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Benjamin Bratt Replaces Al Pacino On ‘Despicable Me 2′

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Friday May 3, 2013 @ 5:06pm PDTTags: Al Pacino, Benjamin Bratt, Despicable Me 2, Illumination Entertainment, Universal Pictures
Mike Fleming

Related: Say Goodbye To My Little Friend: Al Pacino Exits Summer Sequel ‘Despicable Me’

EXCLUSIVE: Well, that didn’t take long. Benjamin Bratt has stepped in to voice the villain Eduardo in Despicable Me 2. He replaces Al Pacino, who exited the project over creative differences with Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment. He’s getting to work right away on a film that Universal is counting on for a major summer release that begins July 3. Despicable Me 2 is the fourth film from Illumination Entertainment and the sequel to its 2010 hit  Despicable Me, one of Universal’s most profitable films ever, with north of $540 million worldwide on a $69 million budget. The sequel is directed by Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin, and scripted by Cinco Paul & Ken Daurio, with Illumination founder Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy producing. Bratt, whose credits include Snitch, La Mission, The Woodsman and Traffic, is repped by WME, Circle of Confusion and attorney Robert Myman.

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Say Goodbye To My Little Friend: Al Pacino Exits Summer Sequel ‘Despicable Me 2′

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Friday May 3, 2013 @ 3:41pm PDTTags: Al Pacino, Despicable Me 2, Illumination Entertainment, Universal Pictures
Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE: Here is a shocker. Al Pacino and Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment have parted company on Despicable Me 2. Pacino had long ago signed to provide the voice of the film’s villain, Eduardo, in the follow-up to the 2010 hit. The surprise here is timing: the film has a July 3 release date, and this occurred on the first weekend of summer film releases. Pacino had done a lot of the voice work, but ultimately his last-minute exit came down to creative difference. The studio and Chris Meledandri’s Illumination are in the process of landing someone to take over and I’m told there is time to get all this done and not imperil the film’s release date. Animation makes that much easier; no re-shoots.

Related: Benjamin Bratt Replaces Al Pacino On ‘Despicable Me 2′

The studio confirmed Pacino’s exit, and gave me this statement: “Over the production of Despicable Me 2, there were creative differences between us and Al Pacino, who had been cast as the voice of Eduardo in the film. We have mutually decided with Al to replace the voice of Eduardo with a new actor. Universal and Illumination thank Al for his many contributions to the process and look forward to a new actor bringing this memorable character to the screen upon its release this summer.” Read More »

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‘Despicable Me 2′ Gets IMAX 3D Treatment As Part Of International Release

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Thursday April 18, 2013 @ 6:19pm PDTTags: Despicable Me 2, Illumination Entertainment, IMAX, Universal

Universal and Illumination Entertainment‘s Despicable Me 2 begins its international release on June 20th in 2D and 3D theaters and in select IMAX theaters. Chris Meledandri’s sequel features a return of the Minions, plus … Read More »

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CinemaCon: Universal’s Sequel Machine Pays Off With Exhibitors

By PETE HAMMOND | Tuesday April 16, 2013 @ 3:05pm PDTTags: Adam Fogelson, Battleship, Big Deals Film, Denzel Washington, Despicable Me 2, Fast & Furious 6, Kick-Ass 2, Mark Wahlberg, Ron Meyer, Ted, Universal, Vin Diesel
Pete Hammond

It was Universal Pictures’ turn in the spotlight this morning as Chairman Adam Fogelson served up a look at the studio’s sequel-packed summer slate and a summary of the studio’s 2012 hits and even big miss Battleship. He announced sequels in … Read More »

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Despicablimp High-Hyping ‘Despicable Me 2′

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Friday March 22, 2013 @ 11:43am PDTTags: Despicable Me 2, Universal Pictures

Despicable Me 2 launches July 3 in theaters but the Despicablimp already is in the air. The promotional vehicle (literally) for the Universal Pictures-Illumination Entertainment sequel took off today for a 20,000-mile coast-to-coast trip and makes its first official public appearance tomorrow over Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards in … Read More »

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Hot Trailer: ‘Despicable Me 2′

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Tuesday March 19, 2013 @ 9:44am PDTTags: Despicable Me 2, Universal Pictures

Universal releases Illumination Entertainment’s 3D Despicable Me 2 on July 3 after the first one made more than $540M worldwide in 2010 — it seems we’ve been seeing promos for the sequel ever since. But here’s a full trailer that shows Steve Carell back as super-villain Gru, along … Read More »

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‘Have A Despicable Thanksgiving’ Teaser

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Thursday November 22, 2012 @ 10:49am PSTTags: Despicable Me 2

Universal and Illumination Entertainment aren’t releasing Despicable Me 2 until Summer 2013. But the marketing has begun early:

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Hot Trailer: ‘Despicable Me 2′

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Wednesday October 31, 2012 @ 9:52am PDTTags: Despicable Me 2, Universal Pictures

Universal opens its sequel Despicable Me 2 on July 3, 2013. Steve Carell is back in the lead with Kristen Wiig and Al Pacino joining him in the voice cast. The original pic from Chris Meladandri’s Illumination Entertainment was a big hit, grossing $543M worldwide in 2010 and … Read More »

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Hot Trailer: ‘Despicable Me 2′

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Thursday March 1, 2012 @ 10:53am PSTTags: Despicable Me 2, Universal

Universal releases its sequel to its hit 2010 animated film from Illumination Entertainment on July 3, 2013. The first one made $251.5 million domestically and $543 million globally, so you can understand the eagerness to get the next one out there. Here’s the studio’s first teaser:

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Al Pacino Makes Animated Film Debut In ‘Despicable Me 2′

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Friday February 3, 2012 @ 11:14am PSTTags: Al Pacino, Despicable Me 2, Universal
Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE: While Al Pacino has played his share of iconic live-action villains — from Michael Corleone to Tony Montana — he will make his animated film debut as the voice of the villain in Despicable Me 2, the Universal Pictures … Read More »

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Universal Sets Dates For Three Pics

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Thursday June 16, 2011 @ 1:36pm PDTTags: Despicable Me 2, Movie Release Dates, Oblivion, Savages, Universal Pictures

Universal announced today that it will release Oliver Stone’s ensemble thriller Savages, starring Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively and Aaron Johnson, on Sept. 28, 2012; Illumination Entertainment’s sequel Despicable Me 2, with its original voice cast that includes Steve Carell, on July … Read More »

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Chris Meledandri’s Illumination Game Plan Includes ‘Despicable Me’ Sequel, ‘Minion’ Spinoffs, Dr. Seuss, The Addams Family

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Tuesday July 13, 2010 @ 7:22am PDTTags: Adam Fogelson, Animation, Chris Meledandri, David Linde, Despicable Me, Despicable Me 2, Despicable Me Box Office, Hop, Illumination Entertainment, Jeff Zucker, Marc Shmuger, NBC Universal, Ron Meyer, Universal Pictures, Universal Pictures Chris Meledandri
Mike Fleming

Film Review Despicable MeEXCLUSIVE: Three years ago, Universal Pictures brass wooed Chris Meledandri away from his president post at Fox Animation to start its first family film unit. Over the weekend, Illumination’s first effort, Despicable Me, nearly doubled … Read More »

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