A New Home for a Cult Classic
Will Ferrell’s hilarious cult classic superhero movie Megamind is finally getting a brand-new streaming home. The film premiered in theaters in 2010 and has since become a beloved favorite among fans of animated films and comedy. With its unique blend of humor, action, and heart, the movie has maintained a strong following over the years.
On August 1, the Dreamworks Animation film will be added to Netflix, giving fans a new way to enjoy this iconic movie. Alongside Megamind, Netflix will also be adding Minions, the first spin-off from Illumination Animation's Despicable Me franchise. This film features Steve Carell as Gru, another comedian known for his comedic genius.
A Star-Studded Voice Cast
Megamind boasts an impressive lineup of comedians lending their voices to the film. Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill, David Cross, and Brad Pitt all contribute to the film's main cast, bringing a mix of humor and depth to their characters. Their performances helped elevate the film and make it a standout in the world of animated movies.
The story follows the titular alien supervillain, Megamind, who finally defeats his crime-fighting enemy, Metro Man. With nothing left to stop him, Megamind finds himself without a purpose. To fill this void, he creates a new hero to fight against, but he soon realizes that his creation may be even more dangerous than he ever was.
Critical and Commercial Success
Upon its release in 2010, Megamind received generally positive reviews from critics. It currently holds a 73% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from over 180 critics' reviews. The audience score is similarly high at 72%, with over 100,000 ratings from real users being overwhelmingly positive. Rotten Tomatoes' consensus describes the film as "a pleasant, if unspectacular" movie, highlighting the top-shelf voice cast and strong visuals.
At the box office, Megamind exceeded expectations, opening with $46 million and surpassing How to Train Your Dragon, which earned $43.7 million during its opening weekend. The film finished strongly with a worldwide box office of over $320 million, a remarkable achievement considering it faced stiff competition from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1.
A Growing Franchise
Megamind went on to launch a successful franchise in recent years thanks to its cult following and internet memes that have gone viral featuring the film's characters. The success of the original film led to a sequel, Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate, which was released direct-to-streaming in 2024. However, Will Ferrell did not reprise his role in the sequel.
Following the success of the film, an animated series called Megamind Rules! premiered on Peacock on March 1, 2024. This continuation of the Megamind universe has further expanded the reach of the franchise and introduced the characters to a new generation of fans.
A Notable Achievement
Despite not being as instantly recognizable as several other animated movies from the 2010s, Megamind’s strong box office performance saw the film become the sixth-highest-grossing animated film of 2010 worldwide. Toy Story 3 finished at the top of the list for the year, pulling in over $1 billion, with other top-performers including Shrek Forever After, Tangled, Despicable Me, and How to Train Your Dragon.
Megamind was also a sleeper hit in Ferrell's career, and it was the highest-grossing film worldwide that he released until 2014's The Lego Movie surpassed it with $470 million. Following Megamind, Ferrell's other notable roles include Greta Gerwig's Barbie in 2023 and Despicable Me 4 in 2024.
With its arrival on Netflix on August 1, Megamind is set to find a new audience and continue its legacy as a beloved animated film.
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