Minions: The Rise of Gru was one of the most highly anticipated films of 2022. However, some of the film's success must have been a little strange for the film's creators. An internet campaign known as #gentleminions saw large groups of suit-wearing individuals attend showings of the animated children's film, which generated a ton of ticket sales. However, the shenanigans later resulted in these well-dressed individuals being turned away from movie screenings.
The plot of Minions: The Rise of Gru was one of the most unique in the Despicable Me franchise thus far. At the beginning of the film, Gru, who has been portrayed since the franchise's inception by the incredible comedic talent Steve Carell, auditions to be in a squad of supervillains called the Vicious 6. The squad is led by Taraji P. Henson's (Muppets Haunted Mansion, Person of Interest) Belle Bottom. When Gru ultimately flubs his audition, the squad makes fun of him for his youth and perceived lack of villainous talent. To prove himself, Gru then steals the Zodiac stone, a mystical rock with the ability to transform those who wield it into any animal from the Chinese zodiac.
The Despicable Me franchise has been a staple of the animated film world for over a decade now. As such, it's unlikely that Minions: The Rise of Gru will be the last installment in the film series. Here's what a potential sequel might look like.
Another Villainous Master for the Minions
The Minions have been a staple of the Despicable Me franchise since the original film was released back in 2010. The lovable little pill-shaped goofballs are the objects of constant consternation for the villainous Gru, though they have an incredible knack for saving the day just in the nick of time. Despite being essential to the plot of early Despicable Me films, it was not until 2015's Minions that audiences became privy to their origin story.
Essentially, the Minions are an eons-old species of servants. Throughout time, they have sought out evildoers to do the bidding of, and they're seemingly not very picky, having served everyone from a T-Rex to Dracula. However, through their own carelessness, the Minions often find a way to kill their different masters. The Minions only joined Gru at the end of their 2015 origin story film, after he stole the already stolen crown of the Queen of England from Sandra Bullock's Scarlett Overkill.
If there is a follow-up to Minions: The Rise of Gru, it would be interesting to see the Minion's loyalty tested by another villain whose nefarious nature rivals Gru. If presented with a more powerful potential master, would the Minions betray Gru, and how would he go about fixing his relationship with his handy assistants.
Minions: The Gru-niversity Years 
In Minions, The Rise of Gru, audiences got a peek into the younger years of the titular Gru. The character hadn't yet evolved into the self-assured villain, but through his battles with the Vicious 6, he learned to believe in his own abilities, making the character more capable of trusting others. However, if the creative minds behind the Despicable Me franchise want to further explore the character's growth, it might behoove them to focus on his college years, which are some of the most transformative in any individual's life.
The idea of showing classic characters during the wild period of their early adulthood has been explored before, most notably in 2013's Monster University. Audiences have seen Gru as a disgruntled adult, and in the most recent film, as a child. Therefore, focusing on a time between these two distinct phases of life could give fans of the series a better insight into Gru's character.
Additionally, focusing on the early adulthood of Gru in a potential followup to Minions: The Rise of Gru would be an excellent way to cater to generation z audiences, who, as previously discussed, were responsible for a lot of the film's success, though not necessarily in the way that the film's creators had intended.
There has been no formal announcement regarding the intention of Universal Studios to give audiences another installment in the beloved Despicable Me franchise. However, given that Minions: The Rise of Gru propelled the franchise to a total box office earnings of over $4 billion, it is unlikely that any movie studio would be foolish enough to continue milking the cash cow that is the Despicable Me films.
Gru is an incredibly complex character, and fans of the films can rest assured that his story, as well as his association with the lovable Minions, will almost certainly not end with Minions: The Rise of Gru.