Yellow Carpet World Premiere Of DESPICABLE ME 2 Includes Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig And Minions

As the Despicablimp hovered in the sunny skies above Hollywood on Saturday afternoon, the Minions waddled about on the yellow carpet during the premiere of DESPICABLE ME 2.

Cast members Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt, Miranda Cosgrove, Steve Coogan, Ken Jeong, Elsie Fisher, Dana Gaier, Moises Arias, and Nasim Pedrad greeted fans who waited to catch a glimpse of the stars before heading into the Gibson Amphitheatre to watch the film.

Carell and Wiig recently appeared on The Graham Norton Show, which will air here in the U.S. on BBC America, Saturday, June 27.

Click HERE to watch a clip from the interview.

Also on the yellow carpet were DESPICABLE ME 2 directors Chris Renaud & Pierre Coffin along with producers Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy.

Up until yesterday, many of the Minions had gone missing, but a few did manage to show up for Saturday’s big show. However, Universal Pictures is still looking for help to find the rest before the film opens on July 3rd.

Gru’s loyal yellow, gibberish-speaking Minions love causing mischief and mayhem almost as much as they love bananas.  They are easily distracted and can be unpredictable, curious and subversively sweet.  They are extremely competitive with each other.  This can lead to sudden slap fights, but if someone from the outside tries to harm them or Gru’s family, they become fiercely protective.  Now, someone or something has been making them vanish…

By searching for the Minions across the NBCUniversal family of websites – lasting until June 30 – fans may win any number of despicable prizes.  Every day, a new missing Minion will be revealed at www.missingminions.com, along with the NBCUniversal partner website where he may be found.  Audiences are asked to visit the specific partner site and search for the missing Minion.  To rescue him and enter the drawing for the grand prize, all they must do is click!

For each Minion found, registered users will receive an entry into a grand-prize sweepstakes for a trip for four to Universal Orlando Resort.  Daily instant-win prizes of Fandango Movie Cash – good for tickets to see DESPICABLE ME 2 in theaters – are also available for lucky fans with keen eyes.

More than 21 NBCUniversal sites are participating in the promotion. Visit www.missingminions.com to find out more and start the search for a missing Minion today.

Now that the ever-entrepreneurial Gru has left behind a life of super crime to raise Margo (MIRANDA COSGROVE of television’s iCarly), Edith (DANA GAIER of Bullied) and Agnes (ELSIE FISHER of television’s Masha and the Bear), Gru, Dr. Nefario (RUSSELL BRAND of Get Him to the Greek, Hop) and the Minions have some free time on their hands. But as he starts to adjust to his role as a suburban family man, an ultra-secret organization dedicated to fighting evil around the globe comes knocking.

Now, it’s up to Gru and his new partner, Lucy Wilde (KRISTEN WIIG of Bridesmaids, TV’s Saturday Night Live), to discover who is responsible for a spectacular crime and bring him to justice. After all, it takes the world’s greatest ex-villain to catch the one vying to take his place…

Joining the returning cast for DESPICABLE ME 2 are KEN JEONG (The Hangover trilogy, television’s Community) as Floyd Eagle-san, proprietor of the local hair replacement club for men and key suspect in the most despicable crime to hit the globe since Gru departed the game; STEVE COOGAN (Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Tropic Thunder) as Silas Ramsbottom, Lucy’s boss in the Anti-Villain League and a superspy whose surname offers an endless source of amusement to the Minions; MOISES ARIAS (Hannah Montana, The Secret World of Arrietty) as Antonio, the oh-so-suave object of Margo’s girlhood affection (and Gru’s supreme annoyance); and BENJAMIN BRATT (Miss Congeniality, Snitch) as Eduardo Perez, Antonio’s father, owner of Salsa & Salsa restaurant, and the man who may or may not be the most macho super-villain who ever villained, El Macho.

DESPICABLE ME 2 marks a reunion for the inaugural film’s two directors – Oscar® nominee CHRIS RENAUD (Annie Award-winning short No Time for Nuts, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax) & PIERRE COFFIN (upcoming Minions) –  who brought the first adventure to vibrant and unexpected life.

DESPICABLE ME 2 will hit theaters July 3rd.

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Photos: Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment. © 2013 Universal Studios. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.