With exactly two months to go before its July 3 release, Universal Pictures’ Despicable Me 2 has lost one of its leading voice talents. Deadline reports that Al Pacino has departed the project over creative differences.
Directed by Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin, the Illumination Entertainment sequel will still feature the voices of Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Miranda Cosgrove, Russell Brand, Steve Coogan and Ken Jeong, but a new actor will be stepping in to play the lead villain, El Macho.
Pacino recently headlined the HBO telefilm “Phil Spector.” He’s next set to lead Dan Fogelman’s directorial debut Imagine opposite Annette Bening and Bobby Cannavale.
UPDATE: Deadline is now reporting that Benjamin Bratt will replace Pacino in the El Macho role. Bratt is best known for his longtime role on “Law & Order” and has appeared on the big screen in films like Miss Congeniality and Catwoman. Previous big screen voice work includes a role in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and its upcoming sequel.
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