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Despicable Me franchise is one of the most popular and beloved film series of the recent past. These animated features have carved a place in people's hearts. The journey began with Despicable Me in 2010, which became an instant hit and got two sequels and two prequels, Minions and Minions: The Rise of Gru.
Created by Illumination Entertainment, the film series stars Steve Carell as the beloved despicable villain Gru. Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, and Elsie Fisher voiced the three orphaned girls, Margo, Edith, and Agnes, respectively.
As Despicable Me 4 is just a few days from hitting the silver screen, fans might look to refresh their memories and go down a nostalgic movie marathon. This article will help fans understand the correct chronological order of the films.
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Despicable Me movies chronological in order
One of the reasons for the success and popularity of this series has been the integration of the lovable and goofy minions, whose mere presence on the screen was applauded. So, the franchise decided to give them their own spin-off films, which became the prequel to the original storyline. So now, fans can watch the series chronologically instead of following the theatrical timeline.
Minions (2015)
After the release of the first two Despicable films, the cuddly-looking goofballs called minions had established a permanent residence in everyone's hearts who had seen their quirks. Fans were beyond delighted when the spin-off film about their origin story was announced.
In the film, the trio of Bob, Stuart, and Kevin, embark on an epic journey in the 1960s to find a new master, eventually meeting the young version of their future leader, Gru. Written by Brian Lynch, the film was jointly directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda.
Available to stream on Netflix and Max. Viewers can also rent it on Apple TV and Prime Video.
Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022)
The fifth entry to the franchise, Minions: The Rise of Gru was set in the 70s and expanded upon the journey of the minions, who were helping a young Gru to become a supervillain. It's a direct sequel to Minions and a prequel to Despicable Me and boasts of a talented cast of Taraji P. Henson, Michelle Yeoh, Steve Carell, Russell Brand, etc.
The production of the film was delayed due to COVID-19, which added to the cost of the film. However, it was critically praised and earned great numbers at the box office, with many people claiming it to be an improvement from its prequel.
Available to stream on Netflix. Viewers can also rent it on Apple TV and Prime Video.
Despicable Me (2010)
This is where it all started. Despicable Me can now be safely considered a classic of animated cinema. It tells a beautiful story of a grumpy man Gru, who wants to become the biggest supervillain and adopts three little orphan siblings for his plan. But the girls end up changing his heart and turning him into a loving and protective father.
Steve Carell immortalized Gru with his perpetually annoyed voice, and his work was spectacularly complimented by the works of Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, and Elsie Fisher. Directed by Pierre Coffin, this film is universally praised and also made a ton of money at the box office. And who can forget the impact of Happy, by Pharell Williams?
Available to stream on Netflix and Peacock. Viewers can also rent it on Apple TV and Prime Video.
Despicable Me 2 (2013)
When a film makes everyone who watches it happy, it is bound to get a sequel in Hollywood. And this time, no one complained. Everyone wanted to see how Gru was taking care of the girls and how much everyone had grown. Thankfully, Gru is now a changed man and has left his villainous ways behind.
Gru is hired by an Anti-Villain League to track down a mysterious villain who stole a highly potent mutagen with the help of agent Lucy, played by Kristen Wiig. The film was directed by Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin and became the third highest-grossing film of 2013.
Available to stream on Netflix and Peacock. Viewers can also rent it on Apple TV and Prime Video.
Despicable Me 3 (2017)
By the end of the previous film, Lucy had married Gru and become the mother of his three adopted daughters, who desperately wanted a mother. This made fans desperate to get another sneak peek into their lives. This desire was fulfilled with the release of Despicable Me 3.
The third installment sees Gru discovering his long-lost twin brother, Dru, and facing off against a new enemy, Balthazar Bratt. Lucy and Gru get fired from the Anti-Villain League, and the minions leave the domesticated Gru to find a new villain to serve.
Director Pierre Coffin once again joined Kyle Balda after Minions with a writing team of Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. The film was a massive success, grossing over a billion dollars at the worldwide box office.
Available to stream on Netflix and Peacock. Viewers can also rent it on Apple TV and Prime Video.
Despicable Me 4 (2024)
It would not be wrong to assume that the sixth installment of this franchise is one of the most anticipated films of this year. The reason for that is the consistency of quality that the films have managed to maintain. Considering that the last film that featured the Gru family came out seven years back, the hype around this installment is expected to be high.
Apart from the original cast, a new set of talents have joined the film including Will Ferrell, Stephen Colbert, Steve Coogan, and Sofía Vergara. The film is scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States on July 3, 2024.
Minions short films
Apart from the feature films, there are also multiple 4-5 minutes long short films on minions which are compiled in three videos called Minions & More 1,2, and 3. Some of these short films also feature other prominent characters from the franchises. Though a lot of fun to watch, it's not necessary to watch these mini-movies to understand the larger story of the series. But again, these shorts are certainly a lot of fun to watch.
Minions and More parts 1 and 2 are available on Netflix, while the shorts of part three are on Illumination Youtube channel.
Final Thoughts
Despicable Me franchise is often regarded as among the greatest film franchise in the history of cinema. It is certainly a heartwarming and funny animated film series. The films are available to stream on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.
