Who doesn't like Gru and the Minions? That's right - nobody! Despicable Me is a huge favourite with sequels and spin-offs and merchandise all over the place. But put the huge success of these tiny rubbery nubbins to one side for a second - how much do you really know about the movies? About how involved the directors were in the movie? Or how many Minions there actually are? Read on to find out more!

If you're getting cold feet at the sight of all these Minions then don't worry - we have loads of other movie facts for you to choose from! We've got Disney facts, Moana facts, and even some extra icy Frozen facts!

1. Minion-ese!

The directors, Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud, made up a funny language called "minion-ese" for the chattering minions in Despicable Me. Each goofy word they blurt out actually means something real! Minion-ese is a mixture of French, English, Spanish, and whatever the directors wanted to make up!

2. Getting in shape for Mr Perkins

Will Arnett, who played Mr. Perkins, got ready for his role in a different kind of way. Instead of growing a moustache or visiting the gym like other actors, he gained weight to make his voice sound bigger! It certainly worked!

3. Minion daughters

Gru's three daughters match up perfectly with his top three minions! They look alike and act the same way. Could it be that the minions are like Gru's adopted kids? He's responsible for them and they're always getting each other in trouble - so clearly a lot in common!

4. The Lucy Hotline

In Despicable Me 2, Lucy Wilde (played by actress Kristen Wiig) gave out a real phone number for fans to call. People could hear Kristen Wiig's voice as Lucy, and could leave messages. Unfortunately now the mailbox is full, so no more Lucy chats for fans. But it was a nice touch!

5. El Macho the sci-fi villain!

When the bad guy El Macho tap dances to enter his lair, the building hums in a way that's pretty similar to the spaceships in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The writers are big sci-fi fans, and easter eggs like this make the movie fun for both kids and their parents!

6. How many Minions are there?

Fans have counted over 10,000 different minions in movies and ads. That's a lot! Even though minions only have five hairstyles and forty body combos, the animators worked their minion magic to create all those unique characters!

7. BANANA!

Chiquita Bananas teamed up with Despicable Me 2, printing over a billion stickers. It makes sense because bananas kind of look like minions - and the studio obviously needed the money! Bananas are a better sponsor for the Minions than junk food anyway!

8. The Directors did overtime!

The directors, Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud, are also the voices of the minions! All the funny noises and gibberish you hear from the minions come from these two guys! Clearly Pierre and Chris loved making this movie!

9. Realistic faces!

The people who animated Gru, Lucy, and Dr. Nefario watched actors improvise for inspiration. They even paid attention to the actors' real facial expressions, which means that when they made a funny face, it was probably based on the actor who played him!

10. Dr Gru?

Gru's look is based on 70s spy villains, with some of the artwork even referencing scenes from classic Bond movies. Despicable Me 3 directly spoofs the Spy vs. Spy comic with the introduction of Dru, Gru's twin brother.

11. Swan Lake in Space

In a clever detail while floating in space, the number on Gru's "Swan Lake" ticket is 072069, also known as the date of the first moon landing on July 20, 1969, which Gru is seen watching in flashbacks.

12. The Minions weren't supposed to be so small

The minions were originally supposed to be henchmen, but were made shorter due to the studio running out of money! Short things are just easier to animate, apparently. This decision turned out to be a stroke of genius, because everyone loves how small and rubbery the Minions look!

13. Gru knows sign language!

Gru surprised viewers by using correct sign language for the number three when explaining the rules to the girls, not just sticking 3 fingers up. People who don't know sign language might not notice this detail, but it's a nice touch that shows Gru has hidden talents!

14. A History of Funny Walks

Gru's walk was inspired by comedic legends of the past, like Mr. Bean, Peter Sellers, Rowan Atkins, Buster Keaton, and even the postively ancient Charlie Chaplin. That kind of walking is a tried and tested way of raising a chuckle!

15. Is Gru a Russian spy?

People wonder about Gru's background. Some fans think he might be a Russian spy because of his accent and mysterious past. Gru’s name might stand for the Russian Military Intelligence agency, Glavnoye Razvedyvatel'noye Upravleniye or GRU. What do you think? Could Gru be a spy?