Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022)

Lore & Background

In the sprawling Illumination universe, the Minions have existed since the dawn of time, shuffling through every era in search of a villain master worthy of their undying loyalty. By the 1970s, they had settled into a routine under a bumbling employer in Venice, performing menial tasks and dreaming of grander schemes. It is in this gilded, canal-laced city that a scrawny, bespectacled boy named Gru first catches the eye of the criminal world. His obsession with villainy is so singular, so all-consuming, that it reads less like a career ambition and more like a calling. The Minions, ever drawn to whoever is the most determined and chaotic, gravitate toward him like moths to a particularly interesting flame. The film's world leans heavily into the aesthetics of 1970s spy cinema—think leather jackets, rotary phones, cassette tapes, and a soundtrack dripping with funky basslines—while retaining the bright, saturated color palette that has become Illumination's visual signature. Venice itself becomes a character: its winding waterways, ornate bridges, and hidden alleyways provide both a playground for slapstick chases and a backdrop for the film's heist sequences. The contrast between Gru's earnest, almost childlike sincerity and the Minions' bumbling, guttural enthusiasm forms the emotional core of the story, grounding the spectacle in a simple, universal bond between an outcast and the unlikely friends who believe in him. Within the broader Despicable Me mythology, this era marks the transformation of Gru from a lonely, rejected kid into the calculating, gadget-obsessed supervillain audiences would later meet in the 2010 film. The Minions shift from generic henchmen to his personal, irreplaceable crew—a relationship that will define every subsequent adventure, from the adoption agency capers to the interdimensional threats of the later entries.

In Their Own Story

The canal was narrow, the water black and still, and the fog rolled in off the lagoon like a slow exhale. Gru crouched on the edge of a crumbling stone bridge, his oversized coat flapping behind him, and whispered the plan one more time to the three small yellow figures huddled in the gondola below. Kevin adjusted his goggles. Stuart fidgeted with a wrench that was definitely too big for his stubby hands. Bob simply stared up at the moon and hummed a tune that wasn't a tune. "You don't have to do this, kids," Gru said, though his voice cracked on the last word, and he hated that it did. Stuart held up the wrench like a sword. Kevin cracked his knuckles—both of them, simultaneously, with a sound like a small pistol. Bob patted Gru's boot. Below them, the city glittered: a thousand chandeliers reflected in the water, a jazz trio playing on a rooftop somewhere, the distant clink of a villain's champagne glass. Gru swallowed, straightened his tie, and for the first time in his young life, he didn't feel small. "Alright," he said. "Let's go be terrible."

Reader's Guide

In 1970s Venice, a young Gru is desperate to be accepted into the ranks of the supervillain community. He and his small crew of Minions—Kevin, Stuart, and Bob—attempt to pull off a series of increasingly ambitious heists to prove their worth, all while navigating the colorful and cutthroat world of a rival villain, Maxime Le Mal, and his enigmatic associate Valentina. The central conflict is one of belonging and self-worth: Gru must decide whether to conform to the cold, calculating image of a "real" villain or to embrace the chaotic, heartfelt partnership he shares with his Minions. The resolution sees Gru and his crew pulling together in a grand, canal-churning set piece that cements their bond and sets the stage for his future as the world's most recognizable supervillain. The tonal shift lands in the third act, where the 70s spy-comedy energy gives way to a genuinely emotional beat about found family and the courage it takes to be yourself in a world that demands you be someone else. Key set pieces include a high-speed gondola chase through the narrow waterways of Venice, a chaotic villain conference where Gru must present his credentials, a rooftop confrontation under a full moon, and a climactic sequence involving a massive contraption that sends the Minions tumbling through the city's architecture in a cascade of yellow and chaos.

Did You Know?

• The film is set in 1970s Venice, Italy, and its visual design and soundtrack lean heavily into the aesthetics of that decade's spy-comedy genre, giving the Minions a distinctly retro heist-movie feel.
• Steve Carell reprises his iconic voice work as Gru, but here he portrays a much younger, more vulnerable version of the character—lankier, more earnest, and still finding his footing in the villain world.
• The film serves as a narrative bridge between Minions (2015) and Despicable Me (2010), filling in the gap of how Gru and the Minions first became partners, a question that had lingered in the franchise since the original
• Michelle Yeoh voices Valentina, a sharp and enigmatic character who plays a pivotal role in the story, bringing a grounded, human counterpoint to the Minions' physical comedy.