Minions and Monsters features the voice of Star Wars and Indiana Jones creator George Lucas, but how did the film land the legendary director for a rare screen appearance?
The latest film to feature the lovable, pill-shaped henchmen in the Despicable Me franchise premiered in theaters on Wednesday to broaden its opening stretch over the 4th of July weekend. Director Pierre Coffin also voices all of the Minions, who this time are the subject of an origin story that includes the rise and fall of their careers in 1920s Hollywood as the silent movie stars fell victim to the era of talkies.
Like its predecessors, Minions & Monsters is loaded with voice talent, which this time includes the likes of Allison Janney, Jeff Bridges, Jesse Eisenberg, Bobby Moynihan, Christoph Waltz and Trey Parker — who voices a different role than he did in 2017’s Despicable Me 3. While Steve Carell’s evil-turned-good genius Gru in the new film, another big name — Lucas — has stepped up to voice a role in Minions & Monsters, even though it’s in a cameo capacity.
In a recent interview, Despicable Me franchise producer Chris Meledandri told Collider that he had a meeting with Lucas two years ago that stemmed from the sci-fi movie icon’s love of the movies from Meledandri’s production company Illumination Entertainment, which includes 2010’s Despicable Me.
As such, Meledandri came up with an idea for Lucas to play himself in Minions & Monsters, which he ran by Coffin and his co-writers Brian Lynch and Bill Ryan.
“An idea for a character came up out of the story, and so I said to Pierre [Coffin], who co-wrote the movie with Brian Lynch, and Bill Ryan, who produces with me on the film, and I just said, ‘Well, what if we could get George?’ And they’re like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ I had no idea, but I got such a fast yes,” Meledandri recalled for Collider.
Note: The next section of this story includes a spoiler regarding Lucas’ appearance in “Minions & Monsters.”
Where Does George Lucas Appear In ‘Minions & Monsters’?
Minions & Monsters begins in modern-day Hollywood, where a tour guide, Olivia (Allison Janney) leads people through a movie museum that features statues of several different Hollywood icons, including Keanu Reeves (as Neo from The Matrix), Orson Welles and Humphrey Bogart.
Another Hollywood legend is featured in the tour, but as a living exhibit, George Lucas is trapped in a glass enclosure. His voice cameo amounts to a couple of lines, where he pleads with Olivia to let him out of the case. Lucas appears in the final scene of the movie as well, but doesn’t speak any additional dialogue.
Meledandri told Collider that Lucas’ appearance in Minions & Monsters “was incredible and they were thrilled to have him in the film.”
Even better, the producer added, Lucas wants to return for more voiceover work in the Despicable Me franchise.
“I saw him recently, and he’s already talking to me about the role he wants to do next in the next Minions movie,” Meledandri told Collider. “So, it’s pretty incredible.”
Rated PG, Minions & Monsters is new in theaters.
