(Image Source: Universal Pictures)
Beyond the blockbuster "Despicable Me" and "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" franchises, animation powerhouse Illumination also boasts the successful "The Secret Life of Pets" and "Sing" series. However, after their second installments, both franchises went quiet, leading many fans to frequently wonder online if more films were in the pipeline.
(Image Source: Universal Pictures)
Addressing this fan speculation, Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri finally provided a definitive answer in a recent interview with Collider.
Meledandri first offered an update on "The Secret Life of Pets 3": "We've been working on 'The Secret Life of Pets' and 'Sing' three, and I think it's fair to say that they're both in active development. It took us a while to get back to 'Pets.' We were waiting for an idea that felt truly worthy of our attention, rather than just making another 'Pets' movie. I think we've found a narrative entry point that I'm really excited about. We're working with Chris Renaud, who co-directed 'Despicable Me' and directed 'The Secret Life of Pets.' So we're making good progress and shaping an idea that I hope will be realized soon."
(Image Source: Warner Bros. Pictures)
Regarding "Sing 3," Meledandri stated that Garth Jennings, who wrote and co-directed the first two films, is returning to the production and is fully engaged in conceiving new stories. Meledandri anticipates that Illumination will soon make more formal announcements regarding both sequels.
Additionally, Meledandri confirmed a rumor that first surfaced two years ago. In August 2024, reports indicated that Illumination was in talks with Mattel to collaborate on a new "Barbie" animated film, with plans to develop the animated version into a cinematic universe. During the recent interview, Meledandri officially confirmed this collaboration, emphasizing that they are working to conceive content distinctly different from the live-action film to avoid audience perception of redundancy. He added that they have already found a way to differentiate it, though he couldn't reveal too much information until they explored it further.
via： Collider