Despicable Me 2

“Evil Minions” Featurette

Ever since the very first Despicable Me movie, people all around the world have fallen in love with the Minions. These overall-wearing yellow Tic-Tacs became such a phenomenon that they spawned their own film, Minions, and a sequel, Minions: The Rise of Gru, that is slated for a 2022 release. Their appeal comes from their lovable nature and the wacky antics they find themselves in with Gru.

However, the purple Minions that are introduced in Despicable Me 2 are anything but cute. These snaggle-toothed nightmares are the complete opposite of Gru’s henchmen. See how this breed of Minion came to be when you watch “Evil Minions,” one of the featurettes included in the “Extras” section in Despicable Me 2.

Despicable Me 2 - Evil Minions Concept ArtWhile watching the movie, you’ll see that the craziness starts to unfold when the Minions begin to go missing under some pretty strange circumstances. One of them can be vacuuming Gru’s house when suddenly – poof – they’re gone. Another Minion can be playing a game of golf when they are unexpectedly snatched away by a beam of light in the sky. It just so happens that these Minion-nappings are intertwined with the plot that Gru is currently trying to unfold with Lucy. What is happening to the Minions? Well, if you’ve seen Despicable Me 2, then you know that the Minions are being turned into animalistic purple beasts. 

In this exclusive, Cinco Paul (co-screenwriter of Despicable Me 2) says “One of the first ideas that we brought up in one the first meetings when we started talking about the sequel was the Minions turning evil.” Even though they took part in Gru’s nefarious schemes back in the first movie, the Minions were always good at heart. However, when they are transformed into their eviler selves, they are anything but good.

Despicable Me 2 - Chris RenaudThis idea, as you’ll come to find out, was originally met with a lot of push back from the Despicable Me 2 team. However, many people working on the film soon became intrigued by the concept of these lovable Minions turning bad. Chris Renaud (director of Despicable Me 2) said, “I think the idea of something cute becoming something monstrous is a very appealing thought.” This gave the creative team a chance to explore a different side of the Minions that both they and the audience have never seen before.

However, the crew wanted to make sure that the evil Minions still resembled their much more lovable counterparts. As you can see, the purple Minions wear their own brand of goggles and overalls, and display the same amount of silliness as the yellow Minions do – but on a much more dangerous level. Despite them being abominations, the Despicable Me 2 team still wanted them to be both bright and fun. These purple Minions proved to be a very ambitious anthesis to the beloved characters. However, this risk paid off because, no matter if it’s purple or yellow, a Minion will always be a Minion to us.

If you love the Minions like we do, be sure to buy Despicable Me 2 on 4k Ultra HD, DVD, Digital, or Blu-rayTM* to see even more of their behind-the-scenes antics.

*Bonus features are only available at select digital retailers. Check the retailer for details.

 

Like this article? Read more about the making of Despicable Me 2 here: