DESPICABLE ME 4 Director Dishes on Spin-Offs: ‘Never Say Never’
By Movieguide® Contributor
DESPICABLE ME 4 director Chris Renaud is sharing the details about the latest installment in the franchise, potential spin-offs and how he’ll always be involved in the DESPICABLE ME universe.
“It’s been a long time that I’ve been working with these characters,” Renaud told Deadline, admitting that he started to tear up when introducing DESPICABLE ME 4 to a screening audience.
Renaud directed the first two DESPICABLE ME movies — both of which won Teddy Bear® Awards — but stepped back from the role for the third installment in the series. However, he made it clear he won’t be leaving the franchise any time soon.
“In the DESPICABLE ME–MINIONS world, even if I didn’t direct it, I’m either an executive producer or producer,” he emphasized. “I will be in reviews, giving ideas and creative input, but it’s definitely not the day-to-day of being a director.”
He returned as director of DESPICABLE ME 4. A description of the new movie reads, “Gru, Lucy, Margo, Edith, and Agnes welcome a new member to the family, Gru Jr., who is intent on tormenting his dad. Gru faces a new nemesis in Maxime Le Mal and his girlfriend Valentina, and the family is forced to go on the run.”
Renaud praised new cast addition Will Ferrell, calling him “perfect” for his role as Maxime Le Mal, and said co-writer Mike White’s script was “very funny” and full of “great dialogue.”
“It was very grounded in its setting and character interactions,” he said. “What we had to do was give it that kind of Looney Tunes, cartoons kind of sensibility, that’s a hallmark of the films.”
Renaud also touched on the potential for spin-offs, saying, “I never say never but we’re not like Marvel where we have decades of comic books. It’s more about, is there an interesting idea?”
DESPICABLE ME 4 is expected to be a big earner for Illumination/Universal, with Deadline reporting that the movie is “targeting a $100M+ over 5-days, likely more.”
Movieguide® previously reported on DESPICABLE ME star Steve Carrell’s views on his character:
Steve Carrell and his DESPICABLE ME character, Gru, share the same desire to be a “good dad.”
“I think the things that align with me in terms of Gru are the fact that all he cares about is being a good dad,” the father of two told Today. “And I think that reflects who I am.”
Gru’s a villain, and makes some very untraditional choices. But once he adopts three little girls, taking care of them becomes his priority.
“It’s one of the things I loved about this series is that for all of his other faults and little foibles, he’s a good dad and he is incredibly committed to his kids. So I think he’s a good role model,” he said.
“He took pride in being a villain and being a horrible person and stealing things and being despicable,” Carell said. “And then when he met these three little girls, his heart softened and changed and he saw the value in being the dad and the value and family.”
DESPICABLE ME 4 premieres July 3. Check back for Movieguide®’s review.
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