Gru and the Minions are back, as Universal and Illumination’s “Despicable Me 4” has released its first trailer.
The film, which hits theaters on July 3, 2024, continues the popular animated franchise, which follows the reformed supervillain Gru (Steve Carrell) trying to do good and finding family while he’s at it. Kristen Wiig, Miranda Cosgrove, Steve Coogan, Chris Renaud, Dana Gaier, Pierre Coffin also return for the fourth installment.
“Despicable Me 4” introduces new characters voiced by Will Ferrell, Joey King, Sofia Vergara, Stephen Colbert, Chloe Fineman and Madison Polan. Ferrell voices Gru’s new nemesis Maxime Le Mal, while Vergara plays Maxime’s femme fatale girlfriend Valentina.
The first movie featured Gru adopting three daughters, while the second installment saw Gru finding love with Lucy Wilde (voiced by Wiig). “Despicable Me 3” had a shocking reveal with the appearance of Gru’s long-lost twin brother, Dru (also voiced by Steve Carrell). In the fourth film, Gru and Lucy welcome a new addition to the family: their son, Gru Jr.
In 2017, “Despicable Me 3” was a rousing box office success, crossing the $1 billion milestone worldwide and exceeding the “Shrek” series as highest-grossing animated film franchise. Part of the franchise’s success can likely be attributed to its most iconic and memorable characters, the Minionese-speaking yellow Minions. These lovable Minions serve as Gru’s “sidekicks” but, in keeping with demand, have since gone on to star in their own spinoff films, “Minions” and “Minions: The Rise of Gru.”
“On the surface, the ‘Despicable Me’ cartoons appear to be sendups of the James Bond franchise, but beneath that slick, spoofy exterior, they’re really marshmallow-centered affirmations of good old-fashioned family values,” Peter Debruge wrote in his review of “Despicable Me 3” for Variety.
Illumination co-founder Chris Meledandri produces. “Despicable Me” and “Despicable Me 2” director Chris Renaud co-directs with Patrick Delage, and Mike White serves as writer.
Watch the trailer below.