You know them from the Despicable Me and Minions films.
They are yellow, wear goggles and blue overalls, and speak in a gibberish language.
Yes, we are talking about the Minions, the capsule-shaped creatures who are a pop culture phenomenon, thanks to their adorable and hilarious appearances in Illumination Entertainment’s highly successful Despicable Me series (2010-2017) and its spin-off prequels, Minions (2015) and Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022).
The highest-grossing animated film series of all-time with a combined global box office of US$4.65 billion (S$6.29b), the Despicable Me franchise also includes short films, television specials, toys, merchandise, video games and theme park attractions.
With Despicable Me 4 hitting Singapore cinemas from 4 July 2024, Minion mania will arise once again.
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In the new film, the Minions are now Anti-Villain League (AVL) agents just like boss Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) and wife Lucy (Kristen Wiig).
When criminal Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell) and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina (Sofia Vergara) seek revenge, Gru’s family — including daughters Margo, Edith and Agnes, and new son Gru Jr. — is forced to go on the run.
To take down Le Mal, five brave minions are appointed to be super-powered Mega Minions…
If you plan to watch Despicable Me 4 with your Minions-loving grandkids or young friends, here are 10 notable Minions to name-drop that will raise your pop culture cred with them!
MINIONS WHO’S WHO
1. Bob
Description:
- Short, two-eyed, bald
This child-like minion, often carrying a teddy bear named Tim, shot to fame in Minions where, after a series of farcical events, he is crowned the new King of England, thus earning the moniker, King Bob.
Since then — including his air stewardess persona in The Rise of Gru — Bob’s merchandise, with or without teddy bear, are always the first to sell out when they hit stores, from stuffed toys to Pop Mart figurines.
Not to be mistaken with the one-eyed Bob from Despicable Me (2010) who is (still) floating in space after taking an anti-gravity serum.
2. Kevin
Description:
- Tall, two-eyed, with sprout cut hair
Kevin is the golf-loving minion in Despicable Me 2 (2013) who gets turned into an evil purple minion, but recovers in time to sing “I Swear” along with Dave, Stuart and chubby Jerry (see #9 below) at Gru and Lucy’s wedding.
Kevin’s leadership qualities are spotlighted in Minions and its sequel when he takes the initiative to find a new villain boss for the entire Minion tribe and eventually determines that a 12-year-old Gru is their best option.
Not to be mistaken with the one-eyed Kevin shrank by Gru’s Shrink Gun in Despicable Me.
3. Stuart
Description:
- Medium-sized, one-eyed, with combed hair
One of earliest known Minions, Stuart and slim Jerry (see #9 below) used toilet paper to play with the Gru girls in Despicable Me.
In the second film, he and Dave are partners-in-crime — from rescuing Gru and Lucy at the mall, to disguising themselves as mutant purple minions to help Gru infiltrate El Macho’s lair.
As part of the Kevin-Stuart-Bob trio in the Minions spin-offs, Stuart stands out with his rebellious streak and guitar-playing prowess.
4. Dave
Description:
- Medium-sized, two-eyed, with well-combed centre-parting hair
One of the best-known minions, Dave famously fires a rocket launcher into a host of Minions, before asking Gru for goodnight kisses on behalf of the tribe in the first film.
In Despicable Me 2, Dave has a memorable moment when he develops a crush on AVL agent Lucy Wilde and daydreams about her.
In the following sequel, Dave appears in two musical sequences before he and slim Jerry accompany the family to Gru’s twin brother Dru’s mansion where each adopts a pig.
In Despicable Me 4, Dave becomes a super strong Mega Minion after undergoing a Super-Serum experiment.
5. Tim
Description:
- Tall, two-eyed, with sprout cut hair
Tim, who looks identical to Kevin, is the one dressed as a father with thick moustache, hat and tie when tasked with Mark and Phil to get a new unicorn “papoy” (Minionese for “toy”) for Agnes in Despicable Me.
In Despicable Me 2, he disguises as an old man with thinning hair and beard and is the cop during the “Y.M.C.A.” number.
In Despicable Me 4, Tim will be transformed into the stretchable Mega Minion.
Not to be mistaken for the short Tim whose buzz cut hairdo was praised by Gru in the second film.
6. Otto
Description:
- Short, round-shaped, with a central sprout of hair, wear braces
The breakout star of The Rise of Gru, Otto is the talkative but easily distracted minion who got into young Gru’s bad books when he traded the Zodiac Stone for a Pet Rock that he affectionately named, “Stone-A! Stone-A!”.
After a wild cross-country trip motorcycle and a dancing dragon ride in Chinatown, Otto redeems himself when he saves Gru from being torn asunder on a tower clock.
Likely to cameo in Despicable Me 4.
7. Phil x 2
Description:
- Phil #1 (Despicable Me) - short, one-eyed, with combed hair
- Phil #2 (Despicable Me 2) - medium-sized, two-eyed, with spiky hair
The Phil in the first film is the one who disguises himself as a baby complete with beanie, diaper and pacifier when on assignment with Tim and Mark.
When the trio couldn’t find a unicorn toy, Phil gives Agnes a homemade one and receives a kiss from her.
The Phil in the second film is unforgettably dressed as a French maid, before he is kidnapped and transformed into an evil minion.
8. Mel
Description:
- Short, one-eyed, with hair on the sides
The gang leader in Despicable Me 3, Mel spearheads a minion rebellion against Gru, before leading the dissenting horde in an energetic, showstopping Minionese rendition of “The Modern Major General’s Song” on a TV singing competition show.
When the troop is arrested and thrown into jail, Mel has a sentimental moment remembering all the good times he had with Gru.
In Despicable Me 4, Mel is the Mega Minion with a power laser eye that can cut through anything.
9. Jerry x 3
Description:
- Jerry #1 (Despicable Me 1 & 3) - Short, two-eyed, with sparse hair
- Jerry #2 (Despicable Me 2 & 3) - Plump, two-eyed, with short spiky hair
- Jerry #3 (Despicable Me 4) - Short, one-eyed, with spiky hair
Yes, there are three different Jerrys.
In the first Despicable Me, slim Jerry became a popular meme when he cried “What!?” after Edith tells Gru that it was his idea to play with toilet paper.
Chubby Jerry is the one in Despicable Me 2, singing a lullaby to the girls before becoming Kevin’s golf buddy. He also sings “I Swear” at Gru’s wedding.
In Despicable Me 3, chubby Jerry is the one DJ-ing with Dave, while slim Jerry partners Dave for the Hawaiian mele-hula before the latter two cause mischief at Dru’s home.
A new one-eyed Jerry will be in Despicable Me 4 and becomes the spherical rock-like Mega Minion who can chomp brick and metal.
10. Gus
Description:
- Short, two-eyed, with one curl of hair
Gus makes his debut in Despicable Me 4.
The only info we have about him at press time is that he will be the cone-head, cape-wearing Mega Minion who can fly like a bullet.
Despicable Me 4 will be in theatres from 4 July 2024.
