Ken Matsudaira and Koichi Yamadera Join the Cast of "Minions & Monsters"; New Trailer Unveiled for the Latest Franchise Entry

Illumination’s latest feature, Minions & Monsters, set to hit theaters across Japan on Friday, August 7, has announced that Ken Matsudaira and Koichi Yamadera will lead the Japanese dubbing cast. Along with this announcement, a new Japanese trailer has been released.

The film is the newest installment in the Despicable Me and Minions franchise, which has grossed a staggering $5.6 billion worldwide. This marks the first time in four years since the 2022 release of Minions: The Rise of Gru that the Minions are returning to the big screen as the primary protagonists in Japan.

In the Japanese version, Ken Matsudaira will voice Max, a film director who supports the Minions' wild dreams. Making his debut in the Minions series, Matsudaira commented on the appeal of the yellow henchmen: "The fact that you can’t quite understand what they’re saying is exactly what makes them so cute and funny."

Regarding his secret to staying at the forefront of entertainment for so many years, he shared: "It’s about enjoying myself while delivering smiles. I want to keep challenging myself with new things that make the audience happy. As long as I have the desire to bring joy, seeing the smiles on everyone's faces makes that feeling multiply even more."