Despicable Me any excuse for air conditioning will do. So it's a happy bonus to find that "Despicable Me" is more than just a heat-busting baby-sitter." James Berardinelli of "ReelViews" gave the film three out of four stars, saying, "This is a smartly written comedy with a soft emotional core." Kyle Smith of the "New York Post" gave the film three out of four stars, saying, ""Despicable Me" may not be the most sophisticated kids movie ever, but it stacks up against recent animated fare like "How To Train Your Dragon" the way The New York Review of Books compares to "USA
Despicable Me (franchise) Illumination's CEO Chris Meledandri said in September 2017 that a fourth "Despicable Me" film is in the works. A prequel to "Despicable Me", featuring the Minions, was released on July 10, 2015. Written by Brian Lynch, it was directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda and produced by Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy. Sandra Bullock voiced Scarlet Overkill, the villain of the film and Jon Hamm voiced her husband and inventor, Herb Overkill.. The film received mixed reviews by critics and grossed more than $1.1 billion worldwide. A sequel to "Minions" was officially announced on the date January 25, 2017,