Despicable Me Director Addresses Making a Live-Action Minions Movie: "God, I Hope Not"
Chris Renaud has no interest in a live-actions Minions movie.
While live-action takes on popular animated films might be a popular trend — Disney has turned several of their animated classics into live-action films and has more, including Snow White, Lilo & Stitch, and Moana in the works — when it comes to the iconic Minions from the Despicable Me franchise, filmmaker Chris Renaud is decidedly not on board. Speaking with Film Hounds (via Variety), Renaud was asked if he would like to see the Minions head to live-action and he said "God, I hope not."
"God, I hope not. That's my answer," Renaud said. "If there were conversations like that, I haven't been privy to them. But for me, what defines the world is that it is animated and it allows us to get away with what we get away with. Like locking a minion in the vending machine, or you know, blowing up Gru when he attacks Vector. These are really cartoon ideas, like what would have been in a Bugs Bunny cartoon."
He added, "It just becomes something completely different if you do a live-action version. For me personally, not very appealing. But again, who knows what can happen but that's my personal feeling about."
Pixar's Pete Docter Isn't Interested in Live-Action Adaptations
Renaud isn't the only filmmaker who thinks that some stories belong in animation. Pixar's Pete Doctor said earlier this year that the idea of a live-action Ratatouille isn't something he'd consider — and the worlds don't always translate from animation to live-action easily.
"No, and this might bite me in the butt for saying it, but it sort of bothers me. I like making movies that are original and unique to themselves. To remake it, it's not very interesting to me personally."
When the topic of making a live-action rat cute, Docter added, "It would be tough. So much of what we create only works because of the rules of the [animated] world. So, if you have a human walk into a house that floats, your mind goes, 'Wait a second. Hold on. Houses are super heavy. How are balloons lifting the house?' But if you have a cartoon guy and he stands there in the house, you go, 'Okay, I'll buy it.' The worlds that we've built just don't translate very easily."
Minions 3 is Coming in 2027
In July it was announced that Minions 3 is officially in the works. The sequel is scheduled to hit theaters on June 30, 2027. It is set to be written by Bryan Lynch (Minions, Big Helium Dog) and directed by Oscar nominee Pierre Coffin, a director on the first three Despicable Me movies and Minions. The film will be produced by Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and by Bill Ryan.
