After three movies, it’s time for another round of zany shenanigans with the lovable minions and the reformed super-villain Gru. Steve Carell will once again voice the character, while Kristen Wiig, Miranda Cosgrove and Silas Ramsbottom will reprise their roles.
Mike White will write the screenplay for Despicable Me 4, with Chris Renaud (The Lorax) directing and Patrick Delage co-directing. Illumination founder Chris Meledandri will produce.
The Story
The first Despicable Me movie introduced audiences to lovable supervillain Gru, voiced by Steve Carell. The film went on to earn a franchise, with each sequel further developing the characters and their universe. The most recent film, Despicable Me 3, even added a heartwarming twist with the discovery of Gru’s long-lost twin brother Dru.
In the meantime, fans were excited to learn that a fourth movie was in the works. It seems that Illumination and Universal are keeping the plot details under lock and key, but Carell himself has let some hints slip.
According to Digital Spy, he has said that the new film is “a continuation of their world with the Anti-Villain League and how their kids are included in it all.” That’s a pretty good clue as to what we can expect from this latest installment. The first three films have done a great job of balancing zany shenanigans with family-friendly humor and wholesomeness.
The Cast
The cast of Despicable Me 4 is one of its biggest selling points, as fans will be happy to see many of their favorite actors returning. Steve Carell will once again voice Gru, the reformed supervillain, while Kristen Wiig, Dana Gaier, and Elsie Fisher will reprise their roles as his daughters, Edith and Agnes. Miranda Cosgrove and Silas Ramsbottom will also return, while Trey Parker has been added to voice a new villainous character.
Of course, Pierre Coffin and Ken Daurio will be back as the minions, so expect more zany antics from the yellow characters. Mike White is writing the screenplay, and Illumination founder Chris Meledandri is producing once again.
The Release Date
The latest film in the Despicable Me franchise has yet to have a trailer released to the public, but that is expected to change as 2024 nears. The movie is set to hit theaters on July 3, 2024, with Steve Carell and the Minions making their return to the big screen.
Director Chris Renaud, who worked on the first two Despicable Me films as well as The Secret Lives of Pets, will be back for the fourth installment. He’s joined by Patrick Delage, who will co-direct and Mike White, who wrote the script. Illumination founder Chris Meledandri will also produce the new movie.
As for the cast, it appears that most of the original actors are returning. That includes Steve Carell as Gru, Kristen Wiig as Lucy Wilde, Miranda Cosgrove as her daughter Margo, and Dana Gaier and Elsie Fisher as Edith and Agnes. Trey Parker and Michelle Yeoh have also been announced as voice actors for new villainous characters in the next film.
The Trailer
If you can’t wait to see what kind of shenanigans Gru and his minions get into, a Despicable Me 4 trailer should be coming soon. Carell has already confirmed he’s started recording for the movie, and he’s also teased that it could be “a bit darker.”
What exactly that means is unclear. However, Carell did tell Digital Spy that the movie will “take the next step in their world with the Anti-Villain League and how their kids are involved.”
The film’s other cast members, including Kristen Wiig as Lucy Wilde, Miranda Cosgrove as Margo, and Silas Ramsbottom voiced by Steve Coogan, are expected to return for the new adventure. Director Chris Renaud, who directed the first two Despicable Me movies as well as both Secret Lives of Pets films, will also be back for the fourth installment. He’ll be joined by Patrick Delage and Mike White, who wrote the script. Prior to Despicable Me 4, Universal and Illumination Entertainment will release Migration, an animated film about a family of ducks on their annual flight from New England to the Bahamas.