‘Despicable Me’ Mocks Disney’s ‘Steamboat Willie’ With Minion Takeover

Video screenshot via Minions

Disney adversary Illumination is truly taking the mickey out of its classic animation, cheekily channeling Mickey Mouse’s iconic Steamboat Willie persona in the leadup to Despicable Me 4. With Mickey’s earliest iteration venturing out into public domain waters this year, the floodgates have opened for all sorts of interpretations of the beloved character. And the Minions’ homage is bananas.

The video, a brief but memorable five-second animation, showcases Stuart the Minion in the unmistakable black and white aesthetic of 1928, steering a riverboat while the iconic whistling tune rings out. 

However, in true Minion fashion, the character opts for a series of mischievous raspberries over the traditional melody.

Stuart take the wheel, see you next year in NOLA #SBLVIII pic.twitter.com/5AO3l53wYp

— #Minions (@Minions) February 12, 2024

Riding the wave of the Super Bowl, the parody seemingly envisions Stuart heading to New Orleans to attend the next edition in 2025. With that, this clever nod didn’t just emerge out of the blue; it aligns with the promotional push for Despicable Me 4, slated for release on July 3. The Disney spoof arrives hot on the heels of the animation studio mocking the recent obsession with AI-generated art. What comes next?

[via AllEars.net, video and cover screenshot via Minions]