Pierre Coffin Addresses Fan Theory Linking Minions to Adolf Hitler

In a Polygon interview, Pierre Coffin, co-creator and director of *Minions & Monsters*, was asked whether the Minions served Adolf Hitler during World II. Coffin replied that the Minions shown in the upcoming film were not involved in that era, noting that the tribe seen in *Minions 1* remained hidden in an ice cave and that “these ones… were not part of the Big History.” His answer was intended to end speculation about a Nazi affiliation. The interview was conducted shortly before the film’s theatrical release, adding urgency to the clarification.

Radio Times

The Minions are portrayed in franchise lore as ancient beings who follow the most evil master, having served an Egyptian Pharaoh, a vampire in the Dark Ages, a T-Rex, and, according to the 2015 film, hiding in an ice cave from 1812 to 1968 after inadvertently causing Napoleon’s downfall. *Minions & Monsters*—the seventh *Despicable Me* entry and third Minions-focused film—moves the story to 1920s Hollywood, where a new tribe seeks fame in show business. The voice cast includes Trey Parker, Jesse Eisenberg, Zoey Deutch, Allison Janney, Jeff Bridges and Christoph Waltz.

Radio Times

Coffin framed the question as expected, opening with, “I knew you were going to ask me that question. Shame on you!” He then suggested the Minions’ wartime whereabouts were limited to the ice cave, adding, “I think they were in that cave.” When pressed again, he admitted to evading a direct answer: “I was trying to avoid the answer.” Finally, he clarified that the Minions in *Minions 1* stayed in the cave, while the tribe in the new film “were not part of the Big History.”

Radio Times

Online fans have repeatedly linked the Minions’ “evil-master” motif to Adolf Hitler, generating a persistent theory that the characters served the Nazi leader. Media outlets have sought clarification, and Coffin’s interview directly addresses this criticism, presenting the theory as unfounded within the official franchise canon.

Radio Times

• “I knew you were going to ask me that question. Shame on you!” — Pierre Coffin, Director

Radio Times

• “I think they were in that cave,” — Pierre Coffin, Director

Radio Times

• “I was trying to avoid the answer.” — Pierre Coffin, Director

Radio Times

• “So the Minions that we know from Minions 1 were stuck in the cave. These ones, I don’t know where they were, but they were not part of the Big History.” — Pierre Coffin, Director

Radio Times

Coffin’s definitive clarification separates the franchise’s fictional mythology from real-world atrocities, potentially shaping how viewers interpret the Minions’ moral alignment and limiting the spread of misinformation within fan communities. The film is currently in cinemas, marking the latest release in the franchise.

Radio Times