Illumination

Illumination Entertainment (or simply Illumination) is an animation company that is owned by Universal Studios and is best known for creating the Despicable Me films, as well as other films such as The Secret Life of Pets, Sing, and some Dr. Seuss adaptations.

Illumination is currently producing an upcoming animated Mario feature film in partnership with Nintendo, co-produced by Shigeru Miyamoto and Chris Meledandri (founder and CEO of Illumination). It was announced during Nintendo's financial briefing on January 31, 2018. The title and release dates have yet to be released.

Trivia

• Prior to their acquisition of the rights to adapt Mario, Donkey Kong had been mentioned in two Illumination films. In their adaption of The Lorax, the Once-Ler mentions Donkey Kong at some point while talking with Ted. During the final battle with Balthazaar Bratt in Despicable Me 3, Bratt says, "It's on like Donkey Kong!" after being challenged to a dance fight by Gru. Ironically, Illumination's parent company Universal once sued Nintendo on Donkey Kong for infringing the copyright to King Kong in 1982.
• There is also a reference to the Mario games in the 2016 Illumination film The Secret Life of Pets, where a turtle belonging to the "Flushed Pets" is capable of curling inside his shell and bouncing back and forth, hitting anyone in his path, much like a Koopa Troopa, even making the Koopa shell sound from the Mario games.