Known for Directing
Chris Renaud is an American illustrator and film-maker. He was nominated for an Academy Award for the 2006 animated short No Time for Nuts, which featured the character Scrat from the computer animated Ice Age films. Most recently, he directed Despicable Me, starring the voice of Steve Carell, which debuted #1 at the U.S. box office on July 9th, 2010. After graduating from Syracuse University with an illustration degree, Renaud began work as a graphic designer in the sports entertainment industry. He has created logo designs and mascot characters for NFL Properties, the NBA, and Foot Locker, among others. After working as a designer and illustrator for a variety of publications and agencies, Chris began drawing and writing comic books. Working for both Marvel Comics and DC Comics, his notable projects include illustrating Marvel's Starfleet Academy and pitching the original story concept that evolved into Batman: Cataclysm. This yearlong tale across all Batman-related comics resulted in increased sales and visibility for the renowned character. As the production designer on the Disney Channels’ The Book of Pooh, Renaud transitioned into the world of children’s television. Since that groundbreaking project, he has been able to design virtual sets and puppet characters for Bear in the Big Blue House, Lazy Town, Curious Pictures, Sony Animation, and many more. With the new show It's a Big Big World, currently airing on PBS, he took the lead role in the visual development and design of every aspect of this Emmy-nominated children’s program. Renaud worked for Blue Sky Studios as a story artist on such films as Robots, Ice Age: The Meltdown, and the Dr. Seuss classic Horton Hears A Who!. He also wrote and co-directed the animated short No Time for Nuts, which received an Annie Award and a 2007 Oscar nomination within the animated short films category. It was also included in the Animation Show of Shows in 2006. Renaud works for Illumination Entertainment and lives in Paris, France. He directed Despicable Me, starring Steve Carell, which was released in the U.S. on July 9, 2010.
Born
December 5, 1966 (age 59)
Birthplace
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Filmography
59 films


Despicable Me 4
2024 · 1h 34m · US
Gru and Lucy and their girls—Margo, Edith and Agnes—welcome a new member to the Gru family, Gru Jr., who is intent on tormenting his dad. Gru also faces a new nemesis in Maxime Le Mal and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina, forcing the family to go on the run.


The Secret Life of Pets 2
2019 · 1h 26m · US
Max the terrier must cope with some major life changes when his owner gets married and has a baby. When the family takes a trip to the countryside, nervous Max has numerous run-ins with canine-intolerant cows, hostile foxes and a scary turkey. Luckily for Max, he soon catches a break when he meets Rooster, a gruff farm dog who tries to cure the lovable pooch of his neuroses.


The Secret Life of Pets
2016 · 1h 26m · US
The quiet life of a terrier named Max is upended when his owner takes in Duke, a stray whom Max instantly dislikes.


Ice Age: No Time for Nuts 4-D
2015 · 12m · US
A "remake" of No Time for Nuts (2006)


Despicable Me 2
2013 · 1h 38m · US
Gru is recruited by the Anti-Villain League to help deal with a powerful new super criminal.


The Lorax
2012 · 1h 26m · US
A 12-year-old boy searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.


Despicable Me Presents: Minion Madness
2010 · 12m · US
Three new mini-movies from the creators of Despicable Me. Orientation Day: Three freshly cloned minions go through the wacky orientation process at the evil laboratories of Gru. Home Makeover: The minions "assist" Edith, Margo & Agnes in a home makeover when they find out a social worker is going to pay them a visit. Watch the crazy antics ensue! Banana: A minion finds a banana in his lunch bag. To what lengths will the other minions go through to steal away that coveted yellow goodness?


Despicable Me
2010 · 1h 35m · US
Determined to prove he's the world's greatest supervillain, Gru hatches an audacious plan to steal the Moon. To pull it off, he adopts three orphaned girls—Margo, Edith, and Agnes—intending to use them as pawns in his scheme. But the unexpected bond they form forces him to question the criminal life he's always known.
Warrior Champions
Warrior Champions
2009 · US
The film tells the individual stories of four American soldiers who lost limbs or suffered paralysis in the Iraq War, and of their training to try for a position on the 2008 U.S. Paralympic team and their journey to the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing.


No Time for Nuts
2006 · 7m · US
Scrat comes across a time machine and is transported to various times all in pursuit of his beloved acorn.