It is widely accepted that the worst thing to happen to modern cinema was the Minions, but Despicable Me fans have found something even more annoying in the newest trailer for Despicable Me 3: inaccuracies in the cinematic universe.
Despicable Me 3 introduces a new character to the franchise: Gru’s twin brother, Dru. It’s immediately apparent Gru had no idea his twin brother existed, but immediately seeks him out. When he learns his brother is more successful, handsome and diabolical than he is, Gru is overtaken with jealousy. In an attempt to bond, the two brothers go on a heist mission, pitting them against another new villain, Balthazar Bratt.
It may not seem like too big of a deal for non-Despicable Me fans, but according to the diehards, this creates a major issue in the Despicable Me cinematic universe timeline. In Minions, the spinoff that focused on the tiny, yellow beings from the first two Despicable Me movies, Gru’s brother doesn’t appear in the flashbacks to their childhood. He’s also not present at Gru’s wedding, which occurred at the end of Despicable Me 2.
Other fans called the addition of Dru lazy writing, adding the inclusion felt forced, especially considering the first two trailers didn’t hint at Gru’s twin in any way. Originally, the focus was supposed to be on Balthazar Bratt, but the newest trailer barely mentions the villain, prompting fans to ask if the character will still have a major role in the film.
Many fans have called Dru annoying and irritating, based on the brief introduction he received in the trailer. While attention has shifted slightly to Gru and his twin brother, people were quick to point out that the Minions were still terrible.
“Minions have gotten more immature, there's already too many movies as it is, and the franchise has officially run to the ground, scraping the bottom of the barrel as it goes,” one person wrote on Facebook.
Still, it doesn’t look like Universal is planning to stop making Minions or Despicable Me movies anytime soon. Despicable Me made more than $500 million worldwide, with Despicable Me 2 greatly surpassing that, coming in at just under $1 billion. Minions was the most successful film in the franchise, bringing in $1.1 billion worldwide. With more than $2 billion grossed over three movies, it’s one of Universal’s most successful franchises.
Despicable Me 3 will be released June 30. Minions 2 is slated to be released on June 3, 2020.