Well, this news should come as no surprise considering the past weekend’s box office results, but it appears audiences can look forward to another Despicable Me film at some point. Universal’s Illumination Studios scored a hit with its first feature over the weekend, doubling most analysts’ predictions with an impressive 56.4 million gross. The studio’s head honcho, Chris Meledandri, is in talks with writers Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio on the proposed sequel now. But, if you just can’t wait for the next film, you’re in luck. Illumination will be producing two short films featuring the minion characters from the film.
While I’ll admit I haven’t seen Despicable Me yet, I’ve certainly been seeing a lot of these little guys plastered all over the place. They seem to possess the same kind of appeal as the penguins in Madagascar or Scrat in the Ice Age films. As positive word-of-mouth travels about the film, I wouldn’t be surprised to see some type of spin-off as well.
Illumination seems to be building quite a line-up and the company’s future appears bright. Next year they’ll release Hop, a live-action/CG film in which Russell Brand voices the Easter Bunny. After that, an adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax is in the works. Also on tap is Flanimals from Ricky Gervais, a Where’s Waldo movie, and the Tim Burton animated adaptation of The Addams Family. If these projects turn out as successful as Despicable Me, then we’re looking at another powerhouse animation studio. When Meledandri, who previously worked at Fox Animation, came on board to head the studio, he brought the most talented people at Fox with him, signing them to exclusive contracts. How much that bodes well for Illumination probably depends on how well you think Fox Animation’s track record has been. Either way, I look forward to seeing how the company develops."
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