A father of two children himself, Steve Carell is especially attuned to what kids look for when they sit down to watch an animated movie. He took that insight into account when he first joined the cast of "Despicable Me." "They're not condescending to children," Carell said at CinemaCon's Universal Pictures panel (via ComicBook.com). "That's one of the reasons I signed on to do these." He even used his kids as a mini-test audience, settling on the Gru voice that made them laugh.
Carell also appreciated that the films weren't overly sugar-coated. "There's a little danger here, and kids love that," he added. "Not too much, but just enough to be exciting and new and different."
The actor has also spoken on the importance of showcasing villains on film, an exploration that he thinks shouldn't be limited to adults. "Do you admire them? Do you fear them? Are you charmed by them?" he asked WGN. The "Minions: Rise of Gru" actor will have more opportunities to consider those questions when he returns for "Despicable Me 4," which is set to premiere in theaters on July 3, 2024 (via Variety).
