The Minions are headed to 1920s Hollywood. Minions and Monsters, the third film in the Despicable Me spinoff franchise, had its world premiere Sunday evening at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France, drawing a crowd that included a surprise appearance by director Guillermo del Toro.
The film follows three Minions: James, an artistic Minion who dreams of becoming a director; his comedic companion Henry; and a mute Minion named Ed. Their story begins, as many Minion stories do, with a search for an evil boss. That search takes them to California, where they accidentally crash a film shoot, get signed by studio producers, and briefly become silent film stars. When the talkies arrive and their careers stall, James conjures a real monster for a comeback film, unleashing a creature bent on destroying Los Angeles and the world.
The Wrap described the film as a charming, brightly animated love letter to Hollywood's heyday. The movie references films including Citizen Kane, Casablanca, and Singin' in the Rain. Studio heads are voiced by Jeff Bridges, and the bullish director is voiced by Christoph Waltz.
Illumination boss Christopher Meledandri and director Pierre Coffin have a history with Annecy. They first brought the Minions to the festival in 2014 for the world premiere of the original Despicable Me. Both were presented with plaques for the festival's new Wall of Fame at the opening ceremony.
"The dawn of cinema in 1920s Hollywood is not obvious place to begin a movie about the Minions but it is the perfect era to set a story that honors cinema and pays homage to the inspiration for the Minions themselves, the silent clowns Keaton, Lloyd, Chaplin and as it turns out, it's a great setting for one Minion who loves to draw and dreams about making a movie," Meledandri said, according to Deadline.
Meledandri also addressed the audience directly about his connection to the film. "Annecy not only provides this moment to celebrate animation but it also gives an opportunity to honor Illumination and its artistry… I'm particularly excited because I love this movie so much and tonight I get to share my appreciation for all of the care which has been poised into every one of the frames of this movie by hundreds of artists sitting in the center of Paris at Illumination Studios," he said.
The premiere coincided with the opening of Annecy's new animation hub, built inside restored 19th-century national stables in the city. Annecy Mayor Antoine Armand called the hub a sign of the city's commitment to culture.
Del Toro's appearance was unannounced. According to The Wrap, he shouted, without a microphone, "F–k AI!" before the screening began.
