Quick Links
Does 'Despicable Me 4' Have a Release Date?
Where Can You Watch 'Despicable Me 4'?
Is There a Trailer for 'Despicable Me 4'?
Who's In the 'Despicable Me 4' Cast?
What's the Plot of 'Despicable Me 4' About?
Who Is Making 'Despicable Me 4'?
How to Watch All the 'Despicable Me' Movies in Chronological Order
When a franchise is firing on all cylinders, it is often a no-brainer for production companies to give the green light to an entire series of films as opposed to waiting for specific box office figures. We have seen in recent years that the likes of the Star Wars franchise and the Marvel Cinematic Universe have had no issues with confirming several years' worth of upcoming features in the knowledge that enough will be a financial success. One such franchise, although perhaps not as world-dominating as the other two we mentioned, is Despicable Me. Debuting back in 2010 and created by Sergio Pablos, Despicable Me instantly took a worldwide audience by storm, with the initial response to the first movie declaring the birth of a fantastic animated series with heaps of potential. So, when the sequel Despicable Me 2 came out and defied all box office expectations, fans and critics knew just how much of a powerhouse this new franchise was going to be. Gru and, in particular, the Minions were so engaging and funny that they almost transcended the film form and became their own cultural phenomenon, with the Minions themselves having already spawned two spin-off movies, the first of which, Minions, made over $1 billion at the box office.
Numbers like that more than justify the confidence from production companies, with the fourth Despicable Me film, and the sixth in the franchise, being officially confirmed by Illumination's CEO Chris Meledandri back in 2017. So, with that particular sequel having set a release date and almost six years since the movie's confirmation, here is everything we know about Despicable Me 4.
Editor's Note: This piece was updated on May 8, 2024.
Despicable Me 4
Animation
Adventure
Comedy
Gru and his family are back, welcoming a new member, Gru Jr., who causes chaos at home. Facing a new nemesis, Maxime Le Mal, and his partner Valentina, Gru and his family go on the run.
- Release Date
- July 3, 2024
- Director
- Chris Renaud , Patrick Delage
- Cast
- Steve Carell , Kristen Wiig , Miranda Cosgrove , Steve Coogan , Pierre Coffin , Joey King
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Writers
- Mike White , Ken Daurio
Does 'Despicable Me 4' Have a Release Date?
Back in February 2022, it was officially announced that a Despicable Me 4 release date had been set for July 3, 2024.
Where Can You Watch 'Despicable Me 4'?
Just like its predecessors, Despicable Me 4 will be getting a full theatrical release on the aforementioned release date. There is not yet any news of a streaming release for the film but, considering Universal films usually stream on Peacock, it is highly likely we may see Despicable Me 4 streaming there sometime after its release. So, whether you're a fan of heading to the theater or staying at home, there will hopefully be the perfect viewing option for you, or perhaps, like Quentin Tarantino and his son, you're just a fan of Despicable Me in any viewing capacity.
Is There a Trailer for 'Despicable Me 4'?
The first trailer for Despicable Me 4 aired during the AFC Championship game on January 28, 2024. The two-and-a-half-minute trailer shows us that Gru's family is expanding. What can this mean for him and the kids in the future? We can't wait to find out.
Despicable Me 4 also appeared in the Jon Hamm-narrated Super Bowl LVIII trailer featuring Will Ferrell (Anchorman) and Steve Carell making AI-assisted cameos. The trailer was released by Universal Pictures during the Superbowl on Sunday, February 11th, 2024.
The most recent trailer for Despicable Me 4 was released on May 7 and is available to watch above. More than ever before, this trailer gives lovers of the franchise their first full taste of the plot of the fourth outing, with the dastardly Maxime Le Mal, voiced by the iconic Ferrell, having escaped prison. The peace achieved thanks to the previous three movies will be put into disarray by Le Mal, with the minions fighting back, as seen in the trailer, with a new secret weapon - "the mega minion". Bursting at the seams with jokes aplenty, and the sort that will please both the kids and parents, this newest trailer promises a Despicable Me installment that will both stick to the successes of its predecessors and not be afraid to innovate, a combination that so often equals Box Office triumph.
Who's In the 'Despicable Me 4' Cast?
One of the many factors to the enormous success of the Despicable Me franchise has been its casting, with a long list of Hollywood legends already having applied their craft to the series. Of course, Steve Carell returns as (arguably) the most beloved movie villain of all time, Gru. Alongside him are the likes of Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids) as Gru's wife Lucy Wilde, Miranda Cosgrove (iCarly), as their eldest adopted daughter Margo, Dana Gaier (On My Block) as their middle adopted daughter Edith, and Steve Coogan (Tropic Thunder) as Silas Ramsbottom, the former director of the Anti-Villian League. Newcomer Madison Polan will voice Agnes, the youngest of Grue and Lucy's three daughters, taking over from Elsie Fisher who voiced the character in the first two films, and Nev Scharrel who voiced her in the third film.
Joining the Despicable Me family are the likes of the aforementioned Will Ferrell as the new supervillain Maxime Le Mal, which translates into English from French as Maxime the Evil, with his femme fatale girlfriend, Valentina, voiced by Sofía Vergara (Griselda). Joey King (The Act) is voicing aspiring supervillain Poppy, with the likes of Stephen Colbert (The Late Show), Chloe Fineman (Saturday Night Live), and Chris Renaud (Ice Age) all currently having been cast in undisclosed roles. Of course, there have been many more wonderful performances in the series, and fans will be hoping that their favorite characters and actors will be returning, including the likes of Will Arnett (Arrested Development) as Mr. Perkins, and Julie Andrews (The Sound of Music) as Marlene Gru.
What's the Plot of 'Despicable Me 4' About?
Topping the incredible narratives of the previous movies is certainly no mean feat, and one left in the wonderfully capable hands of writer Mike White (The White Lotus). With the most recent movie in the franchise, Minions: The Rise of Gru, Despicable Me 4 will have to follow on from the third installment, which came out in June 2017. Despicable Me 3, the most recent film in the series chronologically, ends with Gru's twin brother Dru (also voiced by Steve Carell) taking charge of the minions whilst Gru and Lucy are back in the Anti-Villain League, suggesting these positions will provide the starting blocks for Despicable Me 4. It is fair to expect that some dastardly world-conquering scheme is being planned for a new super-villain, with Gru and the gang saving the day by any means necessary.
The official synopsis for Despicable Me 4 reads:
Following the 2022 summer blockbuster phenomenon of Illumination’s Minions: The Rise of Gru, which earned almost $1 billion worldwide, the biggest global animated franchise in history now begins a new chapter as Gru (Oscar® nominee Steve Carrell) and Lucy (Oscar® nominee Kristen Wiig) and their girls —Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Madison Polan)—welcome a new member to the Gru family, Gru Jr., who is intent on tormenting his dad. Gru faces a new nemesis in Maxime Le Mal (Emmy winner Will Ferrell) and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina (Emmy nominee Sofia Vergara), and the family is forced to go on the run.
Who Is Making 'Despicable Me 4'?
Joining the aforementioned writer Mike White in the crew for the film are the likes of co-directors Chris Renaud (The Lorax) and Patrick Delage (Sing 2), and Rachel Levy (Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw) who heads up the music department, which this franchise is famous for. Pierre Coffin (Minions), Ken Daurio (Horton Hears a Who!), Chris Renaud, and Cinco Paul (Bubble Boy) all receive executive producer credits, with producer credits going to Janet Healy (Jurassic Park) and Christopher Meledandri (Sing).
How to Watch All the 'Despicable Me' Movies in Chronological Order
Here is a helpful guide for those of you who fancy doing a full binge of all the Despicable Me movies, in chronological order and in time for the release of Despicable Me 4. Of these movies, most of the movies are available for rent and purchase on Amazon (and other online video stores), while Minions: The Rise of Gru is also available on Netflix. Here's the chronological list, with the relevant links to watch each movie:
Minions: The Rise of Gru
Minions: The Rise of Gru is the second Minions film and the fifth movie overall in the Despicable Me franchise. The Minions sequel again stars Steve Carell as an eleven-year-old Gru who wants to become a supervillain. The only problem is that there's a new group in town called the Vicious 6 that puts a wrench in his plans.