Minions 101
What's in a Minion? Ever wondered which Minion designs were changed from the original, or if a Minion has ever owned a pet? This page holds all the answers to these questions and more....
How do the Minions of the Despicable Me franchise match up to henchman in past films?
Whereas it is quite common for evil-doers' lackies to be pushed around, receive little compensation or acknowledgement of their deeds, and to otherwise be seen as a tool for the villain to use for his/her own benefit, the Minions are treated quite differently. Their master, Gru, though a typical supervillain in the sense that he steals and bargains for his own profit (at least in the first film), he is unusually kind-hearted at the core and treats not only his adopted daughters, but also his Minions, as family. Far from mistreating those who serve him, Gru shows sincere compassion and gratitude towards his faithful Minions, going so far as to even remember each of them by name despite their outward similarities.
Where did all of the Minions originate from?
Although it is uncertain exactly where the Minions came from, we do know that they've been around longer than humans have, according to the trailer for the Minions feature film. In the short "Orientation Day", it is suggested that they originate from a single strand of mutated DNA".
How many Minions are there?
According to Pierre Coffin, one of the directors on the Despicable Me and Minions films, there are "over 899 Minions". We can safely assume that there are at least 900, if not more. Bottom line: There are a lot.
Do the Minions own any pets? Are they fond of animals in general?
Minions generally seem to like and enjoy the company of animals. Their first master was a Tryannosaurus Rex, as is evident in the trailer for the Minions feature film. There seems to be little animosity between Gru's pet Kyle and the Minions, save for a brief scene in the short Puppy in which Kyle growls at one of the Minions. In the same short, a ladybug takes quickly to said Minion and becomes his pet at the end of the short. Mike the Minion in the short Panic in the Mailroom has a great fondness for kittens. Despite their good relations with fauna, however, only one Minion has ever been known to actually own a pet, this being the Minion in the short Puppy. He adopts a young alien spaceship at the beginning of the short and ends up with a pet ladybug at the end of it.
What are the premises of the Despicable Me films and Minions?
In the first Despicable Me film, a supervillain by the name of Thelonious Gru hatches an evil scheme to steal the moon, but his life is forever changed when three little orphan girls enter into the midst of it.
The sequel to Despicable Me focuses more on humor, a love interest for Gru, and a new supervillain. Gru and Lucy, a super spy, team up to discover the perpetrator behind a deadly serum and to stop its destructive effects before it's too late.
Minions takes a look at the origins and history of Minions and how they came to eventually serve Gru.
Are there any female Minions?
To our knowledge, no female Minions exist nor have ever existed. Gru does ask a Minion in the first film how "the family" is doing, but what this family consists of is unknown.
Which Minion designs were altered from the original?
Some of the designs of the Minions in the first Despicable Me film were redone for the production's sequel. An example of this is Kevin, who was originally a medium-sized, one-eyed Minion with short-cut hair, whereas in Despicable Me 2 he is depicted as a taller Minion with sprout-cut hair and two eyes. This design was retained for the Minions feature film. Unless there are two Minions with the same name, a redesign of this character and others was, indeed, put into effect.
What are some basic Minion factoids?
Minions are simple creatures, existing for the sole purpose to serve a master. Despite this, if you pay attention you'll pick up on some interesting factoids, some of which are mentioned below.
• They are particularly fond of bananas, sometimes to the point of obsession.
• It's safe to assume that Dave and Stuart are two Minions that Gru calls up the most (or, at least, fairly often) when needing some task to be completed or when going on a mission. Not only is this evident throughout the films, as we do see them accompany Gru on several missions, but it can also be inferred due to the fact that theirs are the only Minion names and numbers that are programmed into the black phone that sits on Gru's desk in the second film.
• In the second film, when Gru is browsing the internet and the Wifi is disconnected, Gru specifically calls for Kevin to fix the problem. Either he simply picked a random Minion to call, or Kevin is particularly adept at working with computers.
• Keeping an eye on things happening in the background of the Despicable Me films will grant you some funny tidbits. Humorous things that are small or out-of-focus often appear in the movies. In the first film, for example, you'll notice that a couple of Minions kiss in the control room during the rocket launching/moon landing sequence. In the second film, during the moment where two Minions are smashing fruits in the jam/jelly lab, two Minions can be seen in the background having a fight with a mallot. These funny moments inserted into the film pertain not only to the Minions, but to other characters as well.
• Occasionally, technical errors and inconsistencies in design can be found in films. An example of this is in Despicable Me 2, when Dave mysteriously loses his hair during the part where he shows up at the mall with Gru for the first time. It is also interesting to note that some Minions have gone through redesigns from the first to the second film. One redesign which applied to all Minions involved their teeth, going from slightly crooked in the first film... to perfectly straight in the second.
• Minions can glow in the dark if needed, and they are also able to breath without air... as is evident in the first Despicable Me film when one of the Minions floats up into space and survives.
Who is the creative team behind the Despicable Me and Minions franchise?
Illumination Studios is the creative force behind both Despicable Me films, as well as the feature production Minions. The story of Despicable Me was based on an original premise by Sergio Pablos, a veteran animator. Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud directed both the first and second Despicable Me films, and the duo will most likely direct the third movie in the series... set to be released in June of 2017. Minions, written by Brian Lynch, is directed by both Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda. All of Illumination's films are animated on site at MacGuff Studios, an animation house based in France.
The official site for the Minions can be located here:
http://www.minionsmovie.com
The official site for Illumination MacGuff is located here:
http://www.illuminationmacguff.com
Where do you obtain all of this information about the Minions?
Information about the Minions posted on this site is obtained from a combination of my own knowledge of the world of Despicable Me and the Minions, official information released by Illumination Entertainment/Universal Studios, and online sources (including a Despicable Me Wikia site).
What do the Minions wear and how does one tell them apart?
Basic Minion attire consists of blue overalls (complete with the Gru emblem), black gloves, ebony shoes, and metal goggles which always remain fastened to their head. As far as is known, there is only one instance in which a Minion has been seen without their goggles on, which was in the very first teaser for the original film. According to an official Minions mouse pad, Minions require goggles due to their poor eyesight. It should also be taken into account that, in the trailer for the film Minions, all Minions seem to have originated from the ocean, and so goggles may have been needed for this purpose as well. The film-makers may also have chosen for them to wear goggles for aesthetic reasons.
Despite the fact that many Minions look alike, one can tell them apart based on height, hair type, number of eyes, costume choice, and, in the case of Bob, eye color.
How many shorts are there that feature the Minions?
There are a total of six shorts that feature the Minion characters: Home Improvement, Orientation Day, Banana, Puppy, Panic in the Mailroom, and Training Wheels.
Home Improvement - With Gru away, the girls (Margo, Edith, and Agnes) and the Minions must make Gru's home appear safe for children before a social worker arrives.
Orientation Day - Three Minions new to the task of handling bombs in Gru's lab go through orientation, but screw up royally their first day on the job.
Banana - Three Minions compete for one banana, bringing chaos with them wherever they wander.
Puppy - A Minion craves a pet and gets one in the form of an alien spacecraft.
Panic in the Mailroom - While checking off mail, one Minion accidentally gets infected with the PX-41 serum and turns evil.
Training Wheels - Always too slow to reach the ice cream truck in time before the other kids, Agnes goes into "intense" training with the Minions to improve her speed... while the Minions secretly develop a high-tec vehicle that will help her in achieving her goal.
Are Minions indestructable?
It's somewhat debatable over whether or not Minions are impossible to destroy. Certainly they are able to withstand a significant punch. In the first Despicable Me film, one Minion was hit with a bazooka and suffered little to no damage. In Minions, it is shown that they are able to survive the harshness of Antarctica. When infected with the PX-41 serum they are impossible to destroy by mere force; an antidote is necessary to halt the effects of the serum in its tracks. A great fall from a high place may also stop it, as is demonstrated in the short film, Panic in the Mailroom. Truly, the only thing that may destroy a Minion is depression via lack of a master, this being hinted at in the trailer for the Minions feature film.
What skills do the Minions possess?
Minions are quite skilled in a number of trades. It has been shown that they are proficient in technology, chemistry, construction, cooking, cleaning, weaponry, and more.