Minions spin-off movie delayed

The planned spin-off movie for the Minions from the 'Despicable Me' movies has been delayed by a year.

Universal is to follow Pixar – who delayed the release of 'The Good Dinosaur' by a year only last week – and shift the film from its planned Christmas 2014 slot to summer 2015.

Like Pixar's move, it leaves the studio without a major animation release in 2014.

[Pixar delays The Good Dinosaur until 2015]

It's likely the film, the solo showcase for supervillain Gru's anarchic yellow assistants, will now emerge on July 10, 2015.

Though the first two 'Despicable Me' films did great business for the studio – the second being its most profitable of all time with a haul of $840 million – the Minions movie will face some stiff competition, entering into the biggest ever summer for movies.

Though not necessarily aimed at the same audience, the marketplace will be crowded by 'Independence Day 2' and the 'Terminator' sequel, due out the week before, and 'Ant-Man', 'The Smurfs 3' and the 'Man of Steel' sequel just a couple of weeks later.

[Despicable Me 2 is Universal's most profitable movie ever]

But whatever it's up against, the yellow chaps should overcome, and the premise and stars already sound promising.

Set in the 60s, before they met Gru, the minions head to a villain convention to find a new boss.

There they meet Sandra Bullock's Scarlet Overkill, who is poised to become the world's first female supervillain.

Playing her husband will be 'Mad Men' and 'Bridesmaids' star John Hamm.