‘Despicable Me’ goes for round three

How “Despicable” can a movie character be? Even if he’s the animated Gru, voiced by Steve Carell, filmmakers have to be careful not to tip it too far in the other direction. That challenge is evident from “Despicable Me 3,” which not only has the legacy of its two forerunners to go up against, but also the spinoff “Minions.”

Happily domesticated now, Gru and his wife Lucy (voice by Kristen Wiig) are tossed out of the Anti-Villain League after they’re outsmarted by an enemy aptly named Bratt, who has the voice of Trey Parker of “South Park” fame. As they try to redeem themselves, they cross paths with Gru’s twin brother Dru (also with Carell’s voice) and the two brothers’ mother (with the unmistakable sound of Julie Andrews).

There’s also the aspect of the youngsters Gru now calls his own – and Lucy tries to – and they have their own stories here. Also, those distinctive Minions are still around, despite having had their own movie. (That being the case, you have to wonder what they charged for returning to the fold here.)

If the “Despicable Me” approach seems a tad tamer this time, that’s part of the business game. The Gru faithful already are in the house, so increasing the audience base is a factor in continuing the series. When the first film was released, no one knew what to expect, so it was easier to have a rebellious spirit. Then, that became one of the most successful movies in the history of Universal Pictures, and executives started taking a closer look.

Thus, if “Despicable Me 2” seemed a little less radical, “Despicable Me 3” may seem even less so than that. At the same time, you can’t strip the concept of everything that made it popular in the first place; making it a fine line to walk.

We’re getting a slew of sequels this summer, and the challenge for all of them is to stay true to their roots while also moving forward. “Despicable Me 3” does that reasonably well, though Gru is softening up so much, this is more like “Lovable Me 2.” Still, if you have a soft spot for this series, you won’t feel let down.