When I reviewed MINIONS here ate We Are Movie Geeks back in July, I wrote: “Those goggle-eyed scene-stealers from DESPICABLE ME (and its sequel) get their own showcase in MINIONS, a colorful, fast-paced prequel that kids will have fun with ……There’s a lot of fun to be had with the period music and references to Nixon, the moon landing, and the Swinging London of that time period. I’m not sure small children will laugh when the Minions pop out of a sewer lid on Abbey Road just as the Beatles are making their famous crossing, but I did. Voiced by the film’s directors Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda jabbering in a helium-fueled garble, the Minions are pure slapstick gold….” (read all of my review HERE)
MINIONS will be released by Universal on DVD, Blu-ray and DVD/3D/Blu-ray Combo Pack on December 8th and We Are Movie Geeks has had a sneak peek:
MINION’s Universal’s 1080p/AVC-encoded video image doesn’t disappoint. Colors are vibrant and impeccably saturated, contrast is dead on, black levels are nice and inky, and detail is straight-from-the-digital-tap flawless. Edges are razor sharp, textures are wonderfully refined, and every ounce of magic the animators inject to the film makes a seamless transition to Blu-ray. MINIONS looks every bit as good as it could.
MINION’s DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround audio track is worthy of great praise. Dialogue is clean, clear and naturally grounded in the mix, and prioritization is as perfect as it gets. MINION’s lossless audio track gets the job done on all fronts.
The MINIONS Blu-ray contains quite a few extras:
A 3-D disc (I don’t have a 3D TV so I can’t judge that), DVD copy of the film, and a voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy are all included.
Mini-Movies Three hilarious shorts, each running about 4 minutes: 1)CroMinion: Minions are left in charge of a prehistoric baby. 2)Jingle Bells Minions Style: The Minions perform the Christmas favorite in their own unique way. 3)Competition: A couple of minions compete against one another, building to an explosive crescendo.
One Deleted Scene runs 30 seconds Me, Myself and Stuart.
Around the World Interactive Map: Selecting available points on a map reveals various video and still photo features.
Behind the Goggles — The Illumination Story of The Minions – is a series of short featurettes:
Writers runs 4 minutes and features screenwriter Brian Lynch discussing the minions
The Boss’ Office is a 5-minute interview with Illumination Founder and Producer Chris Meledandri
Art Dept. runs 3 minutes and features Character Designer Eric Guillon, Art Director Oliver Adam, and Writer Brian Lynch discussing the designs of these characters.
Recording Studio runs 3 minutes and features composer Heitor Pereira, Producer Janet Healy, Illumination Founder and Producer Chris Meledandri, and Directors Kyle Balda and Pierre Coffin discussing the music .
Jingle Bells Minions Style: The Minions perform the Christmas favorite in their own unique way.
So you’re tired of all the news reports and headlines about those campaigning for the president, in an election that’s still over a year away? Well, why not take in a movie at the multiplex? Here’s Sandra Bullock’s latest all about…a presidential campaign. Ah, but Sandy’s not in the running, although she’s dashing around quite a bit. She’s a campaign strategist who’s working for a candidate all the way south, very south, in Bolivia. So are presidential races there the same as up here, with sound bites, negative ads,and other ways to manipulate the media? You bet your ballot! So what does she come up with, how will her hopeful break away from the ‘pack’? Just one way, as Ms. B explains in the film’s first act, OUR BRAND IS CRISIS.
US Public relations vets Ben (Anthony Mackie) and Nell (Ann Dowd) have been hired by General Castillo (Joaquim de Almieda) to get his old job back. He was the president of Bolivia fifteen years ago, but was voted out when he privatized the local industries. Unfortunately the electorate has a long memory, which may account for him being down 28 points in the polls. But Nell has a plan, and so she and Ben drive up to a desolate cabin in the snow. They hope to lure the legendary strategist “Calamity” Jane Bodine (Bullock) out of a self-imposed retirement. After a stint in rehab, preceded by several unsuccessful gigs, she’s hesitant to get back in the game. But when she hears that the front-runner, Rivera, has hired her old nemesis Pat Candy (Billy Bob Thornton), Jane puts away the clay pots and cups and hops on a Bolivian bound private jet. After meeting the third member of the American crew, the prickly Buckley (Scoot McNairy), and the surly, brusque Castillo, Jane hatches a campaign “scenario”: the country is in dire straights, on the brink of collapse, and the general is the only one who can save the day. Bringing in her top aide, “hit woman” LeBlanc (Zoe Kazan), and enlisting an enthusiastic local Eddie (Reynaldo Pacheco), Jane attempts a career comeback, for the candidate and herself, as old demons from the past return.
In her first live action role since Oscar-nominated turn in GRAVITY, Bullock’s star charisma injects much-needed life in many of the story’s soggy stretches. In the scenes back in her tiny snow-bound cottage she projects a great deal of vulnerability with her hesitant line delivery and haunted “seen it all” stare. Upon her arrival on foreign soil, Bullock goes for laughs as Jane battles the effects of the altitude. This plays often as an appeasement to fans hoping for a reprise of the pratfalls from THE HEAT or the MISS CONGENIALITY flicks. But soon she puts down the ever-present bag a’ chips and gets down to business with a hard-driving, “take no prisoners” zeal that propels the plot forward, which seems to mask her sadness over the times she went too far for victory. Once again Bullock ably balances the tough and tender in an expert performance.
Happily, an accomplished ensemble aides Ms. Bullock. Thornton is an excellent sparring partner as the all “too slick” and smooth Mr. Candy, who knows exactly how to get under her skin, with his smug sarcasm twisting like a knife. Mackie is the questioning moral center of the PR team, standing up to Jane when she crosses the line. Dowd is the hardened vet and co-conspirator in Jane’s wild schemes, an “Ethel” to her “Lucy”. McNairy is very funny as the easily irritated and irritating Buckly, always quick with a lousy idea or crass comment. As the candidate, de Almeida, struts about as if the whole affair were beneath his regal, military bearing with a sinister glint in his eyes. It makes us wonder whether he can really woo the populace, as we question his true motives. The delightful Kazan is underused as Jane’s “ace up my sleeve”, but Pacheco has a great deal of youthful charm and energy as the optimistic Eddie who will eventually face the ugly, dark side of politics.
Although the film’s being marketed as a breezy “culture class” comedy, director David Gordon Green breaks out of the stoner comedy cage (YOUR HIGHNESS) to deliver a tough look at dirty side of campaigning. Unfortunately these two goals never quite gel. The high spirits wackiness of making tacky commercials with llamas and racing campaign buses over treacherous mountain roads slams up against ugly internet lies that inspire suicide and exploitation of the poor. Peter Straughan’s screenplay (inspired by the 2005 same-titled documentary) never really finds a way to balance that tone while keeping the story moving at a brisk pace. And the film’s main character is still something of a mystery by the end scenes. At one point she fully plunges back into her old vices (starting with the interminable chain-smoking), boozing with little ramifications other than waking up hung over in a jail cell. In the film’s final moments the script heads down a dark cynical path that is detoured with a contrived hopeful final shot that’s forced (I smell ‘test-marketing’ at work). It’s great to have Bullock back, but her considerable charisma and talents can’t erase the story and pacing flaws of OUR BRAND IS CRISIS.
The breakout stars the world fell in love with in Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s Despicable Me global film franchise headline their own movie for the first time in MINIONS, available on Digital HD November 24, 2015, and on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and On Demand on December 8, 2015 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
A much anticipated prequel to the unprecedented worldwide blockbusters Despicable Me and the beloved sequel Despicable Me 2, Minions is an immensely entertaining film for all audiences called “inventive and hilarious” by Julian Roman, Movieweb.com. The Blu-ray Combo Pack and Digital HD also come with three all-new mini-movies and even more Minions everyone will want to watch again and again especially during the busy holiday travel season.
The story of Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s Minions begins at the dawn of time. Starting as single-celled yellow organisms, Minions evolve through the ages, perpetually serving the most despicable of masters. Continuously unsuccessful at keeping these masters—from T. rex to Napoleon—the Minions find themselves without someone to serve and fall into a deep depression. But one Minion named Kevin has a plan, and he—alongside teenage rebel Stuart and lovable little Bob—ventures out into the world to find a new evil boss for his brethren to follow. The trio embark upon a thrilling journey that ultimately leads them to their next potential master, Scarlet Overkill (Academy Award-winner Sandra Bullock), the world’s first-ever female super-villain. They travel from frigid Antarctica to 1960s New York City, ending in ‘mod’ London, where they must face their biggest challenge to date: saving all of Minionkind…from annihilation.
Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side, Gravity) heads up an all-star voice cast including Golden Globe and recent Emmy Award-winner Jon Hamm (“Mad Men,” Bridesmaids), Academy Award-nominee Michael Keaton (Birdman:(Or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Toy Story 3), six-time Emmy Award-winner Allison Janney (“The West Wing,” “Masters of Sex,” “Mom”), Academy Award-nominee Steve Coogan (Despicable Me 2, Philomena), BAFTA Award-winner Jennifer Saunders (“Absolutely Fabulous,” Shrek 2), and Academy Award-winner Geoffrey Rush (The King’s Speech, Pirates of the Caribbean series). The inimitable voices of the Minions are again voiced by Academy Award-nominee Pierre Coffin (Despicable Me, Despicable Me 2) who co-directs with Kyle Balda (Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax). Minions is produced by Illumination Entertainment CEO and founder Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy. Brian Lynch wrote the screenplay, and Chris Renaud serves as executive producer of the film.
Minions will be available on Blu-ray™ with DIGITAL HD and UltraViolet™ and DVD
Blu-ray™ unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing movies in more places, both at home and away.
DIGITAL HD with UltraViolet™ lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download
BONUS FEATURES EXCLUSIVE TO BLU-RAYTM AND DIGITAL HD:
THREE ALL-NEW MINI-MOVIES:
Cro Minion
Competition
Binky Nelson Unpacified
DELETED SCENE – ME, MYSELF AND STUART
AROUND THE WORLD INTERACTIVE MAP – Explore the world of the Minions with this interactive map featuring a collection of games, trivia, featurettes, storyboards, and more all themed to movie locations.
BEHIND THE GOGGLES – THE ILLUMINATION STORY OF THE MINIONS – Get a “behind the goggles” look at the history and evolution of everyone’s favorite yellow henchmen.
WRITER – See how the Minions evolve throughout the different time periods. Writer, Brian Lynch discusses creating distinctive personalities for the three main Minions, his VillainCon idea, and the Minion family.
BOSS’ OFFICE – Illumination Entertainment CEO and founder and Minions producer, Chris Meledandri discusses the origins of Illumination Entertainment and the genesis of both Despicable Me and the Minions.
ART DEPARTMENT – See how the Minions came to life, from the original art concept of the henchmen to the final creation of the Minions and how to differentiate them between new time periods. Also, see how the idea of Herb and Scarlett Overkill’s characters came to be.
GALLERY – CONCEPT ART (stills)
GALLERY – COLOR SCRIPT (stills)
COMPOSER – Listen to how composer Heitor Pereira creates the sound of the Minions and what it takes to create big music for small characters.
ACTORS STUDIO – Listen to the actors’ experiences being part of the Minions movie, who their favorite Minions are, and why they love them so much.
NOTICE BOARD (stills)
SAFETY VIDEO
ILLUMINATION MACGUFF ANIMATION
ANIMATION – Go behind the scenes and hear about the challenges and excitement behind the Minion characters and bringing them alive through animation in the movie
LIGHTING, LAYOUT AND EFFECTS – A look at the ways in which layout and lighting plays a big role in the emotion and motivation in the movie. Also see the ways in which they try to keep the 60’s vintage look and the challenges they face with very technical shots, where one shot can take weeks.
3D MODELS GALLERY (stills)
DIRECTORS – Directors Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda discuss the unique challenges of creating distinctive personalities for the Minions
PRODUCERS – Producers Chris Meledandri, Janet Healy and Executive Producer Chris Renaud discuss the three main characters – Kevin, Stuart, and Bob – little family in the movie and the goal of creating a special bond between them and the audience when they leave the theater.
EDITORIAL – Editor Claire Dodgson discusses the distinctive editing style of the Despicable Me franchise and the three-year process it takes to make these movies from the original storyboards to cutting scenes with Minion dialogue.
STORYBOARD ARTIST – Learn how the actions of the words of the script turn into visual drawings and how much work is put in from the rough sketches to the final cut of the movie.
GALLERY – STUART HOT TUB STORYBOARD (stills)
JINGLE BELLS MINION STYLE – This holiday favorite is brought to life in a merry-Minion way. Now you get to sing along to the beloved video that was the most shared piece of content on Facebook in 2014.
THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS THEATRICAL TRAILER
DVD BONUS FEATURES
DELETED SCENE – ME, MYSELF AND STUART
JINGLE BELLS MINION STYLE – This holiday favorite is brought to life in a merry-Minion way. Now you get to sing along to the beloved video that was the most shared piece of content on Facebook in 2014.
Since the dawn of time, Minions have served (and accidentally eliminated) history’s most despicable villains. After their latest explosive mistake leaves them without an evil leader, the Minions fall into a deep depression. With the tribe on the brink of collapse, three unlikely heroes–Kevin, Stuart, and Bob—embark on a journey to find a new big boss. When their quest leads them to their next potential master, Scarlet Overkill (Academy Award® winner Sandra Bullock), our three heroes must face their biggest challenge yet: saving all of Minionkind…from annihilation!
FILMMAKERS: Cast:Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Allison Janney, Steve Coogan, Jennifer Saunders, Geoffrey Rush, Pierre Coffin
Directed By:Pierre Coffin, Kyle Balda
Written By:Brian Lynch
Produced By:Chris Meledandri, Janet Healy
Executive Produced By:Chris Renaud
Edited By:Claire Dodgson
Music By:Heitor Pereira
TECHNICAL INFORMATION –BLU-RAY 3D™: Street Date:December 8, 2015
Copyright: 2015 Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Selection Number: 61168386 (U.S.), 61168352 (CDN)
Layers: BD-50
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 1.85:1
Rating: PG
Languages/Subtitles: English, Spanish, and French
Sound: Atmos Dolby True HD/DVS Dolby Digital 2.0 DVS (English), Dolby Digital 5.1 (Spanish and French)
Run Time: 1 Hour 31 Minutes
TECHNICAL INFORMATION BLU-RAY™: Street Date:December 8, 2015
Copyright: 2015 Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Selection Number: 61126654 (U.S.), 61168350 (CDN)
Layers: BD-50
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 1.85:1
Rating: PG
Languages/Subtitles: English, Spanish, and French
Sound: Atmos Dolby True HD/DVS Dolby Digital 2.0 DVS (English), Dolby Digital 5.1 (Spanish and French)
Run Time: 1 Hour 31 Minutes
To experience Dolby Atmos at home, Dolby Atmos enabled AV receivers and additional speakers are required; however, Dolby Atmos soundtracks are fully backward compatible with traditional audio configurations and legacy home entertainment equipment.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION DVD Street Date:December 8, 2015
Copyright: 2015 Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Selection Number: 61126664 (U.S.), 61168351 (CDN)
Layers: Dual
Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen 1:85:1
Rating: PG
Languages/Subtitles: English, Spanish, and French
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1/DVS Dolby Digital 2.0 (English), Dolby Digital 5.1 (Spanish and French)
Here’s your first look at the brand new trailer for director David Gordon Green’s OUR BRAND IS CRISIS, starring Oscar winners Sandra Bullock (THE BLIND SIDE) and Billy Bob Thornton (SLING BLADE).
The film will debut this coming weekend at the Toronto International Film Festival and then in theaters on October 30th.
In the film, a Bolivian presidential candidate failing badly in the polls enlists the firepower of an elite American management team, led by the deeply damaged but still brilliant strategist “Calamity” Jane Bodine (Bullock). In self-imposed retirement following a scandal that earned her nickname and rocked her to her core, Jane is coaxed back into the game for the chance to beat her professional nemesis, the loathsome Pat Candy (Thornton), now coaching the opposition.
But as Candy zeroes in on every vulnerability – both on and off the campaign trail – Jane is plunged into a personal crisis as intense as the one her team exploits nationally to boost their numbers. Dramatic, rapid-fire and laced with satire, OUR BRAND IS CRISIS reveals the cynical machinations and private battles of world-class political consultants for whom nothing is sacred and winning is all that matters.
The drama also stars Anthony Mackie, Joaquim de Almeida, Ann Dowd, Scoot McNairy and Zoe Kazan.
Green directs from a screenplay by Oscar nominee Peter Straughan (“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”), suggested by the documentary by Rachel Boynton, which outlined the American political campaign marketing tactics employed in the real-life 2002 Bolivian presidential election.
The film is produced by Oscar-winning Smokehouse Pictures’ principals Grant Heslov and George Clooney (ARGO), with Bullock, Stuart Besser, and Participant Media’s Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King serving as executive producers.
Green’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes frequent collaborators director of photography Tim Orr, editor Colin Patton, production designer Richard A. Wright and composer David Wingo (MANGLEHORN,), as well as costume designer Jenny Eagan (NOW YOU SEE ME).
Those goggle-eyed scene-stealers from DESPICABLE ME (and its sequel) get their own showcase in MINIONS, a colorful, fast-paced prequel that kids will have fun with but fails to soar to the heights of the original films. The funniest bits in MINIONS are the opening scenes (we saw them in the trailer) with Minions throughout history disastrously serving the most despicable baddies they can find; a T-Rex, a Pharaoh, Dracula, Napoleon, etc. The story then jumps ahead to 1968, when three brave minions, Bob, Kevin, and Stuart, leave their tribe in the Antarctic to find a new Archfiend to assist. After a brief stop in New York City, the boys travel to ‘Villain Con’, a supervillain convention in Florida where they meet and get jobs working for Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock). She, along with her husband Herb (John Hamm) whisks the three off to England with the assignment of stealing for her the Crown Jewels from the Queen. They muff that job but accidentally wind up ruling the country, which doesn’t sit well with the Overkills.
MINIONS has plenty of laughs but plays more like a series of frantic visual gags than a fully developed story. There’s a lot of fun to be had with the period music and references to Nixon, the moon landing, and the Swinging London of that time period. I’m not sure small children will laugh when the Minions pop out of a sewer lid on Abbey Road just as the Beatles are making their famous crossing, but I did. Voiced by the film’s directors Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda jabbering in a helium-fueled garble, the Minions are pure slapstick gold, but MINIONS lacks the heart of the first two films. I think the little banana-loving gremlins work best when they’re comedy relief on the edges of the actual story, not front and center like they are here. They also need a good super-villain to work off of and Sandra Bullock’s Scarlet is no Gru. She’s given little to do besides standard cartoon stuff like cackle and scream and shoot her lava lamp gun from her flying machine. Worse is Jon Hamm, not funny at all as Scarlet’s creepy, unnecessary husband. The film gets bogged down when it becomes the Overkill’s story, making the 91-minute running time seem longer. I wish the central villains had been the Nelsons, a wacky American family on a cross-country crime spree that picks up the hitchhiking Minions in their station wagon early in the film. Ma and Pa Nelson are voiced by Allison Janney and Michael Keaton and what they pull off with their brief screen time is far more hilarious than anything Bullock and Hamm do. If the producers of MINIONS make another spin-off film, they’d be wise to bring back the Nelsons.
Universal Pictures, Illumination Entertainment and Pacific Theatres announced today the launch of the MINIONS Takeover of ArcLight Hollywood in support of Illumination and Universal’s upcoming MINIONS, which will be released in theaters across the country on July 10, 2015. From now until July 16, Kevin, Stuart and Bob—Minion stars of the upcoming film—will reside atop Pacific Theatres’ Cinerama Dome.
The stunning results of a display that went up over the past week, the Minions Takeover required 2,000 hours of work, which included concept development, design, engineering, printing cutting and sewing. The Minions and their elusive banana may be seen at the Cinerama Dome at ArcLight Hollywood located at 6360 W. Sunset Blvd., in Hollywood, California, and a time-lapse video of the construction.
Statistics of the components of the Minions Takeover include:
The Cinerama Dome wrap required 4,166 square yards of fabric and weighs 2,500 pounds.
Proud and protective Kevin is 50 feet tall and weighs 375 pounds. He sports a size 80 shoe and has a waist that is 69 feet long.
Rebellious adolescent Stuart is 40 feet tall and weighs 300 pounds. He wears a size 64 shoe and has a waist that is 75 feet long.
Innocent and eager Bob is 35 feet tall and weighs 262 pounds. His shoe size is 56, and he has a waist that is 69 feet long.
The Banana for which the Minions are desperately reaching is 50 pounds and if it was an actual piece of fruit, it would weigh approximately 4,233 pounds.
“The Cinerama Dome is an iconic Los Angeles landmark, and we’re proud to bring this movie to life with this impressive and fun Minion Takeover,” said Gretchen McCourt, Executive Vice President of Cinema Programming, ArcLight Cinemas. “Through our partnership with Universal and Illumination, we were able to create a monumental display that extends the ArcLight brand as the destination for the biggest summer movies, and aligns with our goal to provide an unmatched moviegoing experience.”
“It is quite an impressive sight to drive down Sunset and encounter enormous versions of Illumination’s Minions as they continue to become a part of our culture,” said Nick Carpou, president of distribution, Universal Pictures. “We cannot thank our friends at Pacific Theatres enough for working with us on this massive feat of engineering.”
The story of Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures’ MINIONS begins at the dawn of time. Starting as single-celled yellow organisms, Minions evolve through the ages, perpetually serving the most despicable of masters. Continuously unsuccessful at keeping these masters—from T. rex to Napoleon—the Minions find themselves without someone to serve and fall into a deep depression.
But one Minion named Kevin has a plan, and he—alongside teenage rebel Stuart and lovable little Bob—ventures out into the world to find a new evil boss for his brethren to follow.
The trio embarks upon a thrilling journey that ultimately leads them to their next potential master, Scarlet Overkill (Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock), the world’s first-ever female super-villain. They travel from frigid Antarctica to 1960s New York City, ending in mod London, where they must face their biggest challenge to date: saving all of Minionkind…from annihilation.
Featuring a soundtrack of hit music from the ’60s that still permeates our culture today, MINIONS is produced by Illumination’s Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy, and is directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda. Brian Lynch has written the screenplay for the film, and Chris Renaud serves as executive producer of the film.
Grammy-winning Musician/Songwriter/Composer Heitor Pereira returns with a mischievous score for MINIONS, in theatres nationwide on July 10, 2015.
More of the loveable little dudes are headed your way in the latest MINIONS trailer.
It’s 1968, and the Minions are off to Villain-Con, the biggest gathering of evil anywhere. Here they meet Scarlett Overkill, first-ever female super villain voiced by Sandra Bullock.
The story of Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s MINIONS begins at the dawn of time. Starting as single-celled yellow organisms, Minions evolve through the ages, perpetually serving the most despicable of masters. Continuously unsuccessful at keeping these masters – from T. rex to Napoleon – the Minions find themselves without someone to serve and fall into a deep depression.
But one Minion named Kevin has a plan, and he – alongside teenage rebel Stuart and lovable little Bob—ventures out into the world to find a new evil boss for his brethren to follow.
The trio embarks upon a thrilling journey that ultimately leads them to their next potential master, Scarlet Overkill (Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock), the world’s first-ever female super-villain.
They travel from frigid Antarctica to 1960s New York City, ending in mod London, where they must face their biggest challenge to date: saving all of Minionkind…from annihilation.
Get ready for a big load of Minion cuteness! Stuart, Kevin and Bob journey through history in search of a new master in the official trailer for MINIONS.
The story begins at the dawn of time. Starting as single-celled yellow organisms, Minions evolve through the ages, perpetually serving the most despicable of masters. Continuously unsuccessful at keeping these masters – from T. rex to Napoleon – the Minions find themselves without someone to serve and fall into a deep depression.
But one Minion named Kevin has a plan, and he – alongside teenage rebel Stuart and lovable little Bob – ventures out into the world to find a new evil boss for his brethren to follow.
The trio embarks upon a thrilling journey that ultimately leads them to their next potential master, Scarlet Overkill (Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock), the world’s first-ever female super-villain. They travel from frigid Antarctica to 1960s New York City, ending in mod London, where they must face their biggest challenge to date: saving all of Minionkind…from annihilation.
The film also features Jon Hamm, Steve Coogan, Allison Janney and Michael Keaton. Featuring a soundtrack of hit music from the ’60s that still permeates our culture today, MINIONS is produced by Illumination’s Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy, and is directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda. Brian Lynch has written the screenplay for the 3D-CG comedy adventure, and Chris Renaud serves as executive producer of the film.
The loveable little yellow dudes are returning to the big screen this summer. Stuart, Kevin and Bob star in the first poster for Universal Pictures’ and Illumination Entertainment’s MINIONS. Get a first look of the new trailer on NBC’s ‘The Voice’ on Monday, November 3rd.
The story begins at the dawn of time. Starting as single-celled yellow organisms, Minions evolve through the ages, perpetually serving the most despicable of masters. Continuously unsuccessful at keeping these masters – from T. rex to Napoleon – the Minions find themselves without someone to serve and fall into a deep depression.
But one Minion named Kevin has a plan, and he – alongside teenage rebel Stuart and lovable little Bob – ventures out into the world to find a new evil boss for his brethren to follow.
The trio embarks upon a thrilling journey that ultimately leads them to their next potential master, Scarlet Overkill (Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock), the world’s first-ever female super-villain. They travel from frigid Antarctica to 1960s New York City, ending in mod London, where they must face their biggest challenge to date: saving all of Minionkind…from annihilation.
The film also features Jon Hamm. Featuring a soundtrack of hit music from the ’60s that still permeates our culture today, MINIONS is produced by Illumination’s Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy, and is directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda. Brian Lynch has written the screenplay for the 3D-CG comedy adventure, and Chris Renaud serves as executive producer of the film.
Filming is underway in New Orleans on director David Gordon Green’s (“Pineapple Express,” “George Washington”) feature adaptation of the critically acclaimed 2005 documentary OUR BRAND IS CRISIS, starring Oscar winners Sandra Bullock (“The Blind Side”) and Billy Bob Thornton (“Sling Blade”).
When a group of American consultants accept the challenge of getting an unpopular Bolivian president re-elected, they realize they need help. Tracking down retired maverick political consultant Jane Bodine (Bullock) to her cabin in the woods, they persuade her to lead the team—a decision they quickly come to regret, as “Calamity” Jane begins to live up to her nickname, unleashing her very own brand of chaos on the campaign.
Just as all seems lost, the loathsome Pat Candy (Thornton), Jane’s worst enemy, arrives in town to work for the opposition. Suddenly things become personal and as the battle begins the consultants get to see Jane the legend in action.
The film also stars Anthony Mackie (“Captain America: The Winter Soldier”), Scoot McNairy (“Gone Girl,” “Argo”), Zoe Kazan (“Ruby Sparks”), Ann Dowd (“Side Effects,” HBO’s “The Leftovers”), Reynaldo Pacheco (“Beginners”), Dominic Flores (“Rampart”), Louis Arcella (NBC’s “The Blacklist”), Octavio Gómez Berríos (“Che: Part One”) and Joaquim de Almeida (“Fast Five”).
Green directs from a screenplay by Oscar nominee Peter Straughan (“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”), based on the documentary by Rachel Boynton, which outlined the American political campaign marketing tactics employed in the real-life 2002 Bolivian presidential election.
The film is being produced by Oscar-winning Smokehouse Pictures’ principals George Clooney and Grant Heslov (“Argo”), with Bullock, Participant Media’s Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King, and Stuart Besser serving as executive producers. Participant Media is a co-financier on the film.
Green’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes frequent collaborators director of photography Tim Orr, editor Colin Patton and production designer Richard A. Wright (“Manglehorn”), as well as costume designer Jenny Eagan (“Now You See Me”).
The film will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
