What if Illumination was founded at 1997?

## Changes

* Similar to Pixar, the films would contain an easter egg, that would foreshadow the company's next film.
* Illumination would've founded at 1997, with Illumination Studios Paris would be founded at 2001.
	+ Before the logo was animated by Illumination Mac Guff, the logo with the Minions would be made by Pixar for 1998 to 2000.
	+ The Minions would be the first debut appearance in the Illumination logo with Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud who being voice as the Minions, before they will be the official debut appearances in *Despicable Me* in 2010.
* Before the release of *Despicable Me*, TBD.
* *Flubber* would be co-produced by Illumination.
	+ In the trailer of *Flubber*, the narrator would says "From Walt Disney Pictures... and Chris Meledandri, the executive producer of Cool Runnings".
* Gru would be redemption arc in the film series for *Despicable Me*.
* *Despicable Me 3, Minions 2: The Rise of Gru,* *Despicable Me 4,* and *Minions 3* will be remained to be presented in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio instead of 2.39:1 widescreen aspect ratio.
	+ *The Grinch* was the first Illumination film to be produced at 2.35:1 aspect ratio, followed by *Migration*.
* Bob would still appear in *Despicable Me 2,* but his original design was replaced with new design from *Minions* and *Minions: The Rise of Gru* instead.
	+ Bob wouldn't be older or grow up since the Minions are immortal.
* The same animation style of the Illumination would be successful.
* The Minions easter egg would be seen in *The Super Mario Bros. Movie.*
* Chris Meledandri will be the producer for the Illumination short films and films.
* The deleted scene after Gru and his family saved Hollywood from Balthazar Bratt, they make a movie about Gru's life would still kept as a final film.
* *Minions* still exist in 2015, but the year would take place in 1973 instead of 1968.
	+ *The Rise of Gru* will be a direct sequel to the first film in the 1976.
		- The film will kept its original release July 3, 2020, but it will be released in theaters and on Peacock, due to its COVID-19 pandemic.
		- The real flashback was used from the first film at the end of the film, where Gru frozen Scarlett and Overkill for stealing the crown and the Minions run for the Gru.
		- The Universal Fanfare by Minions from the first film will be reused at the logo in the sequel, *The Rise of Gru.*
			* Same as the *Minions* variant, but without one of the Minions that holding the note.
	+ Vicious 6 and Wild Knuckles, the first appearance from *The Rise of Gru* would appear in Villain-Con as a cameo with Dr. Nefario who also appears as a cameo*.*
* If *Despicable Me 3* had an opening credits, then the credits crawl will be 7 minutes.
* *The Lorax* would have changes*:*
	+ Make the songs better.
* *The Super Mario Bros. Video Game* will be made for Nintendo Switch on April 4th, 2023.
* Illumination gets into the business of developing television.
* *Sing* will be co-produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures.
	+ John Lasseter will serve as the director and screenwriter for the first two movies, with Pete Docter who serve as a executive producer.
	+ Unlike the previous Illumination films, the film will contain easter eggs both for Pixar and Illumination.
	+ The credit by itself "Universal Pictures Presents" was replaced with "Disney and Pixar Animation Studios Presents".
	+ In the trailers and TV spots of *Sing* (2016):
		- "From the creators of *Despicable Me, Minions,* and *The Secret Life of Pets"* was replaced with "From the creators of *Finding Nemo* and *Inside Out*" and "And the Director of *Toy Story*" will be seen in the trailers.
		- In the teaser and 2nd trailers for the film itself, "From the Director of *Toy Story*" will be seen.
		- In the final trailer for the film itself, "From the creators of *Finding Dory* and the director of *Toy Story*" will be seen.
	+ "Sing" by Ed Sheeran would be played as a second song in the end credits of *Sing* (2016).
	+ Have all the product placements for real vehicle models, many real-life brands, Walmart logo in the supermarket scene for the film itself, PlayStation 1, real-world broadcasts and real billboard ads, etc.
	+ The *Sing* film series would be co-produced by Pixar Animation Studios.
* The variants of the Illumination logos would have changes:
	+ The unused variant for *The Secret Life of Pets* would have made it into the final film, replacing the one with Bob.
	+ The variant for *The Secret Life of Pets 2,* Stuart was replaced with Bob.
* Princess Peach in a baby form (from *The Super Mario Bros. Movie*) would appear in the Illumination variant of *Minions and More*.
* *Minions* would be based on the spin-off film as a television shows on 2021.
	+ The series will focus more on the Minions as a main protagonists, while the Young Gru would be a secondary.
	+ The year will be take place after the events of *Minions: The Rise of Gru* and before the events of *Despicable Me* for 1976 to 2009 in each episodes with different year*.*
		- The episode of the series will be a series finale where Gru is about to steal the moon.
	+ The animation for the series will be provided by Mainframe Studios with additional animated by Technicolor India.
	+ In this episode, Scarlett and Herb will get revenge on Kevin in the take place of 1976, and Stuart, Bob, and Gru will rescue Kevin.
* The promo crossover would be a third compilation of Illumination shorts, and they may be added Mario shorts.
* The crossover promo of *Illumination* after the success of tie-ie release for *The Super Mario Bros Movie*, all of Illumination's films would be part of the Cinematic Universe as redepetion arc.
	+ Illumination Entertainment would get redemption arc.
		- The characters from *Uglydolls,* Moxy, Wage, Uglydog, Babo, Ox, Lucky Bat, and Mandy would appear in the promo to watch the movie.
		- Dru from *Despicable Me 3,* Ted Wiggins*,* Audrey Ted's mother and grandmother, Porsha, Darius, Valerie Di Vinci, Once-Ler, Suki Lane, Mike and his girlfriend, E.B. the Rabbit and Kyle (Hop) (despite it was not made by Illumination Studios Paris), Nun-Chuck, Eddie, Mike, the Nelsons family, Scarlet and Herb Overkill, Master Chow, Suki Lane, The Big Daddy, Tiberius, Cindy Lou Who, Sergei, Hu, Vector, El Macho, Balthazar Bratt, Master Chow, Buddy, Mel, Pops, Daisy, Norman, Sweet Pea, Rooster, and Barbaloots would appears on promotional material of *The Super Mario Bros. Movie* where the Illumination characters arrive to a movie theater to attend a showing of the film itself.
			* E.B. would sit on top of the seat where Agnes sits.
* The third film of the *Minions* will take place after the events of *Despicable Me 4*.
	+ The Minions will get redemption arc as a good guys at the start and at the end of the film.
	+ Unlike the previous first two films, the Minions will only be the main focus.
	+ The any *Despicable Me* characters, Gru, his twin brother, Dru, his wife, Lucy Wilde, his assistant, Dr. Nefario, and the girls, Margo, Edith, and Agnes wouldn't be appearances nor mentioned.
* The another Illumination crossover promo will be similar to the *Robots'* 2005 Mobile Phone Policy, to tie-in with *Migration*.
	+ It starts with the shot where the characters are in the theaters, but also with the characters from *The Super Mario Bros. Movie* and *Migration*. Suddenly, Otto's phone rings, and the crowd gasps in shock. Otto pulls out his phone and starts talking on it, irritating the others around him. Stuart tries to shush Otto, who just blows a raspberry at him, as if to say "You can't tell me what to do!". Luckily, Gru opens a panel on the left armest of his seat and pushes a button, bringing in a big claw, which grabs Otto and escorts him out of the theater, while the crowd watches in amazement.

* Illumination will revived *Cut the Rope* in 2022.
* Despite its owned by NBCUniversal, Illumination would also produce content with other studios.
	+ Illumination would not be fully owned by NBCUniversal/Comcast.
* STX Films would sold the distribution rights of *Uglydolls* into Illumination for North America and internationally.
	+ Illumination logo with the Minions will had an *Uglydolls* variant.
	+ In the Brazil dub of the film itself, Preta Gil will be role as Wage.
		- Priscila Amorim will be role as Electronic Female Voice.
	+ The plot would kept as a original, with the runtime as 87 minutes.
	+ Despite the entire film was being provided by Reel FX Creative Studios (as the first Illumination film to be outsourced by other studios), the Illumination logo was made by Illumination Studios Paris.
	+ Sigourney Weaver will be the role as Electronic Female Voice.
		- Tessa Swigart will be the role as Scanner, and Jim Thornton as New Arrival.
	+ In the first trailer of *Uglydolls,* it will says "From the creators of Despicable Me. Invite you to a magical place where weird is celebrating, strange is special, and beauty is more than meets the eye."
	+ Chris Meledandri will be involved as the producer.
* The ducks in the style of *Migration* will be appear in the film series of *Despicable Me* and *Minions*.
	+ During the scene where Otto tells Gru why he traded the medallion for a pet rock, the duck resembles Mack from *Migration*.
* Minion from *Despicable Me* will be a guest character in the *Mario Kart 8 Deluxe* DLC.
	+ Illumination Race Game would be made as actual game, with all of favorite Illumination characters like *Minions, Sing, The Secret Life of Pets, The Lorax, Hop, The Grinch,* and *Despicable Me.*
* *Minions Paradise* wouldn't be discontinued, but instead, it was updated in the post-2017.
	+ The locations from spin-off films, *Minions* and *Minions: The Rise of Gru* would be added on the updated version of the *Minion Rush* in 2015.
* *The Super Mario Bros. Movie* will be distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, due to its acquisition of Sega and Nintendo and copyright its Disney.
	+ *The WeeBoom Movie* also be distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, due to the sold rights of the series to Birdo Studio after it was acquired by Disney.

## Filmography

* *Sing* (2016) (co-produced with Pixar Animation Studios)
* Dr. Seuss' *The Grinch* (2018)
* *Uglydolls* (2019)
* *The Secret Life of Pets 2* (2019)
* *Minions: The Rise of Gru* (2020)
* *Sing 2* (2021) (co-produced with Pixar Animation Studios)
* *Cut the Rope* (2022)
* *The Super Mario Bros. Movie* (2023)
* *The Orphan Girls* (2023)
* *Migration* (2023)
* *The WeeBoom Movie* (2024)
* *Despicable Me 4* (2024)
* Untitled third *Minions* film (2025)

## Video games

* *Despicable Me: Minion Rush* (2013)
* *Minions Paradise* (2015)
* *Uglydolls: An Imperfect Adventure* (2019)
* *Sing: The Videogame Experience* (2021)
* *Illumination Race Game* (2022)

## Tropes

* **Company Cross References:** Mack from *Migration* makes a appearance during the Otto's pet rock.
* **P.O.V. Sequel:** In *The Rise of Gru,* Gru's flashback is set during the movie and shows the events from the first film in 2015 during the final scene. It shows Gru who freeze Scarlet and Herb who steal the crown and his first meeting with Kevin and the Minions during the scene at the end of the film.
* **Reused Character Design:** The duck resembles Mack from *Migration* in *Minions: The Rise of Gru*.
* **Time Skip:** Every season of the *Minions* takes place a certain number of years after the events of *Minions: The Rise of Gru* (from then present 1976 to 2009).

## Trivia

* *Cut the Rope* is the first Illumination film to be based on video games or mobile games.
* *Uglydolls* was the first Illumination film to be based on toys, and the first film to be outsourced by other studios, in this case being Reel FX Creative Studios.
* *Flubber* is the first feature film of Illumination, and the first live-action film.