It’s been 14 years since the villainous Gru and his army of Minions first took to the screen in Despicable Me, and they’ve come a long way since then.
When we first met Gru, whose quasi-Russian-accented voice is provided by Steve Carell, star of the US version of The Office, he was a dastardly supervillain with a plan to steal the moon.
Now returning for Despicable Me 4, Gru is progressing ever-further from the nefarious criminal of yore and continues to grow as a family man and Anti-Villain League (AVL) agent.
“Gru has evolved into a very thoughtful father, a very doting father, someone who would protect his family at all costs – he’s come a long way from that first movie,” says Carell (61).
“There’s still a part of him that is drawn to adventure and excitement, and maybe some despicable things on the side...
“But he would do anything to protect his wife and his kids, and to bond with his new baby, which doesn’t seem to be happening instantly.”
Gru and his family – his AVL agent wife Lucy, voiced by Kristen Wiig; his adopted daughters Margo, Edith and Agnes, voiced by Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier and Madison Polan respectively; and his new biological son – are forced into suburban life in witness protection since Gru has been targeted by the vindictive Maxime Le Mal.
Maxime, whose French-accented voice is provided by Anchorman star Will Ferrell, is a decorated supervillain who is seeking revenge on Gru and his family for historic slights.
As Gru attempts to keep a low profile to protect his family, complete with his new identity as a solar panel salesman, he gets blackmailed into committing more despicable antics by his new neighbour, Poppy – a teenage girl voiced by The Kissing Booth’s Joey King – who is an aspiring supervillain and long-time admirer of Gru.
“He’s always trying very hard to be a part of a world that he might not necessarily know, especially in this (film),” says Carell.
“He’s in witness protection, and he’s trying to live a life in the suburbs, and it’s a world that he knows nothing about, that he doesn’t feel comfortable in.
“Whenever you see a character that is that out of their depth, kind of a fish out of water, it’s fun. And it’s fun to play.”
Naturally, chaos ensues, with hilarious moments, action-packed set pieces, and mischievous Minion fun a-plenty.
“I mean, you have to give credit where credit’s due: Minions have captured the imagination of the world… They’re funny, and they’re ridiculous, and you don’t know what you’re going to get with the Minions. There’s always some new gags, some new adventure that they’re dragging you into.
“It’s an animated series, very light, very silly, but the way they write these, at the same time (as being) animated, silly, fun, family, they give it some depth,” notes Carell.
“They want these characters to be relatable, and they want them to be human.”
This depth is achieved, Carell says, by truly understanding children and what they find entertaining. Despicable Me 4, like its predecessors, is packed to the rafters with kid-friendly humour, adventurous action scenes, and even a touch of danger, with the character development being sincere and realistic, no matter how zany the characters themselves are.
“One of the things I always liked about the series is (that) it’s not condescending towards children,” he says.
“It respects their sense of humour, it respects their sense of adventure, and maybe a little bit of jeopardy, maybe a little edginess, and I think kids like that.”
Since the release of Despicable Me in 2010, the skills and resources available to the franchise’s animation teams have come on leaps and bounds, and the talent on display in Despicable Me 4 is truly impressive.
“I can’t speak highly enough about the animation,” says Carell.
“It’s gotten so sophisticated and layered. And it’s beautiful, it’s just beautiful to look at.
“Even though it’s these sort of abstract versions of people, it feels real, it feels like there’s a texture to it, and a depth to it.”
Despicable Me 4 opens with a breathtaking sequence showcasing the ability of the film’s animators, complete with towering mountains, drone-style camerawork, and a depth of scenery that plunges you straight into the world of Gru and his Minions.
“It’s legitimately exciting,” notes Carell.
“There’s a car racing up the side of a mountain. And that, coupled with the music, which is just phenomenally well done – Pharrell does the music for all of these, and it’s very distinctive – you immediately know this is a Despicable Me movie.
“When you see it, you feel it.”
There’s a lot to be said about the longevity of the Despicable Me franchise, which is well into its second decade of existence and is now entertaining a new generation of families. This long-running success, Carell suggests, is down to a number of factors – the fun characters, quality writing, and stories that appeal to an audience of all ages.
“I think part of it is the Minions,” he says.
“I mean, you have to give credit where credit’s due: Minions have captured the imagination of the world… They’re funny, and they’re ridiculous, and you don’t know what you’re going to get with the Minions. There’s always some new gags, some new adventure that they’re dragging you into.
“But I think on top of that, it’s the way the writers have created these characters, and have introduced new characters, exciting characters and exciting plot lines…”
“It’s something that a whole family can enjoy together,” he adds.
“It’s not going to bore the parents, while at the same time it’s going to entertain little kids. And, I think, everyone in between.”
