Despicable Me Crosses $500 Million at the Worldwide Box Office

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Nov. 5, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- On Saturday, November 6, Despicable Me will cross $500 million at the worldwide box office, Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment announced today.  

With a current domestic gross of more than $248 million, the inaugural 3D CGI feature from Universal and Illumination is second only to Toy Story 3 in domestic gross among animated films this year.  Despicable Me is the sixth biggest domestic release of 2010 and the 10th most successful animated film of all time in domestic gross.  In addition, it has become the sixth most successful film that Universal Pictures has ever distributed domestically.

Despicable Me's impressive success has continued as it has rolled out across the globe.  The film, currently at more than $247 million overseas, has become Universal's top-grossing film internationally of 2010.  In reaching the half-billion-dollar milestone, Despicable Me becomes not only the studio's biggest animated film of all time but is well on its way to becoming Universal's fifth highest-grossing film ever distributed worldwide.  The 3-D CGI feature has yet to open in several territories, including China.

"We couldn't be more impressed with the movie or with the global Universal and Illumination team that has made it a certifiable blockbuster," said Adam Fogelson, Chairman of Universal Pictures, and Donna Langley, Co-Chairman of Universal, in a joint statement.  "This was a mammoth effort from every division of the company, and their work resulted in the film's brilliant success.  To know that the first project from Chris' production company has blossomed into an enormous, franchise-launching enterprise is inspiring.  We look forward to a long partnership with Illumination."

"In forming Illumination my goal was to produce movies that not only played to audiences of all ages but also played across all cultures," said Founder and President of Illumination Entertainment Chris Meledandri.  "Despicable Me's achievement of this goal is a tribute to my directors Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud, writers Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul and my fellow producers Janet Healy and John Cohen.  In Universal I have found truly like-minded partners whose contribution to the film and its success was nothing short of extraordinary."

Complementing the movie's financial success, RottenTomatoes.com, a premiere entertainment portal for moviegoers and critics alike, has ranked the film at 87 percent approval from its top film critics on its Tomatometer.  

Despicable Me arrives on Blu-ray and DVD on December 14, 2010.  www.despicable.me

About Illumination Entertainment

In 2007, Chris Meledandri founded Illumination Entertainment in partnership with Universal Pictures.  It serves as the studio's main supplier of all-audience family films and launched in July 2010 with the blockbuster Despicable Me.  Despicable Me is the 10th highest grossing animated film in U.S. history and the sixth highest-grossing film of 2010.  Thus far, Despicable Me has opened in 62 international territories, and it has already made more than $500 million worldwide.  Illumination is currently in postproduction on Hop, which will be released in spring 2011.  The company is also developing a new stop-motion version of The Addams Family, with Tim Burton directing.  Other projects in development include Flanimals, a CG-animated feature comedy based on the bestselling British book series by Ricky Gervais, who will also star in the film.  

About Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures is a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com).  Universal Studios is part of NBC Universal.  NBC Universal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience.  Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric and 20% owned by Vivendi.

SOURCE Universal Pictures