Here's How You Can Watch Despicable Me 2 And 3

It's hard to imagine a time before the Minions were a global phenomenon that touched almost every aspect of the entertainment world. It's also easy to forget that before they had their own movie, toy lines, clothing, and ubiquitous memes, they were sidekicks to the Steve Carell-voiced Felonious Gru in 2010's Despicable Me. Riding on the strength of the Minions, the three subsequent films in the franchise have gone on to make a staggering $3.2 billion at the global box office. Who could have predicted that the 2010s would be culturally ruled by those little yellow fiends?

If you're looking to revisit the movie series that started it all, or perhaps even introduce a child in your life to the silly world of Gru and company, the first Despicable Me film was added to Netflix on April 16, 2020. Even though each sequel has depreciated in critical reception, if you're a fan of the original Despicable Me, then the two follow-up movies are absolutely worth checking out. However, watching Despicable Me 2 and Despicable Me 3 is a bit more complicated than queuing them up on your favorite streaming service. But don't worry, we've done the research for you and can give you the lowdown on exactly how you can watch both Despicable Me sequels.

After the resounding commercial and critical success of Despicable Me, it was only a matter of time before a sequel was produced. In 2013, fans got exactly what they wanted with Despicable Me 2. The film saw most of the voice cast return, including Steve Carell (as Gru), Kristen Wiig (as Anti-Villain League agent Lucy Wilde), and Miranda Cosgrove (as Gru's adopted daughter Margo). Despicable Me 2 expanded and continued the journey of Gru's gradual turn away from super-villainy and to becoming a gruff but good-natured father. The movie hauled in money hand over fist at the box office, and was also well-received by critics and audiences to boot. So, how can you watch this delightful sequel at home?

If you have a Hulu + Live TV account or are a DirecTV subscriber, then you're in luck. As of April 2020, Despicable Me 2 was available to stream on both of those services. If you're not a member of either, don't worry. You can easily sign up for Hulu + Live TV for $54.99 a month with ads or $60.99 a month without. If you're not ready to take the leap to such an expensive (but rewarding) streaming package, Despicable Me 2 is also available for rent or purchase on YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, and Vudu. A rental costs $3.99, while purchasing a digital copy to own forever will run you $14.99.

Following Despicable Me 2, the franchise took a brief detour to deliver a prequel that focused on its most famous characters, Minions. That film — released in 2015 and aptly entitled Minions – was a worldwide phenomenon, and more sequels followed. In 2017, things got back on chronological track with the release of the hotly anticipated Despicable Me 3. Most of the main voice cast returned again — along with the addition of comedian and Zootopia star Jenny Slate as the new head of the Anti-Villain League, Valerie Da Vinci, and South Park co-creator Trey Parker as the film's antagonist, former-child-star-turned-supervillain Balthazar Bratt. Although critics weren't as impressed with the threequel as they were with the original or first follow-up, Despicable Me 3 grossed a mind-boggling $1 billion at the global box office. 

If you're itching to finish the original Despicable Me trilogy, you'll unfortunately have to pay for the privilege. At the time of writing, Despicable Me 3 isn't available on any services or for streaming with cable providers. But don't fret — you can rent or purchase Despicable Me 3 for $3.99 or $14.99, respectively, on platforms like YouTube, Amazon, Google Play, and iTunes.

Once you've watched the franchise's main installments, you might think you're stuck waiting until 2021 to see Minions: The Rise of Gru or until an unspecified time to watch Despicable Me 4. That's true for the feature-length experiences, but not so for the many animated shorts that are included in the larger Despicable Me Cinematic Universe. These bite-sized films typically premiered in theaters and played before other Universal Pictures animated movies, while some first debuted on the DVD releases for various flicks in the Despicable Me franchise. However, if you want to explore the larger DMCU, you don't need to order a bunch of DVDs. Many of these shorts are available to watch digitally.

Amazon has two collections of the short films, Despicable Me Presents: Minion Madness and Despicable Me 2: 3 Mini-Movie Collection. However, be aware that these collections are available only for purchase, starting at $3.99 a pop, and offer a paltry 15 minutes of entertainment each. Still, it's worth it if you absolutely need a Minions fix.