Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022)

Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) is a US-animated comedy film created by Illumination and released by Universal Pictures. In 1976, an 11-year-old Gru aspires to become a supervillain, with the help of his Minion employees. Gru is overjoyed when he receives an invitation to audition for the Vicious 6, a team of villains now led by Belle Bottom. The Vicious 6 are searching for a new member to replace their leader Wild Knuckles, after he betrayed them and was presumed dead during a robbery to steal the Zodiac Stone – a valuable gem connected to the Chinese zodiac. Despite his young age, Gru’s interview does not go well but he manages to outsmart the Vicious 6 by stealing the stone and escaping with Minions Kevin, Stuart, and Bob. He then entrusts it to another Minion, Otto, for safekeeping.

After learning that Otto has traded the stone for a pet rock, Gru becomes enraged and fires the Minions. He sets off alone to retrieve the stone. However, Wild Knuckles surprises Gru by kidnapping him and threatening to harm him if the stone is not returned within 48 hours. Unable to find the stone, Kevin, Stuart, and Bob make their way to San Francisco to save Gru. Meanwhile, Otto pursues a biker who has the stone as a necklace. When they arrive at Wild Knuckles’ residence, they are pursued by his henchmen until Master Chow, an acupuncture practitioner and former Kung Fu teacher, comes to their rescue by defeating the goons.