Despicable Me 4
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| Directed by | Chris Renaud |
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| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Despicable Me 4 is an upcoming American animated comedy film produced by Illumination and distributed by Universal Pictures. It will serve as the sequel to Despicable Me 3 (2017), the fourth main installment, and the sixth installment overall in the Despicable Me franchise. The film is directed by Chris Renaud, co-directed by Patrick Delage (in his feature directorial debut), produced by Chris Meledandri and Brett Hoffman, and written by Mike White and Ken Daurio. It stars the voices of Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, Madison Polan, Sofia Vergara, Joey King, Stephen Colbert, Chloe Fineman, Pierre Coffin, and Steve Coogan.
Development on a fourth Despicable Me film began in September 2017. It was officially confirmed in February 2022, with Renaud, Delage, and White attached as director, co-director, and writer, respectively. Production was underway by June 2022. Most of the main voice cast was announced in January 2024, with Hoffman and Daurio revealed as co-producer and co-writer, respectively.
Despicable Me 4 is scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States on July 3, 2024.
Premise
Gru (Carell), the world’s favorite supervillain-turned-Anti-Villain League-agent, returns for an exciting, bold new era of Minions mayhem, along side his wife and fellow Anti-Villain League-agent Lucy (Wiig), their three adopted girls —Margo (Cosgrove), Edith (Gaier) and Agnes (Polan)— and the newest member to the Gru family, Gru Jr., who is intent on tormenting his dad. The family is forced to go on the run when they become targeted by escaped criminal Maxime Le Mal (Ferrell) and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina (Vergara).
— Universal Pictures and Illumination
Voice cast
- Steve Carell as Felonious Gru, a former supervillain turned Anti-Villain League agent; Margo, Edith, and Agnes' adoptive father and Lucy's husband
- Kristen Wiig as Lucy Wilde, an Anti-Villain League agent, Gru's wife and the girls' adopted mother
- Will Ferrell as Maxime Le Mal, a supervillain who seeks revenge on Gru and his family
- Joey King as Poppy, an aspiring supervillain.
- Sofia Vergara as Valentina, Le Mal's femme fatale girlfriend
- Miranda Cosgrove as Margo, Gru and Lucy's oldest adopted daughter
- Steve Coogan as Silas Ramsbottom, the former director of the Anti-Villain League, having resigned in the previous film
- Pierre Coffin as the Minions, the yellow henchmen of Gru
- Dana Gaier as Edith, Gru and Lucy's middle adopted daughter
- Madison Polan as Agnes, Gru and Lucy's youngest adopted daughter. Polan replaces Nev Scharrel from the third film
Additionally, Stephen Colbert, Chloe Fineman, and Chris Renaud have been cast in undisclosed roles.
Production
Development of Despicable Me 4 began in September 2017. The film was officially confirmed in February 2022, with veteran Despicable Me director Chris Renaud, Patrick Delage, and Mike White attached as director, co-director, and writer, respectively, and a July 2024 release date announced. Production was underway by June 2022, with Steve Carell starting his voice recording after a "couple of sessions". In January 2024, it was announced that Will Ferrell, Joey King, Sofia Vergara, Stephen Colbert, Chloe Fineman, and Madison Polan would join the voice cast, with Ferrell, King, Vergara, and Polan (replacing Nev Scharrel) voicing Maxime Le Mal, Poppy, Valentina, and Agnes, respectively. It was also announced that The Super Mario Bros. Movie executive producer Brett Hoffman and longtime Despicable Me and Illumination writer Ken Daurio had been added as co-producer and co-writer, respectively.
Marketing
The first trailer for the film was released on January 28, 2024, during the 2023–24 NFL playoffs championship games. The trailer features the songs "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses and "Maneater" by Hall & Oates. The trailer garnered over 3 million views within the first 24 hours after release on Illumination's YouTube channel.
Release
Despicable Me 4 is scheduled to be released in the United States on July 3, 2024.
As part of Universal's deal with Netflix, the film will stream on Peacock for the first four months of the pay-TV window, before moving to Netflix for the next ten, and returning to Peacock for the remaining four.