Despicable Me (franchise)

Despicable Me is an animated comedy film franchise produced by Illumination Entertainment and distributed by Universal Pictures. It consists of four feature films (including a spin-off), eleven short films and additional merchandise. It centers on Gru, a super-villain (who later becomes a dad and secret agent), his yellow-colored Minions; his three adoptive daughters, Margo, Edith and Agnes, and his wife, Lucy Wilde.

The franchise began with the 2010 film of the same name and its 2013 and 2017 sequels Despicable Me 2 (2013) and Despicable Me 3 (2017). A prequel featuring Gru's Minions, titled Minions, was released in 2015. A sequel titled Minions 2 will be released in 2020. It also includes a simulator ride attraction, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, at Universal Studios Florida, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Universal Studios Japan. It is the highest-grossing animated film franchise in box office history, and the 13th highest-grossing film franchise of all time. It is also the first and only animated franchise with two films grossing over $1 billion worldwide (Minions with $1.16 billion and Despicable Me 3 with $1.03 billion).

Despicable Me (2010)
Despicable Me, the first film in the series, and the first film from Illumination Entertainment, was released on July 9, 2010. It was directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud, based on an original story by Sergio Pablos. The film stars Steve Carell as the voice of Gru, Miranda Cosgrove as Margo, Dana Gaier as Edith, Elsie Fisher as Agnes, Jason Segel as Vector, Russell Brand as Dr. Nefario and Julie Andrews as Marlena, Gru's mother. It tells the story of Gru, a super-villain who adopts three girls, Margo, Edith and Agnes, from an orphanage to try and steal a shrink ray from Vector (otherwise known as Victor), his rival, to shrink and steal the Earth's moon. Despicable Me received positive reviews, and grossed over $543 million worldwide, against a budget of $69 million, launching a new franchise.

Despicable Me 2 (2013)
A sequel, Despicable Me 2, released on July 3, 2013, was once again directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud, and written by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. Steve Carell, Russell Brand, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, and Elsie Fisher reprise their roles as Gru, Doctor Nefario, Margo, Edith and Agnes respectively. Kristen Wiig, who voiced Miss Hattie in the first film, voices Lucy Wilde, an agent of the Anti-Villain League who recruits Gru to take down a new villain. New cast members include Benjamin Bratt as Eduardo; Bratt replaced the previously cast Al Pacino. Steve Coogan voices Silas Ramsbottom, lead director of the Anti-Villain League (AVL). The sequel was met with mostly positive reviews and grossed more than its predecessor with over $970 million worldwide.

Despicable Me 3 (2017)
A third film, Despicable Me 3, was released on June 30, 2017. The film was directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda, and co-directed by Eric Guillon. Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, the writers of the first two films, returned to write the screenplay for the third film. Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, and Steve Coogan reprised their roles as Gru, Lucy Wilde, Margo, Edith, and Silas Ramsbottom respectively (with Julie Andrews reprising her role as Marlena Gru, and Pierre Coffin as the Minions). Carell also voiced Gru's long-lost twin brother Dru. New cast members included Trey Parker as the voice of Balthazar Bratt, and Nev Scharrel as the new voice of Agnes. The film received positive (and some mixed) reviews by critics and grossed more than its predecessor with over $1 billion worldwide.

Despicable Me 4 (TBA)
Illumination's CEO Chris Meledandri has said in September 2017 that a fourth Despicable Me film is in the works.