to conquer the Fourth of July box office, with a wonderfully weird new adventure that sends up Old Hollywood classics such as “Casablanca” and “Citizen Kane.” There are goofy tributes to Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, as well as clever nods to "Metropolis" and "Creature from the Black Lagoon" that will tickle even the snootiest cinephiles in the crowd.
It’s the latest big-screen outing from your kids’ beloved band of nonsensical yellow creatures, who have been unleashing mayhem, speaking gibberish and spawning countless memes for seven movies since 2010’s “Despicable Me.”
Now that these lovable chaos agents are joined by all manner of fearsome, gelatinous people-eaters, parents might be wondering whether to have their youngest tykes sit this installment out.
Here’s what families should know before buying tickets to “Minions & Monsters” this holiday weekend:
What is the new ‘Minions’ movie about?
“Minions & Monsters” is essentially “Singin’ in the Rain,” following a group of misfit Minions who quite literally crash onto the set of a Tinseltown shoot-‘em-up and fast become silent film stars in 1920s Los Angeles.
But when they’re put out of work with the arrival of talking pictures, the Oscar-hungry Minion duo of Henry and James decides to make their own monster movie. Using a warlock’s old spellbook, the aspiring filmmakers conjure a seemingly harmless mutant, who unbeknownst to them, has dastardly designs of world domination.
What is ‘Minions & Monsters’ rated?
Like other “Despicable Me” and standalone “Minions” installments, the film is rated PG for violence/action, language and rude/macabre humor.
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What age is ‘Minions & Monsters’ appropriate for?
The movie is recommended for children ages 6 and up. There are brief scenes of Minions clinking cocktails and throwing “Babylon”-style soirées, although none contain drunken debauchery. Similar to other “Minions” adventures, there are glimpses of their bare butts, as the googly-eyed celebrities pass out in a luxurious sauna.
If anything, the film primarily earns its PG rating for cartoon violence, with a giant, eye-covered monster that wreaks havoc and destruction. The movie’s globe-trotting opening sequence features pirates, outlaws and a mummy used as toilet paper. In one montage played for laughs, an emperor is squashed by a panda and a king is beheaded, although there is no blood or guts to speak of.
A shark also chases the Minions in a comical riff on “Jaws,” although the teeth-gnashing mammal is quickly scared off. Perhaps most disturbingly, there’s a short sequence of a massive pink bunny vaporizing people with its laser eyes.
Is there bad language in the ‘Minions’ 2026 movie?
As is canon, the cylindrical mischief-makers have their own language, Minionese, which they speak throughout the film. There are some occasional potty words like “poop,” and insults such are “weirdo,” “bastard” and “stupid,” but nothing that kids wouldn’t have already heard in other “Despicable Me” outings.
What is the ‘Minions 3’ release date?
“Minions & Monsters” is now playing in theaters nationwide.
Where can I watch ‘Minions & Monsters?’
You can see the new “Minions” in movie theaters. Although there is no streaming release date yet, you can stream both 2013’s “Despicable Me 2” and 2015’s “Minions” with a Peacock subscription.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is ‘Minions and Monsters’ too scary for young kids? A parent’s guide
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
