Since Despicable Me landed in cinemas back in 2010, the Illumination CG-animated movie franchise has gone from strength to strength.
Following the success of the first two movies about supervillain turned secret agent Gru, the Minions had their own spin-off in 2015, which made over $1 billion worldwide.
Given the non-verbal slapstick nature of the funny yellow creatures, it’s hardly surprising how popular they’ve become worldwide, following in the footsteps of Charlie Chaplin and Mr Bean.
Despicable Me 3 and Minions: The Rise of Gru followed, both smashing past $1 billion at the global box office.
It’s inevitable then, that Despicable Me 4 arrives this year with Gru now being a father to not just his three adopted girls, but to Gru Jr too.
Despicable Me 4’s official synopsis reads: “Gru (Steve Carell), the world’s favourite supervillain-turned-Anti-Villain League-agent, returns for an exciting, bold new era of Minions mayhem, alongside his wife and fellow Anti-Villain League-agent Lucy (Kristen Wiig), their three adopted girls —Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Madison Polan)— and the newest member to the Gru family, Gru Jr, who is intent on tormenting his dad. The family is forced to go on the run when they become targeted by escaped criminal Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell) and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina (Sofia Vergara).”
The sequel, which hits UK cinemas on July 12 and US theatres on July 3, also features new characters voiced by Joey King, Stephen Colbert and Chloe Fineman. Additionally, Pierre Coffin returns as the Minions, alongside Steve Coogan as Silas Ramsbottom.
Considering four of the five current Despicable Me movies are in the global Netflix Top 10, presumably Despicable Me 4 will cross a billion dollars making a fifth film and Minions 3 inevitable.
Now Minions was set in the 1960s and Minions: The Rise of Gru in 1970s, so it would make sense for Minions 3 to take place in the 1980s, followed by a fourth outing in the 1990s and a fifth adventure in the 2000s – all leading up to the events of the first Despicable Me movie set in 2010.
As long as the box office is there we can’t see any end in sight for this extremely popular family franchise.
