Once the first Despicable Me movie was released in 2010, it didn’t take long for this Universal Pictures and Illumination property to become one of the most popular animated franchises. 14 years later, six movies comprise the Despicable Me film series, including two Minions spinoffs, and now it ranks as the highest-grossing animated franchise of all time. With such popularity having been achieved, one wouldn’t be faulted for wondering if we’ll ever reach a day when the Minions could be adapted into live action. Director Chris Renaud has given his blunt answer on if the humorous yellow creatures will ever be handled this way, and I agree with him on this.
Ever since 2010’s Alice in Wonderland, Disney’s been regularly churning out live-action remakes/re-imaginings of its animated movies, and many of Disney’s upcoming Disney movies will keep that streak going, including Snow White, Lilo & Stitch and Hercules. When Film Hounds asked Renaud if the Minions and the Despicable Me franchise as a whole could follow suit, he first said, “God, I hope not. That’s any answer.” He followed that up with the following:
I mean if there were conversations like that, I haven’t been privy to them. But for me, what defines the world is that it is animated and it allows us to get away with what we get away with. Like locking a minion in the vending machine, or you know, blowing up Gru when he attacks Vector (Jason Segel). These are really cartoon ideas, like what would have been in a Bugs Bunny cartoon. I think it just becomes something completely different if you do a live-action version. For me personally, not very appealing. But again, who knows what can happen but that’s my personal feeling about it.
Look, I won’t say that I’m completely against Disney having churned out so many live-action remakes. Do I think these versions are better than their animated predecessors? Usually not, but I’ve nonetheless enjoyed fare like The Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. But do I think the world of Despicable Me should be envisioned through the same kind of lens? Absolutely not, and it really only boils down to one reason: “live-action” Minions would be horrifying.
Ok, much like how 2019’s The Lion King and its follow-up Mufasa: The Lion King, which opens on the 2024 release schedule in December, the Minions in a live-action Despicable Me movie would obviously be realized through CGI and be operating in a live-action world. Nevertheless, I have no interest in learning what a “realistic” Minion would look like, because I have no doubt that image would haunt my dreams. All that being said, Chris Renaud does make a good point that the antics that unfold in the Despicable Me movies are best suited for animation. If you try to recreate them for live action, they just won’t look as good, and thus won’t be enjoyable.
For now, Despicable Me is still comfortably raking in the big bucks in an animated setting thanks to Despicable Me 4’s continuing theatrical run, and Minions 3 is set for release on June 30, 2027. You can stream the main Despicable Me movies with a Peacock subscription, but you’ll need a Netflix subscription to access Minions and an Amazon Prime Video subscription to access Minions: The Rise of Gru.