According to a report from The Christian Post, the latest installment in the popular Despicable Me franchise, “Minions & Monsters,” hit theaters last week but has sparked significant debate among families, particularly Christian parents, over its depiction of supernatural and occult themes.
The film, the third standalone Minions adventure from Illumination and Universal Pictures, opened at No. 1 domestically over the July 4 weekend. However, it registered the franchise’s lowest opening ever, raising questions about audience reception despite its colorful, family-oriented marketing.
Set in 1927 during the silent film era of early Hollywood, the story follows two creative Minions, James and Henry. After falling in love with moviemaking and struggling with the shift to “talkies,” they steal a book of spells from a former evil sorcerer employer. They then turn to witchcraft to summon monsters for their own cinematic production.
A notable scene features the Minions consulting the Necronomicon—a fictional forbidden tome from H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos—in an attempt to summon the tentacled creature Cthulhu. The ritual goes awry, instead releasing a small green demon named Goomi from the spellbook, who proceeds to cause chaos.
1. Blending Hollywood Nostalgia with Supernatural Themes
The movie pays homage to classic silent films and monster cinema while incorporating these magical and occult elements. Parents and commentators note that what begins as lighthearted entertainment quickly ventures into depictions of spell-casting and demonic entities, packaged in the franchise’s signature goofy style.
2. Growing Parental Warnings About a ‘Satanic Agenda’
Concerns have spread rapidly on social media. Christian influencers and parents have highlighted the overt nature of the incantation sequences. One user on the True Christian subreddit urged families to avoid the film, stating, “I couldn’t believe how overt it was. Usually films have subliminal message[s] or hint at dark things, but this was some of the most overtly dark things I’ve seen in a kids film.”
Another influencer known as “Holy House Wife” warned on Instagram that the content represents a subtle shift in children’s entertainment: “It’s packaged as comedy. It’s colorful. It’s goofy. It’s Minions. But this is exactly how children’s entertainment keeps shifting. Something that used to be clearly dark, strange or occult-adjacent is now softened with jokes, cute characters and ‘family fun’ marketing.”
3. Commercial Underperformance Despite Family-Friendly Rating
The film carries a PG rating for language, violence, and “rude/macabre humor.” Yet it has underperformed compared to predecessors like “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” which opened to $123 million, and “Despicable Me 4.” “Minions & Monsters” debuted with a reported $36.4 million over its first three days.
The Despicable Me series has historically generated billions at the box office, making this softer start notable, especially as some families opt out due to the supernatural content.
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