Will Despicable Me 4's Super-Powered Mega Minions Get Their Own Spinoff?
Despicable Me 4 exclusively hits the big screen July 3 — just in time for the holiday!
We're just days away from the wide theatrical bow of Despicable Me 4 (click here for tickets) and fans are already wondering where Illumination Entertainment's hit animated franchise will go from here.
One of the buzziest things about the forthcoming installment is the introduction of Mega Minions, five super-powered versions of Gru's loyal underlings: Dave, Tim, Mel, Gus, and Jerry. Given that both Minions-centric spinoff projects did gangbusters at the box office (the first Minions film is the fifth-highest grossing animated release of all time), it seems only natural that the juiced-up henchman would take center stage in — what else? — a film that capitalizes on the current superhero trend.
Despicable Me 4 Director Chris Renaud Talks the Future of the Franchise
Speaking with Deadline at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival this month, Despicable Me 4 director Chris Renaud sounded off on the potential of giving the Mega Minions their own spinoff series. “Making comments on superhero movies is very difficult at this point, there have been a lot of humorous things — with films like Kick-Ass," he explained. "So it was a struggle to look for material, that seemed funny and fresh in this world."
The filmmaker continued: "We have the Minions so that’s a help. I love that in this character design their tights are their skin color with a zipper up the back. You can do dumb things like that with these characters to give them some distinction, but the truth is coming up with comedy around superheroes is tricky, because there’s just so much material and it’s been done in comics and movies."
When asked about the odds of more entries in the main franchise, Renaud didn't deny or confirm anything. “I never say never, but we’re not like Marvel where we have decades of comic books," he added. "It’s more about, 'Is there an interesting idea?'"
One thing he did let slip was that if more Despicable Me titles are green-lit, none of the characters will be aged up. He called it "The Simpsons approach," assuring Deadline that Gru's adopted daughters are "frozen in time" forevermore.
How to Watch Despicable Me 4
Despicable Me 4 is now playing in theaters everywhere. Click here to pick up tickets for yourself and the whole family!
Want to catch up on the story so far? The first three Despicable Me films are now streaming on Peacock!
