Despicable Me 4

Official Trailer For Despicable Me 4

Overview

Despicable Me 4 is a 2024 American animated comedy film produced by Universal Pictures and Illumination and distributed by Universal. It is both a sequel to Despicable Me 3 (2017) and the fourth main installment in the Despicable Me franchise, making it the sixth film overall in the series. Directed by Chris Renaud, co-directed by Patrick Delage (making his feature directorial debut), and written by Mike White and Ken Daurio, the film features the voices of Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Pierre Coffin, Joey King, Miranda Cosgrove, Steve Coogan, Sofía Vergara, Stephen Colbert, Renaud, Madison Polan, Dana Gaier, Chloe Fineman, and Will Ferrell. The story follows reformed supervillain and secret agent Gru (voiced by Carell) as he relocates his family to a safe house when his old rival Maxime Le Mal (voiced by Ferrell) seeks revenge. The film also explores subplots involving Gru's family adjusting to their new lives, teenage neighbor Poppy Prescott (voiced by King) aspiring to follow in Gru's villainous footsteps, and a group of Gru's Minions (voiced by Coffin) becoming superheroes.

Development

The development of Despicable Me 4 commenced in September 2017, with early drafts of the script by longtime Despicable Me writers Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. The film was officially confirmed in February 2022, with Chris Renaud, Patrick Delage, and Mike White set as director, co-director, and writer, respectively, and a release date of July 3, 2024. Production began in June 2022, with Steve Carell starting his voice recordings after a few sessions. The majority of production occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In January 2024, it was announced that Carell, Kristen Wiig, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, Pierre Coffin, and Steve Coogan would reprise their roles. New cast members include Will Ferrell, Joey King, Sofía Vergara, Stephen Colbert, Chloe Fineman, and Madison Polan, replacing Nev Scharrel as Agnes. Additionally, Brett Hoffman and Ken Daurio were revealed as co-producer and co-writer, respectively.

Animation

Director Chris Renaud noted that characters from previous films had their rigs and surfaces updated for this sequel. Fred McDade, a character from the first film, was recreated from scratch. An animation test involving Poppy with an arcade machine was incorporated into the final cut after the filmmakers found it particularly engaging.

Music

Heitor Pereira returned to compose the film's score, while Pharrell Williams was confirmed to co-compose and write new songs. The original soundtrack was released on June 27, 2024, by Back Lot Music.

Marketing

The first trailer was released on January 28, 2024, during the NFL playoffs, featuring "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses and "Maneater" by Hall & Oates. An additional trailer aired during Super Bowl LVIII on February 11, 2024, narrated by Jon Hamm, and showcased cameos by Ferrell and Carell. On April 10, a clip of Gru and Poppy attempting to steal a honey badger was shown at CinemaCon. Another trailer released on May 7, 2024, focused on the Minions' new superpowers and introduced the film's villains.

On June 8, Illumination released a parody teaser introducing the "Megaverse," mocking the concept of shared film universes.

Release

Despicable Me 4 premiered at Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York City, on June 9, 2024, and made its French debut at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on June 13. It was released theatrically in Australia on June 20 and in the United States on July 3.

Home Media

The film was released for digital download on August 6, 2024, by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, including two short films, Game Over and Over and Benny's Birthday. It will stream on Peacock for the first four months, then on Netflix for the next ten, and return to Peacock for the final four months of its pay-TV window.

Reception

Despicable Me 4 has grossed $320.5 million in the United States and Canada and $440.4 million internationally, totaling $760.9 million worldwide. It was projected to earn $100–125 million in its five-day opening weekend and debuted with $75 million over the traditional three-day period.

Critics have given the film mixed reviews, with Rotten Tomatoes reporting a 56% approval rating and Metacritic a score of 52 out of 100. Audiences gave the film an "A" grade on CinemaScore and an 82% positive rating on PostTrak. Reviews noted that while the film is entertaining, its plot is crowded with characters and subplots, with some critics feeling that the villain’s role was underdeveloped.