This summer America’s most lovable villain is back! In Despicable Me, audiences enjoyed Gru’s fun and hilarious efforts of trying to steal the moon and defeat his archenemy, while taking care of three adorable little girls. This time around, in Despicable Me 2, Gru (Steve Carell) has left behind his evil ways to become a father and properly raise Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Elsie Fisher). The former super-villain struggles adjusting to his new domestic life when the Anti Villain League, a secret organization that fights evil all over the world, requests his help. Gru accepts the job and partners up with the energetic and enthusiastic spy Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig), embarking on an ultra-secret undercover mission to discover and bring to justice a powerful and mysterious criminal.

In this animated sequel Gru’s loyal helpers, the Minions, are back in a huge way. Directors Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud give more screen time to the yellowish workers. In the same way, writers Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul commented that in this movie they wanted to have the Minions more involved in the story. The resourceful little creatures that everyone seems to love, with their unintelligible language and comedic timing, definitely steal the show and get the hardest laughs.

Paul and Daurio also explained how they paired up again to write Gru’s next chapter. “When we had the opportunity to start looking at a sequel we really kind of scratched our heads for a minute. We thought  ‘We just told the story.’ But once we really did look into this family, we realized we had the great gift of this absolutely insane family. Where the dad is a super villain (or was) and now he adopted three little girls. They have a very strange and unique little group there. The idea to explore that family, was very appealing to us both,” says Daurio. “We did have kind of a ‘light bulb’ moment when we realized where we can take Gru emotionally that we didn’t take him in the first movie. Then we thought ‘what if Gru falls in love? How is he going to respond to that?’ So that was a big part in us realizing there is more story to tell,” Paul added.

Steve Carell returns as Gru, portraying a character that has evolved and is getting used to a new life. “I think it's a natural extension of the first movie. The characters changed and grew, but at the same time the sense of the movie feels familiar. The tone of it is the same as the first one, but the family is different.  Their dynamic is different,” Carell said. He also explains, as Gru is no longer a villain, the character is searching for what he is going to do next. Trying to be a good parent without loosing himself.

Kristen Wiig returns to the Despicable Me universe as a totally different character than in the first movie. When asked to compare the two characters (Lucy Wilde and Miss Hattie) the actress said, “The characters are polar opposites. In character and how they look. When they asked me to do the second one I was so excited. I knew they were doing a second one and I figured my character probably wouldn’t be in it  ‘cause she is at the adoption agency and he has the kids now. But they asked me to do the second one. So it worked out. I was very lucky.” As Lucy Wilde, Wiig becomes Gru’s sidekick and sort of guides him through his path to redemption.

Russell Brand (Dr. Nefario), Benjamin Bratt (Eduardo Perez/El Macho) Ken Jeong (Floyd Eagle­San) Steve Coogan (Silas Ramsbottom), and Moises Arias (Antonio) also join the cast in this animated adventure.

Pharrell Williams and Heitor Pereira return to score Despicable Me 2, after creating the music for the first film of the franchise. Williams described himself as blessed for having the opportunity to work in this project. “In my contribution to the first film the songs came from things that different characters would say, or their behavior, or things that they would do. This time I just chose a different approach I was like, Ok I am going to go with the overarching theme,” said Grammy-Award winner Williams, about his creative process. He also added, “There are many different approaches to get to a destination. Many different routes. So with this one I chose the overarching theme. Which wasn’t especially about anyone else as it was about the air of the film. The continuity was really based in lifting people up emotionally. And I think they [the filmmakers] did such a good job I’m just happy to have my music sort of harmonize with their intentions.”

Targeted to children and adults alike, Despicable Me 2 makes an effort to follow the success of the first film, delivers amusing 3D action and leaves the audience with the promise that the Minions will be back.

Despicable Me 2 in theaters July 3, 2013.