Despicable Me 2
“The Villainy of El Macho” Featurette
The Despicable Me franchise is all about the villains. With the likes of Balthazar Bratt, Vector, and Scarlett Overkill, this series is certainly one of the dastardliest in cinema history. However, let’s not forget about El Macho from Despicable Me 2. He is a completely different type of criminal, the likes of which fans and Gru have never seen before. If you’re looking to see how this evildoer came to be, be sure to watch “El Hombre Malo: The Villainy of El Macho” in our Despicable Me 2 behind-the-scenes “Extras.”
Usually, it’s the hero who dons the cape and the mask to fight the bad guys. In Despicable Me 2, though, it’s the bad guy who dons the cape and the mask to fight the hero. In this case, it’s El Macho versus Gru. As you will find out while watching this Despicable Me 2 featurette, it was the writers’ idea to have a villain that totally embraced what being ‘macho’ was all about.
In this case, the most 'macho' thing is dying by riding on the back of a shark with dynamite strapped to your chest while heading straight into the mouth of an active volcano. According to the legend, this macho feat was done by only one man.
That man was El Macho.
Obviously, El Macho is quite bold in more ways than one. Benjamin Bratt (the voice of El Macho) says, “I had to find the soul of a character who is larger than life." Even though El Macho is small in stature, he makes up for it by being the biggest threat Gru has faced so far. A lot of that intimidation can be credited to Bratt's astounding voice work.
Further into this extra, you’ll see how just how much work and thought was put into El Macho’s overall appearance. The designers were inspired by the styles of the American Southwest and modern day lucha libre. After many drafts and concepts, they were able to eventually blend these two looks together in the same costume. While you watch Despicable Me 2, you can see the hints of inspiration that these designers put into El Macho's outfit. There is meaning behind everything that these filmmakers do, and that is on full display during pre-production.
Alongside his attire, the crew wanted to make sure that El Macho’s physical appearance was also unique. According to director Chris Renaud, “As the story evolved, we realized what better serves it is that maybe the guy wasn’t in top shape anymore and is maybe a little heavier… he lost a little hair.” This is a complete antithesis to what El Macho’s physique and stature was like during his prime. His reputation, too, had changed. Instead of being feared, El Macho (now known as Eduardo Perez) is liked and well respected by everyone he meets. This throws Gru into a loop because he thinks Eduardo is El Macho, but their respective differences tell him otherwise.
Gru and Eduardo are also completely different from one another. While Gru has Kyle, his sharp-toothed dog-like pet, Eduardo has his chicken, Pollito. From what it sounds like, Pollito cannot be as vicious as Kyle. In reality, however, the chicken is just as aggressive as his furry counterpart. For example, when Gru is infiltrating Eduardo’s restaurant for the serum, he is unexpectedly attacked by Pollito. This instance sets up a secondary rivalry for Gru. The first is with El Macho, the second is with a chicken. It just goes to show that you can never judge a book by its cover, especially when it comes to Eduardo and Pollito.
You can continue to learn all about your favorite characters when you buy Despicable Me 2 on 4k Ultra HD, DVD, Digital, or Blu-rayTM*.
*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: