Pierre Coffin’s Journey with the Minions

Filmmaker Pierre Coffin is known as the creator of the unique language spoken by the Minions, known as Minionese. Coffin has spent time refining the dialect, even keeping a list of interesting words and phrases on his phone. He admits finding the right melody in the language can be a challenge.

Coffin co-directed the first ‘Despicable Me’ film 16 years ago. He has since directed several more films in the series, including ‘Despicable Me 2,’ ‘Despicable Me 3,’ and ‘Minions.’ The Minions, much like Coffin’s own creative offspring, have been both intriguing and perplexing for him.

Based in Paris, Coffin has dealt with the complexities of Hollywood filmmaking while creating stories around a villain and his gibberish-speaking henchmen. He admitted stepping away from the franchise because of narrative challenges: ‘The first one was great. A bad guy becomes good thanks to three little girls. The second was more problematic. It’s about a non-villain falling in love and getting married. My French sensibility didn’t like it.’

Pierre Coffin, now 59 and living in Paris, is vocal about his opinions on the franchise. He chooses not to discuss the 2022 spinoff ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru,’ as he didn’t enjoy it. After working on ‘Despicable Me 3’ in 2017 against his preference, he told Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri he wanted to move on. Coffin agreed to assist with the Minions’ voices, though he was eager to explore new ventures. Despite this, the Minions always seem to draw him back.

Coffin returns for ‘Minions & Monsters,’ a third standalone film featuring the mischievous characters. Reflecting on previous films, Coffin admits feeling disconnected from their direction: ‘They were successes, so clearly there was something there I didn’t see.’ Yet, this time, he is excited and apprehensive about the latest project. ‘I think I liked it too much. I hope I didn’t ruin the franchise.’

‘Minions & Monsters’ opens in theaters Wednesday. The film takes the Minions to 1920s Hollywood, where they make a monster movie. Inspired by Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd, the premise attracted Coffin. Together with Brian Lynch, he wrote the script, elevating the Minions from chaotic sidekicks to main characters of their narrative.

Meledandri highlights the new film’s appeal: ‘This has everything audiences love about the Minions—silliness, but also a great story.’ From their inception as thuggish moles, the Minions evolved into recognizable figures with goggles and overalls. This transformation was the result of continuous refinement by Coffin, Chris Renaud, and Eric Guillon.

The challenge remains that Minionese, being mostly unintelligible, presents risks. Extensive scenes can tire audiences without an interpreter. ‘If it gets annoying, we change it,’ Coffin states. ‘We experiment until we find the formula that works.’

Coffin, who voices all Minions, usually improvises their dialogue. Writing the script was less intuitive. ‘Brian initially tried using gibberish. I told him to script in English. We eventually simplified it.’

Minions are significant beyond their film roles. They serve as Illumination mascots, earning billions through merchandise. Coffin is protective of their unique character. ‘They have spirit and personality, they’re not just creatures.’

During ‘Minions & Monsters,’ Coffin considered the basis of friendships. He surveyed people, discovering most bond early in life, leading him to view the Minions as child-like figures. ‘They don’t follow rules, they cause chaos. It became clear they’re like kids.’