If you’ve stepped into a movie theater or scrolled through a streaming app in the last decade, you know the voice. It's that strange, indeterminate Eastern European-ish accent. It's nasal, it’s booming, and it belongs to a guy who somehow makes a former supervillain feel like your favorite grumpy uncle.
People keep asking: who plays Gru in Despicable Me 4?
Steve Carell is back. Honestly, it’s hard to imagine anyone else in the gray scarf. While some franchises swap out voice actors like they're changing lightbulbs, Carell has stuck with Felonious Gru since 2010. He’s the heart of the whole thing. In this fourth installment, he’s not just fighting bad guys; he’s dealing with a baby who seemingly hates his guts.
Why Steve Carell Still Matters as Gru
Some people think voice acting is just showing up and reading lines. It’s not. Especially not with a character like Gru. Carell has talked before about how the voice actually started as something he did to make his kids laugh. It's a mix of several different accents—nothing too specific, which is why it works.
In Despicable Me 4, the stakes are weirdly personal. We see Gru trying to connect with Gru Jr., a tiny version of himself who prefers his mom, Lucy. Carell brings a certain vulnerability to the role that usually gets lost in big-budget animation. It’s that balance between "I used to steal the moon" and "I’m desperate for my son to like me."
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The New Rivals and Old Friends
While Carell is the anchor, the cast around him for the 2024 sequel is pretty stacked. You’ve got Will Ferrell playing Maxime Le Mal. If you’re a fan of Anchorman, seeing these two reunite—even just through their voices—is a total blast. Ferrell plays a cockroach-themed villain who’s held a grudge against Gru since their high school days.
Here is a quick look at who else joined the booth for this one:
- Kristen Wiig returns as Lucy Wilde. She’s been the perfect comedic foil for Gru since the second movie.
- Joey King voices Poppy Prescott. She's a teenage aspiring villain who basically blackmails Gru into a heist.
- Sofia Vergara plays Valentina, Maxime’s femme fatale girlfriend.
- Stephen Colbert and Chloe Fineman show up as the Prescotts, Gru’s "normal" neighbors when the family goes into witness protection.
A Massive Box Office Machine
By the time 2026 rolled around, the numbers for Despicable Me 4 were essentially etched in stone. It didn't quite hit the elusive billion-dollar mark like some of its predecessors, but it came incredibly close, raking in over $970 million worldwide.
Why does this matter? Because it proves that even six movies into a franchise (counting the Minions spin-offs), people aren't tired of Steve Carell's voice. The movie cost about $100 million to make, which, in the world of high-end animation, is actually pretty modest. The profit margins are insane. Universal and Illumination have basically built a "yellow Twinkie" empire, and Gru is the undisputed king.
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The Recasting of Agnes
One thing most fans didn't notice right away—or maybe they did if they have "parent ears"—is that Agnes was recast again. Madison Skyy Polan took over the role for this film. Since the character of Agnes is a young child, the original voice actors eventually grow out of the part. It's a common hurdle in long-running animated series. Polan stepped in for Nev Scharrel, who had previously replaced Elsie Fisher.
The Evolution of the "Gru Voice"
When Steve Carell first sat down to record for the original movie back in the late 2000s, nobody knew if a movie about a villain would work. Most animated leads were traditional heroes. Gru was different.
Carell’s performance has shifted over the years. In the first film, he was harsher. By Despicable Me 4, the voice has softened. There’s more "dad" in the tone. It’s a subtle bit of character development that happens purely through vocal inflection.
The plot of the fourth movie leans heavily into this. When the family has to move to a safe house and take on the fake name "Cunningham," you hear Gru trying—and failing—to sound like a regular suburban guy. It’s a meta-joke about Carell’s own ability to hide his iconic voice.
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What's Next for the Franchise?
Look, they aren't stopping. With the kind of money Despicable Me 4 made, Minions 3 is already on the horizon for 2027.
If you're wondering if Steve Carell will keep playing Gru, the answer is almost certainly yes. He’s mentioned in interviews that he loves the character's "unabashed kindness" hidden under the grumpy exterior. As long as he’s willing to do the accent, Illumination will keep writing the checks.
Actionable Steps for Fans:
- Check out the "B-Roll" footage: If you want to see Carell actually doing the voice in the studio, there’s some great behind-the-scenes footage on the Blu-ray and YouTube. Seeing his facial expressions while he’s recording explains why the animation looks the way it does.
- Rewatch the "Class Reunion" scene: Pay attention to the chemistry between Carell and Will Ferrell. It’s some of the best comedic timing in the entire franchise.
- Keep an eye on the spin-offs: While Gru is the main man, the "Mega Minions" introduced in this film are likely getting their own shorts or featured roles in upcoming projects.
The franchise has officially become the highest-grossing animated series in history. It’s a juggernaut. And at the center of it all is a guy from The Office doing a funny voice to make his kids laugh.