# Illumination (company)
**Illumination** (formerly Illumination Entertainment) is an American animation studio and film production company based in [Santa Monica, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/santa-monica-california), best known for the [Despicable Me](https://www.edgepedia.org/despicable-me) and Minions films. Founded by [Chris Meledandri](https://www.edgepedia.org/chris-meledandri) in 2007, it is a subsidiary of Universal Pictures, itself part of NBCUniversal under Comcast, and operates under an exclusive financing and distribution partnership with Universal.[1](https://www.illumination.com/homepage/studio/) • [2](https://nutanica.com/index.php/Illumination_%28company%29)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2007, by Chris Meledandri, who left his role as president of 20th Century Fox Animation and Blue Sky Studios[1](https://www.illumination.com/homepage/studio/) • [2](https://nutanica.com/index.php/Illumination_%28company%29) |
| Ownership | Subsidiary of Universal Pictures (NBCUniversal); exclusive financing and distribution partnership[2](https://nutanica.com/index.php/Illumination_%28company%29) • [1](https://www.illumination.com/homepage/studio/) |
| Headquarters | Santa Monica, California; production studio Illumination Studios Paris in central Paris[1](https://www.illumination.com/homepage/studio/) |
| First release | Despicable Me (2010), which grossed $543 million worldwide[3](https://www.screendaily.com/features/chris-meledandri-illumination-entertainment/5066018.article) |
| Cumulative box office | More than $9 billion worldwide for its franchises per the studio; more than $11 billion in global box office since 2010 per AP[1](https://www.illumination.com/homepage/studio/) • [4](https://apnews.com/article/7a72ed3f5ef7b01f4aab02123c5326eb) |
| Biggest hit | The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023), which grossed $1.36 billion worldwide[5](https://apnews.com/article/8d9623e3d2229c4bfd4bc548f31f0ffe) |
| Budgets | Typically $70 million to $100 million, roughly half of comparable Pixar or Walt Disney Animation Studios features[6](https://www.toolsforfilm.com/directory/film-studios/illumination) |
## Founding and the Universal partnership
Meledandri, a veteran of Disney and Fox, established Illumination in 2007 with Universal's backing after leaving Fox, where he had been president of 20th Century Fox Animation and [Blue Sky Studios](https://www.edgepedia.org/blue-sky-studios) and had worked on the Ice Age films.[3](https://www.screendaily.com/features/chris-meledandri-illumination-entertainment/5066018.article) • [4](https://apnews.com/article/7a72ed3f5ef7b01f4aab02123c5326eb) • [2](https://nutanica.com/index.php/Illumination_%28company%29) On leaving Fox in 2007 he set up an independent company, subsequently named Illumination Entertainment, and signed a deal with Universal, basing the company in Santa Monica.[7](https://www.screendaily.com/box-office/illuminations-bright-vision/5021459.article)
Production has been anchored in France from the start. The studio hired the Paris company Mac Guff Ligne for animation on 2010's Despicable Me; in 2011 Universal acquired Mac Guff to spearhead Illumination's future animations, and it now operates as Illumination Studios Paris in the center of Paris.[3](https://www.screendaily.com/features/chris-meledandri-illumination-entertainment/5066018.article) • [6](https://www.toolsforfilm.com/directory/film-studios/illumination) • [1](https://www.illumination.com/homepage/studio/) While the company is headquartered in Santa Monica, much of its movie production takes place in Paris.[4](https://apnews.com/article/7a72ed3f5ef7b01f4aab02123c5326eb) Meledandri has said that an objective from the company's first day was for the complexion of creative leadership to reflect a desire to make films for the entire world rather than an American-centric audience.[4](https://apnews.com/article/7a72ed3f5ef7b01f4aab02123c5326eb)
## Films and franchises
The studio's first release, Despicable Me (2010), grossed $543 million worldwide and spawned a franchise of sequels and the Minions spin-off films, whose yellow henchmen characters have become the studio's signature mascots and, as AP puts it, Illumination's answer to [Mickey Mouse](https://www.edgepedia.org/mickey-mouse) or [Bugs Bunny](https://www.edgepedia.org/bugs-bunny).[3](https://www.screendaily.com/features/chris-meledandri-illumination-entertainment/5066018.article) • [4](https://apnews.com/article/7a72ed3f5ef7b01f4aab02123c5326eb) The studio's library also includes [Dr. Seuss](https://www.edgepedia.org/dr-seuss)' The Lorax, Dr. Seuss' The Grinch, The Secret Life of Pets, and the Sing films.[1](https://www.illumination.com/homepage/studio/)
**Box office results.** [Despicable Me 2](https://www.edgepedia.org/despicable-me-2) (2013) took $965 million worldwide and, according to Screen, became the most profitable film in Universal's 100-year history, as well as earning an Academy Award nomination for best animated feature.[3](https://www.screendaily.com/features/chris-meledandri-illumination-entertainment/5066018.article) [The Super Mario Bros. Movie](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-super-mario-bros-movie) (2023), made with Nintendo, grossed $1.36 billion worldwide, and the studio says its library now includes three of the top 10 animated films of all time.[5](https://apnews.com/article/8d9623e3d2229c4bfd4bc548f31f0ffe) • [1](https://www.illumination.com/homepage/studio/) Illumination's franchises have grossed more than $9 billion worldwide according to the studio's own page; an Associated Press account states the studio has accounted for more than $11 billion in global box office since Despicable Me.[1](https://www.illumination.com/homepage/studio/) • [4](https://apnews.com/article/7a72ed3f5ef7b01f4aab02123c5326eb)
**Nintendo and other collaborations.** The Mario collaboration with Nintendo has gone on: [The Super Mario Galaxy Movie](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie) has grossed more than $1 billion around the world, the first 2026 release to hit that figure, and has carried the franchise beyond $2 billion globally.[8](https://www.nbcuniversal.com/article/universal-first-studio-to-reach-4-billion-in-2026) Meledandri credits the films' success to bringing [Shigeru Miyamoto](https://www.edgepedia.org/shigeru-miyamoto) and his Nintendo team into the center of the process.[9](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/animation-movies/illumination-ceo-says-the-secret-to-the-massive-success-of-the-super-mario-movies-is-working-directly-with-shigeru-miyamoto-and-nintendo/) An upcoming animated Barbie movie with Mattel is also part of the studio's slate.[4](https://apnews.com/article/7a72ed3f5ef7b01f4aab02123c5326eb)
## Business model
**Low budgets and profitability.** Illumination's typical production budgets run from $70 million to $100 million, roughly half the budget of comparable Pixar or [Walt Disney Animation Studios](https://www.edgepedia.org/walt-disney-animation-studios) features.[6](https://www.toolsforfilm.com/directory/film-studios/illumination) Meledandri has said the company was able to set a high standard in animation filmmaking at lower costs because it started from zero and built its culture on a specific budget.[10](https://www.cartoonbrew.com/interviews/illumination-ceo-chris-meledandri-on-original-animation-box-office-struggles-shifting-audience-tendencies-and-keeping-budgets-down-236045.html) He describes his main focus as the preservation of jobs, and says the studio is not pushing AI into its pipeline.[4](https://apnews.com/article/7a72ed3f5ef7b01f4aab02123c5326eb)
**Style and distribution.** The studio's films typically emphasize broad comedy, pop-oriented music, and characters designed for both theatrical storytelling and consumer products.[2](https://nutanica.com/index.php/Illumination_%28company%29) Meledandri has described targeting subversive comedy rather than poignancy; he never set out to rival Disney or Pixar, saying such goals felt unrealistically ambitious.[4](https://apnews.com/article/7a72ed3f5ef7b01f4aab02123c5326eb) Universal's output deal with Netflix, after films first stream on Peacock, extends the audience for its releases.[4](https://apnews.com/article/7a72ed3f5ef7b01f4aab02123c5326eb)
## Recognition
Commercial success has not translated into awards: Illumination has never won an Oscar, and only one of its releases, Despicable Me 2, has been nominated for best animated feature.[4](https://apnews.com/article/7a72ed3f5ef7b01f4aab02123c5326eb) Meledandri received CinemaCon's Award of Excellence in [Animation](https://www.edgepedia.org/animation) in April 2023, and in 2026 received a star on the [Hollywood Walk of Fame](https://www.edgepedia.org/hollywood-walk-of-fame).[1](https://www.illumination.com/homepage/studio/) • [4](https://apnews.com/article/7a72ed3f5ef7b01f4aab02123c5326eb)
## References
1. [Illumination – Studio page](https://www.illumination.com/homepage/studio/)
2. [Illumination (company) – Nutanica](https://nutanica.com/index.php/Illumination_%28company%29)
3. [Chris Meledandri, Illumination Entertainment: beyond Despicable – Screen Daily](https://www.screendaily.com/features/chris-meledandri-illumination-entertainment/5066018.article)
4. [The Minions and their 'big boss' Chris Meledandri keep a blockbuster machine humming – AP News](https://apnews.com/article/7a72ed3f5ef7b01f4aab02123c5326eb)
5. [Kids ate the multiplex: How family movies are taking over moviegoing – AP News](https://apnews.com/article/8d9623e3d2229c4bfd4bc548f31f0ffe)
6. [Illumination – Film Studio, Tools for Film](https://www.toolsforfilm.com/directory/film-studios/illumination)
7. [Illumination's bright vision – Screen Daily](https://www.screendaily.com/box-office/illuminations-bright-vision/5021459.article)
8. [Universal Becomes First Studio to Reach $4 Billion at the Global Box Office in 2026 – NBCUniversal](https://www.nbcuniversal.com/article/universal-first-studio-to-reach-4-billion-in-2026)
9. [Illumination CEO says the "secret" to the massive success of the Super Mario movies is working directly with Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo – GamesRadar](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/animation-movies/illumination-ceo-says-the-secret-to-the-massive-success-of-the-super-mario-movies-is-working-directly-with-shigeru-miyamoto-and-nintendo/)
10. [Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri On Original Animation Box Office Struggles, Shifting Audience Tendencies, And Keeping Budgets Down – Cartoon Brew](https://www.cartoonbrew.com/interviews/illumination-ceo-chris-meledandri-on-original-animation-box-office-struggles-shifting-audience-tendencies-and-keeping-budgets-down-236045.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen production organizations › Animation studios › Animation studios by parent company › Animation studios owned by Comcast NBCUniversal*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license