The Despicable Me 4 Trailer Detail That's Causing Confusion For Fans

The first trailer for "Despicable Me 4" just dropped, giving fans a taste of the Minion madness to come this summer. While the clip doesn't give away too much about the plot, it nevertheless promises the same spy-esque antics, charming family dynamics, and zany comedy that audiences have come to know and love over the animated franchise's 14 years of box office domination. 

One of the most interesting developments of "Despicable Me 4" is that of Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) and Lucy's (voiced by Kristen Wiig) new baby, Gru Jr. His introduction is certain to be a new source of adorable mayhem and heartwarming moments as the infant learns to bond with Gru. But for longtime fans, the baby's inclusion also opened up a perplexing question about the "Despicable Me" franchise as a whole. 

Redditor u/drybones2015 is among the many viewers, asking, "This is the fourth movie and Gru has a baby now, so why are those girls not aging? They look the exact same as they did in the first movie." It's unlikely that fans would have such a problem with the lack of aging of Gru's adopted daughters Margo (voiced by Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (voiced by Dana Gaier), and Agnes (voiced by Madison Polan), had Gru not had a bouncing baby boy of his own. But now that the family has welcomed its newest member, things are more confusing than ever. 

The age of Gru's adopted daughters has never been of major concern, but fans have started questioning this bizarre element since the release of the "Despicable Me 4" trailer. Redditor u/frogsgemsntrains reacted, "Giving gru and Lucy a baby but not aging up the girls is crazy lmao." On Twitter, @GojiraIRL compared the odd choice to characters in the "Dragon Ball" universe, saying, "4 movies in and the girls haven't aged up They got the goten and trunks treatment." 

The decision to give Gru a baby while leaving his daughters the same age has some fans trying to grasp the logistics of the "Despicable Me" universe. @Chombe1080 on Twitter asked, "How's Gru got a kid and those girls haven't aged a day? What's the timeline of these movies?" If the events of the "Despicable Me" movies take place in order of their release, then it will have been seven years since their last adventure, meaning that the girls would have grown up quite a bit. However, others have theorized that the franchise's timeline doesn't match the years in between each entry. 

One of these fans is @Locopells on Twitter who, when taking Gru Jr.'s likely age into account, estimated, "The kid's... A few months old, a year tops. Throwing in pregnancy, I'd say we're only 18-24 months after the last film." Similar takes have existed for some time, with some stating that 2013's "Despicable Me 2" actually takes place a year after the 2010 original. If likewise logic is applied to "Despicable Me 3," then it's not too much of a stretch to buy into the series taking place within a five to 10-year timeframe. 

While some fans are struggling to wrap their heads around the age of Gru's daughters in "Despicable Me 4," others don't see such a reason to sweat over the matter. In a franchise full of over-the-top villains, crazy gadgets, and goofy yellow tic-tacs, it's safe to chop up such lingering questions to good ol' cartoon logic. Redditor u/TheJoshider10 even compared the "Despicable Me" scenario to another famous animated family. "Audiences aren't watching these movies to see the characters grow up with the viewer," the user commented. "It's the exact same as 'The Simpsons' where we know what to expect without any needless changes."

Nevertheless, it closes the door to a rich opportunity for the franchise to defy expectations. Redditor u/movienerd7042 noted this, stating, "Given that the first one was genuinely very emotional and heartfelt and was about him becoming a dad, instead of all this stuff with Lucy and a new baby they could've so easily done a sillier version of a 'Toy Story' style 'kids growing up and dad has to accept it' type thing across a few films." 

What makes the lack of age in Gru's daughters so frustrating is that it hampers their development as characters and their relationship with Gru. Since the first film saw them turn the once villainous Gru into a loving father, the girls haven't had as much presence within the franchise. Aging them up and having Gru deal with the difficulties that come with parenting pre-teens could have given the sequel an amount of heart that would surely surprise kids and parents alike. It's unlikely that such lingering questions will deter viewers from seeing "Despicable Me 4," but it will certainly keep them scratching their heads.