The latest animation news, headlines and analysis from The NE Times.
The Star Wars creator, who has largely stepped back from Hollywood since selling Lucasfilm in 2012, will lend his voice to Illumination's Minions & Monsters in a rare new screen credit.
Pixar's long-awaited fifth instalment took an estimated $160m in North America and $312m worldwide, the franchise's strongest-ever launch and the year's biggest opening so far.
The 21-27 June festival rolls out a star-studded slate, with first looks at Laika's 'Wildwood', Pixar's 'Gatto' and Disney's 'Hexed', plus lifetime honours for Mike Judge and the Quay Brothers.
The world's leading animation festival opens with Illumination's Minions & Monsters and a packed slate of previews, underlining animation's commercial pull.
Illumination and Nintendo's animated sequel has cleared the $1bn mark worldwide, pushing the Mario film franchise past $2bn and cementing Universal's grip on family entertainment.
Disney and Pixar's latest sequel is projected to deliver the franchise's biggest-ever debut and the largest opening of the year so far when it lands on 19 June.