Pierre Coffin returns to direct ‘Minions & Monsters’ as solo debut
9 reported
Pierre Coffin, the French animator who co-directed four films in the "Despicable Me" franchise and voices all Minions, has returned to direct "Minions & Monsters," his solo directorial debut. Coffin had told Illumination founder Chris Meledandri after "Despicable Me 3" that he wanted to stop making Minions films, citing the exhausting workload of each three-to-four-year production. About three years ago, Meledandri proposed an idea about a Minion who makes a monster movie, which led Coffin to develop the 1920s Hollywood setting. The film follows James, an imaginative Minion who dreams of making movies, with friends Henry and Ed, under the eye of a director inspired by European filmmakers like Fritz Lang and Ernst Lubitsch. Coffin said the film allowed him to pay homage to silent-film stars such as Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, and that it is the first time Meledandri let him fully co-write the story with Bryan Lynch. The film premiered on opening night of the Annecy animation festival.
What’s reported
"Minions & Monsters" is Pierre Coffin's solo directorial debut and the only film in the franchise he fully co-wrote with Bryan Lynch.
Coffin had told Illumination founder Chris Meledandri after "Despicable Me 3" that he wanted to stop making Minions films.
Each film in the franchise takes three years, sometimes four, to produce.
The film is set in the 1920s at the birth of Hollywood, an idea Coffin developed after Meledandri proposed a Minion making a monster movie.
The film follows James, an imaginative Minion, and his friends Henry and Ed, under the eye of a director inspired by Fritz Lang and Ernst Lubitsch.
Coffin said the film pays homage to silent-film stars like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton.
The film includes references to classic films Coffin watched as a child, such as "The Blob" with Steve McQueen.
George Lucas appears in the film after Coffin recorded him for half an hour.
The film premiered on opening night of the Annecy animation festival.
Key figures
Pierre Coffin: French animator, director, and voice of all Minions.
Chris Meledandri: Founder of Illumination.
Bryan Lynch: Co-writer of "Minions & Monsters."
George Lucas: Appears in the film.
Sources: Variety
