Sandwiched between these were the spin-offs Minions (2015) and Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022). These films explored the lore of the henchmen and Gru’s origins in the 1970s. Despicable Me 4 marks a significant return: it is the first direct sequel in the main timeline since 2017. It brings the timeline back to the present day, forcing the franchise to reckon with the evolution of Gru’s family dynamic.
The villain escapes and immediately plots revenge—not by attacking Gru directly, but by targeting his family. Forced into hiding, Gru and Lucy relocate the entire family to a sleepy, suburban safe house under new identities. Here, the Minions are forbidden from using their signature mayhem, leading to the film’s signature slapstick comedy. Film Despicable Me 4
often feels more like a collection of vignettes than a cohesive film. The plot juggles several disparate threads: The Witness Protection Arc: Sandwiched between these were the spin-offs Minions (2015)
: After Gru arrests his high-school rival, the cockroach-obsessed Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell), the villain escapes prison seeking vengeance. It brings the timeline back to the present