The Bad Guys 2 (2025): Ultimate Guide to DreamWorks’ Heist Sequel

DreamWorks Animation returns with The Bad Guys 2, the much-anticipated sequel to the 2022 hit animated film. Scheduled for a U.S. theatrical release on August 1, 2025, the film ramps up its caper-style action and emotional depth.

Release & Distribution

• Release Date: August 1, 2025 in the U.S.; UK release July 25; Australia September 18

• Runtime: 104 minutes

• Budget: Estimated at $80 million

• Theatrical Distributor: Universal Pictures via DreamWorks Animation

Cast & Characters

Returning voice actors include:

• Sam Rockwell as Mr. Wolf

• Marc Maron as Mr. Snake

• Craig Robinson as Mr. Shark

• Anthony Ramos as Mr. Piranha

• Awkwafina as Ms. Tarantula

New additions to the ensemble:

• Danielle Brooks as Kitty Kat, leader of the “Bad Girls”

• Natasha Lyonne as Doom, a raven aligned with the Bad Girls

• Maria Bakalova as Pigtail Petrova

• Zazie Beetz as Governor Diane Foxington

• Richard Ayoade as Professor Marmalade

• Supporting roles include Lilly Singh, Alex Borstein, and Jorge R. Gutierrez has a cameo voice role

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Direction, Production & Music

• Directors: Pierre Perifel (returning) and co-director JP Sans, DreamWorks character animation head on the first film

• Score: Composed by Daniel Pemberton, who returns from the first installment

• Visual Style: Continues DreamWorks’ unique 2D/3D hybrid aesthetic enhanced in scope and polish

Sony Pictures Imageworks co-produced much of the animation in partnership with DreamWorks, handling around half the assets and shots, with full animation completed by early May 2025

Premise & Plot Highlights

The new sequel reunites the former criminal crew—Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Mr. Shark, Mr. Piranha, and Ms. Tarantula—who have reformed. Their quiet retirement is disrupted when they’re coerced into partnering with a new all-female crime syndicate, the “Bad Girls,” to pull off a globe-trotting crypto-metal heist involving a fictional resource dubbed “MacGuffinite”

The sequel includes elaborate action sequences—one set in a desert stadium chase and another culminating in a space-based heist. The tone features snappy dialogue, high stakes, moral themes, and visual callbacks to Ocean’s Eleven and Mission Impossible style capers

Themes & Tone

• Redemption & identity: Explores what it means to leave behind a criminal past and whether reputational labels truly define who we are

• Social satire: Introducing a character named Mr. Moon—a tongue-in-cheek parody of Elon Musk—via his fictional launch company, Moon X

• Visual flair: Critics praise the movie for its kinetic camerawork, comic-book influences, and polished animation that surpasses the first film in spectacle

Reception & Critic Buzz

Critical reception is largely positive:

• The Guardian calls The Bad Guys 2 “funny, faster-paced” and stronger in heart and humor than the first film, though noting younger viewers may find it less charming at times

• Washington Post highlights its moral messaging about redemption and friendship, wrapped in family-friendly humor and snappy pacing

• The Week UK declares the sequel “wipes the floor with the original,” praising its improved visuals and storytelling ambition

• Some critics, such as AP News, suggest that control of tone sometimes sacrifices the original’s charm

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Industry Stance on AI

At the close of The Bad Guys 2, DreamWorks added a robust anti-AI message to the credits, forbidding the film’s use to train AI models or data-mining systems. This reflects a direct legal stance protecting artists’ rights in an age where generative AI threatens creative labor

Future Direction: The Bad Guys 3 on the Horizon

Directors Perifel and Sans have confirmed that discussions are already underway for a third installment. They hint at deeper world-building and refined storytelling in future projects

Summary Table

Final Verdict

The Bad Guys 2 elevates its predecessor in scale, character depth, and cinematic style. With punchy dialogue, a compelling ensemble cast, and a bold visual aesthetic, the sequel balances family-friendly humor with thematic richness—marking it as among DreamWorks’ most ambitious animated releases in recent years.

Whether you’re a fan of the original or discovering the franchise for the first time, this sequel delivers an entertaining caper with heart and wit—and sets the stage for even bigger adventures ahead.