Dru's Quick Cameo In Despicable Me 4's Ending
Dru played an important role in Despicable Me 3 but doesn't appear in Despicable Me 4 outside of a brief cameo in the film's ending. Dru was introduced in Despicable Me 3 as Gru's long-lost brother. Much of that film's emotional core was driven by Dru's desire to be a true villain like Gru and their deceased father, which complicates Gru's attempts to leave behind his life of villainy. Their connection was one of the big emotional cores of Despicable Me 3, and that film's ending set up a friendly game of cat and mouse between the brothers.
Although Despicable Me 4 delves more into the world of villains within the Despicable Me franchise, there's very little mention of Dru. Instead, the film introduces new unrelated corners of that world, both from the past (like Will Ferrell's villain Maxime or Gru's former principal Übelschlecht) and the present (like Poppy, a preteen with ambitions of becoming a villain herself). Dru doesn't appear until the end of the film, where he appears during a sequence that shows Gru having a party with his loved ones after defeating Maxime.
Why Dru's Role In Despicable Me 4 Is So Small
Dru isn't the only supporting character from the Despicable Me franchise who doesn't really appear in the latest entry. Dr. Nefario and Marlena Gru similarly appear briefly as cameos at the end of the film. These absences are given an in-universe, explanation, however. After Gru helps capture Maxime early in the film, Maxime vows vengeance against Gru and his entire family. This forces Gru and the rest of his immediate family to go into hiding. It's specifically mentioned they can't speak with any family members, like Gru's mother or brother.
This explanation works within the story itself, but it's also probably a good thing on a storytelling level that Dru is absent from Despicable Me 4. The film's biggest problem is a deluge of concepts that rarely get developed fully or earn genuine closure. The disjointed nature of Despicable Me 4 would have only been made worse by Dru, who could have unnecessarily complicated the already scattered plot. Instead, Dru's absence is used to help further isolate the family and highlight the danger they're in. It's a clever little trick that also removes Dru from the narrative.
Will Dru Return In A Future Despicable Me Or Minions Movie?
Dru presents a fun opportunity for the producers of Despicable Me, as he's a fun wildcard that could be deployed into several different places. Dru and Gru's connection could easily be explored further, especially if Dru were able to truly excel as a villain. It could create a fun dynamic, forcing Gru to fully abandon the life of villainy that he briefly revisits in Despicable Me 4 alongside Poppy. Dru could also play an important role in a potential Minions spin-off, pitting the little yellow creatures alongside (or even against) a peppy version of their boss.
There is currently no Despicable Me 5 or Minions 3 confirmed to be in production. However, given that Despicable Me is the highest-grossing animated franchise in cinematic history, it likely won't be long before the future of the series begins to take shape. Dru remains a fun tool that the series can pull out in future entries, especially after the character was more or less removed from Despicable Me 3. Gru's return could even cement a more streamlined approach to a prospective Despicable Me 4 sequel.