Despicable Me 2

Despicable Me 2 Directed By: * Chris Renaud Pierre Coffin Produced By: * Chris Meledandri Janet Healy Written By: Cinco Paul Ken Daurio Starring: * Steve Carell Kristen Wiig Benjamin Bratt Miranda Cosgrove Russell Brand Ken Jeong Editor: Gregory Perler Music composer: * Heitor Pereira Pharrell Williams Production studio: * Universal Pictures Distributed By: Universal Pictures Release Date: July 3, 2013 Runtime: 98 minutes Country: United States Language: English Budget: $76 million Box Office: $971 million

Despicable Me 2 is a 2013 animated comedy film from the United States, produced by Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment, and distributed by Universal. It serves as the sequel to Despicable Me (2010) and is the second film in the Despicable Me series. The film was directed by Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin, produced by Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy, and the screenplay was crafted by the writing duo of Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. The voice cast includes Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt, Miranda Cosgrove, Russell Brand, Steve Coogan, and Ken Jeong. The plot follows secret agent Lucy Wilde as she enlists the help of retired supervillain Gru to uncover the theft of a potent mutagen by El Macho, a supervillain with aspirations of world domination. The development of Despicable Me 2 commenced in 2010, spurred by the success of the first film, with the original directors, producers, and writers returning for the project. Production began in February 2012, featuring most of the original cast reprising their roles, alongside new additions, while animation was handled by Illumination Mac Guff in France. Al Pacino was initially cast to voice El Macho and recorded all his lines, but departed in May 2013 due to creative differences; Benjamin Bratt was subsequently cast as his replacement and drew inspiration from Pacino's performance, despite finding it challenging to mimic his voice. Heitor Pereira and Pharrell Williams returned to compose the music for the sequel.

 

Despicable Me 2 had its premiere in Australia on June 5, 2013, and was released in theaters across the United States on July 3. The film garnered generally favorable reviews from critics, who commended its humor and animation quality. It grossed $971 million globally, making it the third-highest-grossing film of 2013 and the most lucrative film for Universal Pictures at that time. The film received two nominations at the 86th Academy Awards and was honored with several other awards. A follow-up, Despicable Me 3, was released in 2017.

Plot

A mysterious aircraft pilfers a highly potent mutagen known as PX-41 from a laboratory located in the Arctic Circle. Silas Ramsbottom, the director of the Anti-Villain League (AVL), dispatches agent Lucy Wilde to enlist the help of former supervillain Gru, who is forcibly taken to their headquarters and requested to assist in tracking down the perpetrator and recovering the mutagen. Nevertheless, Gru declines and informs Silas and Lucy that he has sufficient obligations as a father and as the proprietor of a jelly-producing business. Subsequently, Dr. Nefario, Gru's assistant, resigns to accept a job offer from another villain; this prompts Gru to reluctantly agree to collaborate with the AVL after all. He and Lucy are assigned as partners and stationed at a shopping mall, utilizing a cupcake store as their cover.

Cast

• Steve Carell as Gru
• Kristen Wiig as Lucy Wilde
• Benjamin Bratt as Eduardo Pérez / El Macho
• Miranda Cosgrove as Margo
• Russell Brand as Doctor Nefario
• Steve Coogan as Silas Ramsbottom, the director of the Anti-Villain League.
• Ken Jeong as Floyd Eaglesan,

Development

The development of Despicable Me 2 commenced after the unanticipated financial triumph of Despicable Me (2010).[20] In June 2011, Universal declared that the sequel would premiere on July 3, 2013. Chris Meledandri, the CEO of Illumination Entertainment, affirmed in February 2012 that they had begun the production of the film.[22] An initial concept involving the Minions possessing superpowers was discarded, leading the filmmakers to opt for the malevolent versions of them instead; this concept was subsequently utilized in Despicable Me 4 (2024).

Casting

In October 2011, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Javier Bardem was in discussions to provide the voice for a villain named El Macho,[24] but these negotiations ultimately did not succeed.[25] By February 2012, Al Pacino had been added to the cast to voice the villain.[26] In April 2012, the producers confirmed that Steve Carell, Russell Brand, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, and Elsie Fisher would be returning to reprise their roles. Kristen Wiig, who voiced Miss Hattie in the original film, takes on the role of Lucy Wilde, an agent of the Anti-Villain League who recruits Gru to track down and confront a formidable Mexican villain named El Macho. Additionally, Steve Coogan joined the cast as Silas Ramsbottom, the head of the Anti-Villain League.