The Bad Guys
Movie Details:
| Based on | The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genres | Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Family |
| Release date | April 22, 2022 |
| Running time | 1hr 40min |
| Age rating | PG |
| Starring | Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Richard Ayoade, Zazie Beetz, Alex Borstein, Lilly Singh |
| Directed by | Pierre Perifel |
| Screenplay by | Etan Cohen |
| Produced by | Damon Ross, Rebecca Huntley |
| Edited by | John Venzon |
| Music by | Daniel Pemberton |
| Casting by | Christi Soper |
| Production Design by | Luc Desmarchelier |
| Art Direction by | Floriane Marchix |
| Costume Design by | Courtney Hoffman |
| Production Company | DreamWorks Animation Studios |
| Distributor | Universal Pictures |
Trailer, Teaser & Video:
Poster & Photos:
Cast & Characters:
- Sam Rockwell as Wolf (voice)
- Marc Maron as Snake (voice)
- Awkwafina as Tarantula (voice)
- Craig Robinson as Shark (voice)
- Anthony Ramos as Piranha (voice)
- Richard Ayoade as Professor Marmalade (voice)
- Zazie Beetz as Diane Foxington aka The Crimson Paw (voice)
- Alex Borstein as Police Chief Misty Luggins (voice)
- Lilly Singh as Tiffany Fluffit (voice)
- Barbara Goodson as Old Lady (voice)
- Dina Morrone as Museum Announcer / Diane’s A.I. Assistant (voice)
- Michael Godere as Delivery Driver / Museum Guest 1 (voice)
- Kelly Cooney Cilella as Prison Guard 1 / Gala Guest 1 (voice)
- Walt Dohrn as Scientist / Gala Guest 3 (voice)
- David P. Smith as Prison Guard 2 / Gala Guest 2 / Protestor (voice)
- John Venzon as Museum Guest 2 / Panicked Cop (voice)
- Jesse Averna as Prison Guard 3 (voice)
Storyline:
After a lifetime of legendary heists, notorious criminals Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Shark, and Ms. Tarantula are finally caught. To avoid a prison sentence, the animal outlaws must pull off their most challenging con yet: becoming model citizens. Under the tutelage of their mentor, Professor Marmalade, the dubious gang sets out to fool the world that they’re turning good. But could any of them be considering turning good for real?
About The Bad Guys Movie:
The Bad Guys is an American animated heist comedy film based on the children’s book series by Aaron Blabey. Produced by DreamWorks Animation Studios and distributed by Universal Pictures, the film was directed by Pierre Perifel from a screenplay by Etan Cohen and stars the voices of Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Richard Ayoade, Zazie Beetz, Alex Borstein, and Lilly Singh.
Development began after several studios expressed interest in adapting Blabey’s series, with DreamWorks officially announcing the film in March 2018. Perifel made his feature directorial debut, while Cohen co-wrote the script with Hilary Winston, although Winston was later credited for additional material. The film was produced remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic and took a unique approach to the heist genre, akin to how Shrek and Kung Fu Panda redefined fairy tales and kung fu genres, respectively.
The animation drew inspiration from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, adopting a more illustrative and stylized aesthetic. Character designs were influenced by various directors and films, including The Fifth Element, Heat, Ocean’s Eleven, and Reservoir Dogs, as well as anime and manga like Sherlock Hound and Lupin III. Jellyfish Pictures provided additional asset production services, using DreamWorks’ proprietary software along with a new tool called Doodle for 2D effects.
The Bad Guys Release Date:
The film’s release was initially set for September 17, 2021, but was delayed due to the pandemic, eventually premiering on April 22, 2022. A red carpet screening was held at the Ace Hotel Los Angeles on April 12, 2022. Universal pulled the film’s release in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.
The Bad Guys was released on various home media formats, including DVD, Blu-ray, and digital download on June 21, 2022, and streamed on Peacock from July 1, 2022. It later moved to Netflix, returned to Peacock, and finally streamed on Amazon Prime Video by January 1, 2024. A 3D Blu-ray version was released in Australia on May 10, 2023, followed by a European release on May 23, 2024.
A sequel, The Bad Guys 2, is set to be released on August 1, 2025.
Budget & Box Office Collection:
| Budget | $69–80 million |
| Domestic Opening | $23,950,245 |
| Domestic Collection | $97,459,240 |
| International Collection | $152,928,648 |
| Worldwide Collection | $250,387,888 |