In Minions: The Rise of Gru, how old is Gru when he auditions for the Vicious 6?

In Minions: The Rise of Gru, Gru is 11 years old when he auditions for the Vicious 6.

The film is set before the main Despicable Me story and follows Gru as a child who already dreams of becoming a supervillain. He seeks membership in the Vicious 6, a celebrated team led by Belle Bottom, but the group rejects him because of his age and lack of status.

That rejection drives the story’s central conflict. Gru steals the Zodiac Stone to impress the team, while Kevin, Stuart, Bob, and Otto become involved in the consequences. The film therefore functions as an origin story for the relationship between young Gru and the Minions.

The age is sometimes confused with the film’s release year or with Gru’s adult age in the original trilogy. The number refers specifically to Gru during the 1970s-set prequel.