<P> Despicable Me is a 2010 American 3D computer - animated comedy film from Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment that was released on July 9, 2010, in the United States . It is the debut film of Illumination Entertainment . The film was animated by the French animation studio Mac Guff, which was later acquired by Illumination Entertainment . It was directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud as their feature debut film, with a story by Sergio Pablos . The film stars the voice of Steve Carell as Gru, a supervillain who adopts three girls (voiced by Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, and Elsie Fisher) from an orphanage; and the voice of Jason Segel as Vector, a rival of Gru who steals the Great Pyramid of Giza . When Gru learns of Vector's heist, he plans an even greater heist: to shrink and steal the Earth's moon . </P> <P> The film grossed over $546 million worldwide, against a budget of $69 million . It launched the Despicable Me franchise with a series of films, including the sequel Despicable Me 2 in 2013, and the prequel Minions released in 2015 featuring Gru's Minions as the main characters . Another sequel, Despicable Me 3, was released in 2017 . </P> <P> Gru, a supervillain, is disheartened when an unknown supervillain steals the Great Pyramid of Giza . Gru, with the assistance of his colleague Dr. Nefario and his Minions, resolves to one - up this mystery rival by shrinking and stealing the Moon . As it would be costly to steal the moon, Gru seeks a loan from the Bank of Evil . Bank president Mr. Perkins is impressed by the plan but will provide the money only if Gru can obtain the necessary shrink ray first . Upon learning that an up - and - coming villain named Vector was responsible for the pyramid theft, Gru starts a rivalry with him . </P> <P> Gru and the Minions steal the shrink ray from a secret base in East Asia, but Vector intercepts them and steals it for himself . Gru attempts to break into Vector's fortress to recover the shrink ray but is defeated by numerous booby traps . However, he notices three orphan girls, Margo, Edith, and Agnes, who are able to easily walk into the base because they are selling cookies . Gru disguises himself and adopts the girls, planning on using them to infiltrate Vector's base so he can get the shrink ray back . However, Gru has trouble nurturing them properly due to their rambunctiousness, their ballet classes, and his own ineptitude as a parent . </P>

What are the characters in despicable me called