Steve Carell Lays Out 'Megaverse' Timeline for 'Despicable Me 4'

Illumination, the studio behind the "Minions" and "Despicable Me" franchises, just launched a new trailer starring actor Steve Carell to promote its upcoming film, "Despicable Me 4."

And it does so Marvel-style. 

In the near-one-minute spot posted on YouTube tagged as the "Official Megaverse Trailer," Carell, who voices main protagonist Gru, details the studio's plans for the years to come.

"By now, you've probably heard about the 'Mega Minions,' five Minions with incredible power and zero responsibility," the Gru actor explains. 

However, the comedian shares that these heroes, who made their debut in Despicable Me 4, are just the tip of the iceberg for what's to come.

 

 

 

 

 

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"Presenting Illumination's 'Megaverse': 50 interconnected Mega Minion stories, shared across a variety of mediums on an irregular basis for the next 100 years," Carell reveals. 

Fans were quick to notice the trailer's similarities with Disney and Marvel's timeline reveals, poking fun at the format with its own set of superheroes.

The timeline consists of faux movie titles that are sure to bring a smile to viewers' faces, regardless if they're fans of the franchise or not. These include:

• "Illumination's Mad Mega Furry Road," referencing the 2015 film "Mad Max: Fury Road"
• "Mega Minions: Legacy," parodying the Disney film "Tron Legacy"
• "Mega Minions Apocalypse Now"
• "Mega Minions Home for the Holidays" 

"Excited? You should be," Carell tells the viewers as he invites them to pre-order tickets to Despicable Me 4 through EnterTheMegaverse.com.

The Mega Minions made their highly anticipated appearance in the latest installation of Despicable Me, which went out in theaters last July 3.

Illumination's 'Despicable Me 4' Campaigns

This isn't the first time the studio took a bat at pop culture and big corporations. 

Previously, Illumination took shots at the use of artificial intelligence with a spot that showcased an office of Minions playing around with AI image generators as the narrator comically tells the audience that the "future is in good hands."

The spot, which captured the hearts of many netizens, served as its Super Bowl entry to promote "Despicable Me 4."

Apart from AI, the company has also leaned into pop culture and the comparisons fans have made between Gru and NBA star Nikola Jokić.

In a 30-second ad, the basketball phenom seeks the help of his therapist after minions harrass him believing him to be their master Gru.

Beyond the spot, Jokić even sported a Gru-inspired outfit during the NBA Playoffs.

Illumination's latest "Megaverse" spot follows other promotional campaigns and collaborations as competition heats up for upcoming animated blockbuster sequels like "Inside Out 2."

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Editing by Katherine 'Makkie' Maclang