Despicable Me 3
Despicable Me 3 is a 2017 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Illumination Entertainment and distributed by Universal Pictures.[1] It serves as the sequel to Despicable Me 2 (2013), the third main installment in the Despicable Me franchise, and the fourth film overall, following Minions (2015).[2] Directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda with Eric Guillon as co-director, and written by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, the film follows reformed supervillain Gru, who, after being fired from the Anti-Villain League for failing to capture the 1980s-themed villain Balthazar Bratt, discovers his long-lost twin brother Dru and joins him in a heist to steal a massive diamond while protecting his family.[1][3] The voice cast features Steve Carell reprising his role as Gru and voicing Dru for the first time, alongside Kristen Wiig as Gru's wife Lucy Wilde, Trey Parker as the antagonist Balthazar Bratt, and returning child actors Miranda Cosgrove as Margo, Dana Gaier as Edith, and Nev Scharrel as Agnes, with Pierre Coffin providing voices for the Minions.[3] Produced by Christopher Meledandri and Janet Healy, the film emphasizes the franchise's signature humor centered on Gru's adopted daughters and the chaotic Minions, introducing new elements like Dru's affluent lifestyle and Bratt's retro dance villainy.[3] Development began shortly after Despicable Me 2, aiming to expand Gru's backstory while maintaining the series' family-friendly appeal.[2] Despicable Me 3 premiered at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on June 14, 2017, and was theatrically released in the United States on June 30, 2017.[4] It grossed $264.6 million domestically and $770.2 million internationally, for a worldwide total of $1.034 billion, making it the fourth highest-grossing film of 2017 and contributing to the franchise surpassing $3 billion in cumulative earnings at that point.[4] The film received mixed reviews from critics, earning a 58% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 194 reviews, with praise for its animation and Minions sequences but criticism for a convoluted plot and underdeveloped characters, while audiences gave it a 53% score.[2] Despite the reception, its commercial success solidified the franchise's popularity, leading to further sequels and spin-offs.[4]Film content
Plot
Gru and his wife Lucy, both agents for the Anti-Villain League (AVL), pursue the 1980s-themed supervillain Balthazar Bratt, a former child star obsessed with retro pop culture who has stolen the Dumont diamond, the world's largest, using gadgets like bubble gum explosives and a keytar.[5] During the confrontation aboard Bratt's flying airship, Gru secures the diamond but allows Bratt to escape in a bubble gum bubble, resulting in Gru and Lucy's dismissal by the AVL's new director, Valerie Da Vinci, due to their failure.[2] Struggling with his demotion and identity as a reformed villain turned family man, Gru is visited by a butler named Fritz, who delivers an invitation from his long-lost twin brother Dru, from whom he was separated at birth by their mother.[1] Accompanied by Lucy and their adopted daughters—Margo, Edith, and Agnes—Gru travels to Dru's lavish estate in Freedonia, where he meets the affluent, enthusiastic Dru, who idolizes their late father, the supervillain known as "the Bald Terror," and his villainous legacy and yearns to join the family business.[5] Dru, eager for a partnership, begs Gru to teach him the art of villainy, but Gru initially refuses, committed to his honest life, though he confides in Dru about his AVL troubles.[2] Back home, family dynamics strain as Lucy attempts to bond with the girls through activities like ballet lessons and wilderness training, while Agnes fixates on obtaining a real unicorn, Edith causes mischief with her new snowboard, and Margo develops a crush on a boy named Lorenzo at summer camp.[5] Disillusioned by Gru's lack of villainy and with Gru's assistant Dr. Nefario accidentally frozen in carbonite, the Minions—led by the one-eyed Mel—abandon him in protest, seeking fame by auditioning for a talent show where they perform a chaotic rendition of "I Swear" but end up arrested for trespassing.[6] In prison, the Minions break out and impersonate the Vicious 6, a notorious supervillain group, forming their own yellow-clad version that spirals into comedic mayhem across the city.[6] Motivated to reclaim the diamond from Bratt's Rubik's Cube-shaped lair and prove himself to the AVL, Gru reluctantly teams up with Dru for a high-stakes heist, the Minions' absence forcing reliance on family and ingenuity.[5] Disguised in 1980s-style villain suits with camouflage and sticky features, they infiltrate the lair and retrieve the diamond, but Bratt awakens and pursues them through traps until Lucy arrives in a helicopter for rescue—though the brothers argue afterward, with Dru feeling betrayed by Gru's true intentions.[6] After the brothers argue and part ways, Bratt disguises himself as Lucy to kidnap the girls from home, steal back the diamond, and lure Gru.[5] He then activates his giant robot, powered by the diamond, to attack Hollywood in revenge, endangering the city with expanding bubble gum. Gru, Lucy, and Dru—who reconcile—mount a rescue operation, using Dru's gadgets and Gru's freeze ray to board Bratt's keytar-controlled mech suit; in a climactic dance battle set to 1980s music, they trap Bratt in expanding bubble gum, retrieve the diamond, and Lucy rescues the girls from a falling skyscraper, solidifying family bonds.[6] The Minions, having caused enough destruction to be recaptured, return to Gru after their Vicious 6 escapade fails spectacularly, apologizing en masse.[6] Inspired by the heist, Dru decides to pursue independent villainy and takes most of the Minions with him, but the brothers reconcile as family, with Gru and Lucy granting them a brief head start before the AVL intervenes, allowing Gru to regain his position while embracing his dual heritage.[5]Voice cast
The voice cast of Despicable Me 3 includes a mix of returning performers from prior films in the franchise and new talent, bringing to life Gru and his family, the Minions, and the story's antagonist Balthazar Bratt, an egomaniacal former child star obsessed with 1980s culture.[7][8] Steve Carell leads the ensemble with dual roles as Gru, the reformed supervillain and Anti-Villain League agent, and Dru, Gru's charismatic twin brother introduced in this installment; Carell differentiates the siblings through distinct vocal styles, giving Gru a gravelly Eastern European accent and Dru a lighter, more effervescent delivery with flamboyant inflections.[7][9][10] Kristen Wiig reprises her role as Lucy Wilde, Gru's enthusiastic wife and fellow AVL agent, infusing the character with high-energy optimism.[7][8] The girls are voiced by Miranda Cosgrove as the responsible eldest, Margo; Dana Gaier as the mischievous middle child, Edith; and Nev Scharrel as the innocent youngest, Agnes.[7][9] Trey Parker provides the voice for the villainous Balthazar Bratt, channeling the character's over-the-top 1980s flair through exaggerated expressions and period-specific slang.[7][8] Pierre Coffin returns as the voices of the Minions, the chaotic yellow henchmen central to the film's comedic sequences, while also voicing additional characters like the museum director.[7][9] Supporting roles feature Steve Coogan as Silas Ramsbottom, the retiring head of the Anti-Villain League, and as Bratt's butler Fritz.[7][8] Julie Andrews voices Gru's stern mother, Marlena Gru.[7] Jenny Slate portrays Valerie Da Vinci, the ambitious new AVL director.[7] Russell Brand reprises Dr. Nefario, Gru's loyal inventor sidekick.[9] The principal voice cast is as follows:| Actor | Character(s) |
|---|---|
| Steve Carell | Gru / Dru |
| Kristen Wiig | Lucy Wilde |
| Trey Parker | Balthazar Bratt |
| Miranda Cosgrove | Margo |
| Dana Gaier | Edith |
| Nev Scharrel | Agnes |
| Pierre Coffin | Minions / Mel / Museum Director |
| Steve Coogan | Silas Ramsbottom / Fritz |
| Julie Andrews | Gru's Mom |
| Jenny Slate | Valerie Da Vinci |
| Russell Brand | Dr. Nefario |