Phil Edwards was a senior producer for the Vox video team. You’ve probably heard of Minions, or maybe you’ve just seen their bright yellow likeness on a T-shirt, meme, or bumper sticker.

Minions are a billion-dollar business. Supporting characters in the first Despicable Me movie, the yellow sidekicks somewhat stole the show, their role expanding in its hugely successful sequel.

Minions: The Rise of Gru is set to shatter the Independence Day opening weekend record with an estimated $127.9 million debut, Deadline reports. The previous high mark of $115.9 million was ...