Despicable Me 2 (2013)

Despicable Me 2 is a 2013 American animated comedy film produced by Illumination Entertainment and directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud. The sequel follows Gru, now reformed from supervillainy and devoted to raising his three adopted daughters, who is recruited by the Anti-Villain League to help identify a new criminal mastermind who has stolen a powerful mutagen. Partnered with the enthusiastic Agent Lucy Wilde, voiced by Kristen Wiig, Gru investigates a shopping mall while managing his daughters' growing pains, particularly eldest daughter Margo's first crush, and his own developing romantic feelings for Lucy.

Despicable Me 2 was a significant commercial success that surpassed its predecessor, earning $970 million worldwide and establishing the franchise as one of the most lucrative in animation. The Minions' role was expanded substantially from the first film, with their slapstick antics and gibberish language receiving more screen time in response to their unexpected popularity. Kristen Wiig's Lucy Wilde added a welcome new dynamic to the franchise, and the romantic subplot between Gru and Lucy gave the film an emotional dimension that complemented the comedy.

The villain El Macho, voiced by Benjamin Bratt, provided a deliberately over-the-top antagonist whose schemes involved mutating Minions into indestructible purple monsters. The film's success directly led to the Minions spin-off, which earned over $1.1 billion worldwide.