ILLUMINATION MINION TO MAKE FIRST FLIGHT IN THE MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE®

On Thanksgiving Day, Illumination's Minion Stuart balloon, towering 37 feet high, will introduce a little joyful mayhem into the iconic holiday Parade.

 Stuart, one of Illumination's legendary Minions, will float high above a battalion of marchers in banana costumes. 

Distracted by seeing dozens of bananas—every Minion's favorite food—within reach, Stuart will decide to avail himself of a little mid-Parade snack.

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Oct. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2022, Illumination's Minion Stuart will appear in his inaugural flight as a famed giant character balloon in the 96^th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade^®. As one of the stars of Illumination's blockbuster Despicable Me franchise and this summer's record-breaking comedy Minions: The Rise of Gru, Minion Stuart will inject a little joyful mayhem into the holiday revelry when he will seemingly mistake a marcher in a banana costume for an actual banana and attempt to grab a mid-Parade treat.

In his first Parade flight, Stuart will fly directly above a battalion of marchers dressed as bananas. Bananas, as everyone knows, are every Minion's favorite food, and Stuart, the one-eyed rebel of the group, won't be able to resist temptation for long. While millions of Americans gather to watch the celebration unfold, all eyes will be on the Stuart balloon, measuring 40-feet long, 28-feet wide and 37-feet tall, as he launches his first flight in front of Macy's famed flagship store at Herald Square.

"From the beginning, Illumination's Minions have disrupted pop culture worldwide, so we wanted this Minion balloon to reflect that spirit of joyful rebellion," said David K. O'Connor, president, franchise management, brand management and global partnerships for Universal Pictures. "After the record-breaking success of Minions: The Rise of Gru this summer, we're honored to be part of this indelible holiday tradition. Even if we do create a little chaos in the process."

"The loveable, but often mischievous Minion characters are an instant classic and a favorite of kids of all ages," said Jordan Dabby, producer of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. "We know Stuart will delight Macy's Parade audiences and bring joy to the millions of Americans tuning in this Thanksgiving."

As a globally recognized and beloved character, Stuart has been featured across Illumination's vast portfolio and is a pop culture icon. He continues to surprise and delight audiences of all ages in the most successful global animated film franchise in cinematic history. This summer's Minions: The Rise of Gru shattered box office records to become the highest grossing comedy of year, earning $925 million worldwide and setting a new record for the biggest July 4 opening in history. The film is currently available for streaming on Peacock.

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will air nationwide in the U.S. on NBC and stream on Peacock, on Thursday, November 24, 2022, from 9 a.m.- noon; in all time zones.

About Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

For more than 95 years, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has marked the official start of the holiday season. With more than 50 million viewers nationwide, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a national icon that has grown into a world-famous holiday event. Featuring Macy's signature giant character balloons, fantasy floats, marching bands, clowns, celebrity and large group performances, and the one-and-only Santa Claus, the annual spectacle continues to bring families together to create cherished holiday memories. For more information on the Macy's Parade please visit www.macys.com/parade.

About Illumination
Illumination, founded by Chris Meledandri in 2007, is one of the entertainment industry's leading producers of event-animated films, including Despicable Me—the most successful animated franchise in cinematic history—as well as Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, Dr. Seuss' The Grinch and The Secret Life of Pets and Sing films. Illumination's soon-to-be released Super Mario Bros. film will join a studio library that includes two of the top 10 animated films of all time. Illumination's iconic, beloved franchises—infused with memorable and distinct characters, global appeal and cultural relevance—have grossed more than $8 billion worldwide. Illumination has an exclusive financing and distribution partnership with Universal Pictures.  Illumination's upcoming films include The Super Mario Bros. Movie in April 2023 and Migration in December 2023.

SOURCE Universal Pictures