Despicable Me 4 is poised to dominate the box office with its slapstick humor and endearing characters. Director Chris Renaud said the franchise has so much more to offer, teasing an ever-expanding story to explore.

Box office debut projections for Despicable Me 4 confirm its story is far from over; the franchise already spawned three sequels and two prequels, not to mention sundry merchandise of Minions collectibles. Entertainment Weekly reports that the latest installment could make up to $120 over the weekend, making it one of the most successful films of 2024. Director Chris Renaud credits this success to the franchise's growing ensemble of characters. The first film's popularity was largely due to its endearing Minions, but the sequels explored Gru and his family's backstories, ensuring the series would go further.

"I think that the world of the characters lends itself to multiple stories because they're human, they're very relatable," he said. "I think if you have animals or mystical creatures, it can be a bit more limiting because there's only a certain amount of things you can really dive into. And certain things, whether it's really breaking the format and saying, 'Hey, we're going to be 50 years in the future,' there's definitely still opportunities." Renaud confirmed "There's a couple of things that have been discussed" even before the Despicable Me 4 dropped in theaters, hinting at more James Bond parodies.

The Despicable Me movies have explored time jumps before but it's yet to lean into the concept. Renaud hinted that potential sequels might finally feature Gru's children with "grown-up" story arcs. "We have so many characters at this point in this world that, again, decisions have to be made," he continued. "So aging them up in this particular film, then it becomes even more of an unanswered question as to what's going on in their lives. But I don't think that precludes us from doing something where we set a movie 20 years in the future and say, oh my gosh, Gru Jr. and Edith have now inherited dad's villain business, or whatever. I think we can go anywhere we want."

Despicable Me 4 breaks Gru's newfound bliss with two new villains out for revenge against his family. Gru and Lucy choose to protect their peace by moving into a new neighborhood and taking on new identities. Still, mysterious neighbors and mischievous Minions complicate things, forcing them to eventually face their nemesis. The sequel will also feature a new iteration of Minions inspired by Marvel's first family.

Despicable Me 4 is now showing in theaters.