Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment have released the full-length first trailer for the upcoming prequel Minions: The Rise of Gru. The follow-up to the studios’ smash-hit 2015 film Minions—which grossed $1.159 billion—takes place in the 1970s and follows Steve Carell’s iconic villain Gru as a 12-year-old with dreams of becoming a supervillain (still voiced by Carell). While this movie still takes place before the events of the Despicable Me films, it’s technically a sequel to the 1968-set Minions, in which the titular characters were on the hunt for a new leader to follow.

Minions: The Rise of Gru is directed by Kyle Balda, who co-directed Minions, Despicable Me, and Illumination’s 2012 film The Lorax.

I don't know what to tell you. It's a Despicable Me/Minions movie. None of these movies are particularly good (the first Despicable Me was alright but nothing memorable), and it doesn't matter. They easily cross a billion dollars at the worldwide box office. I can't explain it; they just do. Judging by this trailer, Rise of Gru will also be a hit. Go figure.

Check out the trailer for Minions: The Rise of Gru below. The film opens in theaters on July 3rd.

Here’s the official synopsis for Minions 2:

This summer, from the biggest animated franchise in history and global cultural phenomenon, comes the untold story of one 12-year-old’s dream to become the world’s greatest supervillain, in Minions: The Rise of Gru.

 

Teeming with Illumination’s signature subversive humor, pop-culture sophistication, full-hearted emotion, bold music sensibility, and over-the-top action, Minions: The Rise of Gru is steered by the franchise’s original creators. The film is produced by visionary Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and his longtime collaborators Janet Healy and Chris Renaud and is directed by returning franchise filmmaker Kyle Balda (Despicable Me 3, Minions). The co-directors are Brad Ableson (The Simpsons) and Jonathan del Val (The Secret Life of Pets films).

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