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The Bad Guys 2

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The Bad Guys 2
Poster for the 2025 animated heist comedy film The Bad Guys 2, the sequel to 2022's The Bad Guys, advertising its theatrical release in the United States.
US theatrical release poster
Directed byPierre Perifel
Screenplay by
Based onThe Bad Guys
by Aaron Blabey
Produced byDamon Ross
Starring
Edited byJesse Averna
Music byDaniel Pemberton
Production
company
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release dates
  • July 24, 2025 (2025-07-24) (Argentina)
  • August 1, 2025 (2025-08-01) (United States)[1]
Running time
104 minutes[2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$80 million[3]
Box office$240 million[3][4]

The Bad Guys 2 is a 2025 American animated heist comedy film loosely based on the children's book series The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey and produced by DreamWorks Animation. The sequel to The Bad Guys (2022), it was directed by Pierre Perifel and written by Yoni Brenner and Etan Cohen. The film stars Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Zazie Beetz, Alex Borstein, Richard Ayoade, and Lilly Singh, reprising their roles from the first film, with Danielle Brooks, Natasha Lyonne, and Maria Bakalova joining the cast. In the film, the Bad Guys are forced to come out of retirement and join forces with an all-female criminal squad to perform one last heist.

Perifel expressed interest on developing a sequel to The Bad Guys in March 2022, before the release of the first film. Two years later, DreamWorks Animation announced a sequel, with Perifel and the voice cast returning. Lyonne joined the cast in July 2024, with the involvement of Brooks and Bakalova being announced in November. Daniel Pemberton composed the score, returning from the previous film.

The Bad Guys 2 premiered in Argentina on July 24, 2025, before being released in the United States on August 1, by Universal Pictures. The film received positive reviews from critics and grossed $240 million.

Plot

[edit]

Following the defeat of Professor Marmalade and their release from prison,[a] the Bad Guys have reformed, but they struggle to fit into society. Wolf, Shark, Piranha, and Tarantula unsuccessfully apply for jobs while Snake is frequently away from home. Wolf spends his time with Diane and they grow closer, but they are unable to start a relationship due to Wolf being an ex-criminal and Diane being governor. Inspired by Diane to give people a reason to accept them, Wolf helps Chief Luggins, who is now Commissioner, track down the Phantom Bandit, a new criminal known for being untraceable. They soon find evidence leading to the bandit being Snake, only to later realize that he was with his new girlfriend, a raven named Susan. In an attempt to expose the Phantom Bandit at a lucha libre wrestling tournament, the Bad Guys are framed by a wild boar for the Phantom Bandit's work. After escaping, Wolf calls Diane to maintain their innocence, and she agrees to help them.

Susan, whose real name is Doom, kidnaps the Bad Guys and reveals to them that she is working for a snow leopard named Kitty, who is the Phantom Bandit, and the wild boar from the tournament named Pigtail Petrova. Kitty has a video revealing Diane as the Crimson Paw (her former criminal identity), and threatens to release it unless the Bad Guys help her steal the experimental MOON-X rocket, which they reluctantly agree to do. Meanwhile, Diane visits Marmalade in prison, where he reveals that Kitty plans to use the International Space Station to steal all of the world's gold with MacGuffinite, a rare metal which can magnetize gold.

The group begins their plan by successfully stealing the smartwatch of MOON-X's owner, Mr. Moon, at his wedding, and Kitty gives Wolf the footage on a flash drive as promised. The Bad Guys plan to betray her, but instead she traps them, uploads the footage to the internet, and alerts the police of the Bad Guys' location. Diane confronts the girls before they board the rocket. Kitty tranquilizes her, but Diane manages to sneak on board while half-conscious. Luggins proceeds to rearrest the Bad Guys, but admits that she trusts them and helps them board the rocket mid-launch via helicopter.

After learning the Bad Guys snuck on board, Doom and Pigtail refuse to attack them, but Kitty threatens her allies and refuses to give up the plan, magnetizing the Earth's gold, along with a limousine including a newly acquitted Marmalade and endangering millions. When Wolf reaches her, Kitty breaks the magnet's remote, but Wolf steals the smartwatch and maneuvers the rocket into the magnet, destroying it and returning the gold. An enraged Kitty attempts to kill Wolf for ruining her plan, but Diane recovers, furiously attacks Kitty and knocks her out. Wolf and Diane happily reunite and share their first kiss, while the Bad Guys regroup as the space station plummets towards Earth. After crash-landing, Kitty is arrested, Doom and Pigtail are sentenced to community service, and Luggins fakes the deaths of the Bad Guys and Diane so they can be employed as secret agents. Meanwhile, Marmalade, who is still in orbit, transforms his limo into a spaceship and flies into space to his home planet.

Voice cast

[edit]
Clockwise from top left: Main cast members Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Danielle Brooks, Natasha Lyonne and Maria Bakalova promoting the film at the 2025 San Diego Comic-Con

Production

[edit]

Development

[edit]

In March 2022, a month before The Bad Guys was released, director Pierre Perifel said that he would "love to do a sequel".[11] On March 26, 2024, a sequel was confirmed by DreamWorks Animation, with Perifel returning to direct and JP Sans, who served as head of character animation on the previous film, co-directing, making this his directorial debut. Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Richard Ayoade, Zazie Beetz, Alex Borstein, and Lilly Singh all reprise their roles from the previous film.[12] On July 13, 2024, it was announced that Natasha Lyonne had been cast in the sequel.[13] Maria Bakalova and Danielle Brooks were announced as part of the cast in November.[5]

Animation

[edit]

On October 6, 2023, the then-unannounced film was revealed to be animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks. Imageworks would operate as a partner studio with DreamWorks utilizing a "mixed production model". Pre-production would be done in-house at DreamWorks along with approximately 50% of the asset build and one hour of production, while Imageworks will handle the other 50% of asset builds and 20 minutes of shot production.[14] All animation was finished by May 7, 2025.[15][better source needed]

Music

[edit]
The Bad Guys 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Film score by
Daniel Pemberton
ReleasedAugust 1, 2025
GenreScore
LabelBack Lot Music
DreamWorks Animation soundtrack chronology
How to Train Your Dragon
(2025) 		The Bad Guys 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
(2025) 		Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie
(2025)
Daniel Pemberton chronology
Eddington
(2025) 		The Bad Guys 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
(2025) 		Project Hail Mary
(2026)
Singles from The Bad Guys 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
  1. "GOODLIFE"
    Released: July 11, 2025
  2. "Taking Everything"
    Released: July 25, 2025

Daniel Pemberton returns to compose the film's score.[16] Rag'n'Bone Man and WizTheMc performed an original song for the film, titled "GOODLIFE", which was released as a single on July 11, 2025,[17] while another original song titled "Taking Everything", performed by Busta Rhymes, was released on July 25.[18] The official soundtrack was released by Back Lot Music on August 1, 2025, the same day as the film's theatrical release in the United States.[19]

Track listing

[edit]

All music is composed by Daniel Pemberton, except as noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)ProducerLength
1."GOODLIFE" (performed by Rag'n'Bone Man ft. WizTheMc)
  • Pemberton
  • Gary GoSanele
  • David Sydow
Pemberton3:08
2."Taking Everything" (performed by Busta Rhymes)
  • Trevor Smith
  • Pemberton
Pemberton3:23
3."Cairo, Five Years Ago"  2:24
4."Bottom of the List"  2:40
5."The Phantom Bandit"  1:26
6."Parting Gift"  1:00
7."The Evidence Board"  1:46
8."Give Them a Reason"  1:09
9."Such a Snake"  0:46
10."Lucha Lucha"  2:25
11."A New Challenger"  1:06
12."Hot Dog Running"  1:53
13."Cops on Case"  1:00
14."Someone Setting Us Up"  1:35
15."Gear Up, Lay Low"  1:10
16."Kitty Kat Crew"  1:47
17."Crashing Down"  2:00
18."Rocket Con"  1:27
19."S.U.C.M. Prisoner"  1:24
20."Here Comes the Bride"  1:05
21."The Wedding Plan"  4:02
22."Eyes Up Cowboy"  1:23
23."Connect 4"  1:16
24."Target Acquired"  0:54
25."Magnet vs. Upload"  2:43
26."Fox Fight"  3:03
27."Cops Set It Up"  0:45
28."You Believe Us"  1:26
29."MoonX Countdown"  1:26
30."Jump the Rocket"  3:04
31."Zero Gravity"  2:54
32."Gold Magnet"  4:10
33."Power Move"  2:36
34."Medium Friendly"  1:33
35."Never Give Up"  1:15
36."The Final Fanfare"  2:14
37."Secret Agents"  1:35
38."GOODLIFE (Super Extended Mix)" (performed by Rag'n'Bone Man ft. WizTheMc)
  • Pemberton
  • Gary GoSanele
  • WizTheMc
Pemberton8:47
39."Taking Everything (Film Mix)" (performed by Busta Rhymes)
  • Smith
  • Pemberton
Pemberton3:41
40."The Big Bad Wolf 2 (Bonus)"  0:58

Marketing

[edit]

The first trailer for the film, set to "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish, was released on November 21, 2024, and was later attached to the theatrical release of Wicked (2024).[5]

A short film titled The Bad Guys: Little Lies and Alibis, premiered before the theatrical showings of Dog Man in January 2025,[20] and was subsequently featured on the digital release of the film in August 2025, and the film's 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD releases in October 2025.[21]

Main cast members Rockwell, Maron, Awkwafina, Robinson, Ramos, Brooks, Lyonne, and Bakalova appeared on a panel promoting the film at the 2025 San Diego Comic-Con on July 26, leading up to its theatrical release.[22]

Awkwafina appeared as a guest on Maron's long-running podcast WTF, in one of its final episodes, on July 31, in promotion of the film, on the eve of its American theatrical release.[23]

Release

[edit]

The Bad Guys 2 was released theatrically in the United Kingdom on July 25, 2025, later in the United States on August 1, and in Australia on September 18.[12][24]

Home media

[edit]

In addition to its theatrical release, and as part of a long-term deal with Netflix for Universal's animated films, the film will stream on Peacock for the first four months of the pay-TV window, before moving to Netflix for the next 10, and returning to Peacock for the remaining four.[25][26][27]

The Bad Guys 2 was released on digital download on August 19, 2025,[28] and on DVD, Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray on October 7, 2025.[29]

Reception

[edit]

Box office

[edit]

The Bad Guys 2 has grossed $82.6 million in the United States and Canada, and $156.7 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $239.3 million.[4][3]

In the United States and Canada, The Bad Guys 2 was released alongside The Naked Gun and was projected to make $20 million during its opening weekend. After making $9.2 million on its first day, including $2.25 million from Thursday previews, the film surpassed expectations and debuted with $22.2 million domestically, and $44.5 million globally, ranking it in second place behind holdover The Fantastic Four: First Steps.[30][31][32] In its second weekend, the film made $10.4 million (a drop of 53%), falling to fourth place.[33] The Bad Guys 2 then made $7.5 million in its third weekend, finishing in fifth place.[34]

Critical response

[edit]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 87% of 112 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "The Bad Guys 2's crew of reformed rapscallions are still a ton of fun as their latest adventure raises the stakes while maintaining a playful sense of mischief."[35] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 64 out of 100, based on 23 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[36] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale, the same as the first film.[37]

Accolades

[edit]
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Hollywood Music in Media Awards November 19, 2025 Best Original Score in an Animated Film Daniel Pemberton Nominated [38]
Kansas City Film Critics Circle December 21, 2025 Best Animated Feature The Bad Guys 2 Nominated [39]
Black Reel Awards February 16, 2026 Outstanding Voice Performance Danielle Brooks Pending [40]
Anthony Ramos Pending
Annie Awards February 21, 2026 Best Feature The Bad Guys 2 Pending [41]
Best FX – Feature Landon Gray, Michael Losure, Zachary Glynn, Chris Wombold, and Olivier Malric Pending
Best Character Animation – Feature Ludovic Bouancheau Pending
Best Production Design – Feature Luc Desmarchelier and Floriane Marchix Pending
Storyboarding – Feature Anthony Holden and Young Ki Yoon Pending
Visual Effects Society Awards February 25, 2026 Outstanding Animation in an Animated Feature Pierre Perifel, Damon Ross, Matt Baer, Benjamin Willis Pending [42]
Outstanding Environment in an Animated Feature John J. Lee, Greg Hettinger, Mikael Genachte-Le Bail, Mayumi Shimokawa
(for "Cairo City") 		Pending
Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Animated Feature Michael Losure, Landon Gray, Zachary Glynn, Steve Avoujageli Pending
NAACP Image Awards February 28, 2026 Outstanding Animated Motion Picture The Bad Guys 2 Pending [43]
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Motion Picture Craig Robinson Pending
Danielle Brooks Pending
Art Directors Guild Awards February 28, 2026 Best Animated Feature Film Luc Desmarchelier Pending [44]
Producers Guild of America Awards February 28, 2026 Best Animated Motion Picture Damon Ross Pending [45]
Motion Picture Sound Editors March 8, 2026 Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Feature Animation DreamWorks Animation Pending [46]

Future

[edit]

In June 2025, two months before the theatrical release of The Bad Guys 2 in the United States, directors Perifel and Sans revealed in an interview with Collider that they were planning a third film.[47]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ As depicted in The Bad Guys (2022)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "The Bad Guys 2". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
  2. ^ "The Bad Guys 2 (PG)". BBFC. July 15, 2025. Archived from the original on July 21, 2025. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c "The Bad Guys 2". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Archived from the original on August 2, 2025. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
  4. ^ a b "The Bad Guys 2". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Tangcay, Jazz (November 21, 2024). "'The Bad Guys 2' Trailer: Natasha Lyonne Joins the Heist in DreamWorks Sequel". Variety. Archived from the original on November 21, 2024. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  6. ^ {{Cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/animation-movies/the-bad-guys-2-filmmakers-break-down-the-first-trailer-introducing-a-new-all-female-gang-we-wanted-to-play-with-something-else-than-the-typical-james-bond-male-villain/%7Ctitle=The Bad Guys 2 filmmakers break down the first trailer introducing a new all-female gang: "We wanted to play with something else than the typical James Bond male villain"|website=GamesRadar+|date=November 21, 2024|access-date=January 21, 2025|archive-date=January 10, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250110032215/https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/animation-movies/the-bad-guys-2-filmmakers-break-down-the-first-trailer-introducing-a-new-all-female-gang-we-wanted-to-play-with-something-else-than-the-typical-james-bond-male-villain/%7Curl-status=live}}
  7. ^ a b c d "The Bad Guys 2 Movie Site | This Summer". DreamWorks. Archived from the original on July 15, 2025. Retrieved November 21, 2024 – via thebadguysmovie.com.[non-primary source needed]
  8. ^ a b Heath, Paul (November 22, 2024). "Back in badness – first trailer for 'The Bad Guys 2'". The Hollywood News. Archived from the original on November 22, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  9. ^ Mitchell, Harriet (June 25, 2025). "Taskmaster's Katherine Ryan announces new role that's "unlike anything" she's done before". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on July 4, 2025. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  10. ^ @mexopolis (November 21, 2024). "Congrats to all!!! I do a little cameo in the Lucha match..." (Tweet). Retrieved November 21, 2024 – via Twitter.
  11. ^ Percival, Tom (March 31, 2022). "The Bad Guys director would love to do a sequel". The Digital Flix. Archived from the original on May 4, 2022. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  12. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 26, 2024). "DreamWorks Animation Sets 'The Bad Guys 2' For Late Summer 2025". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  13. ^ Richtman, Daniel [@HollywoodHandle] (July 13, 2024). "Natasha Lyonne has reportedly been cast in 'THE BAD GUYS 2.'" (Tweet). Archived from the original on July 16, 2024. Retrieved July 13, 2024 – via Twitter.
  14. ^ Amidi, Amid (October 6, 2023). "Dreamworks Shifting Away From In-House Production In Los Angeles; Sony Imageworks Is A New Production Partner". Cartoon Brew. Archived from the original on October 7, 2023. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  15. ^ @pierreperifel; (May 7, 2025). "This is it… Bad Guys 2 is a wrap!". Retrieved May 15, 2025 – via Instagram.
  16. ^ "Daniel Pemberton to Score DreamWorks Animation's 'The Bad Guys 2'". Film Music Reporter. March 26, 2024. Archived from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  17. ^ "Original Song 'GOODLIFE' from 'The Bad Guys 2' Released | Film Music Reporter". Retrieved September 8, 2025.
  18. ^ "Busta Rhymes' Original Song 'Taking Everything' from 'The Bad Guys 2' Released | Film Music Reporter". Retrieved September 8, 2025.
  19. ^ "'The Bad Guys 2' Soundtrack Album Details | Film Music Reporter". Retrieved September 8, 2025.
  20. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (January 27, 2025). "Trailer: New 'Bad Guys' Short to Screen with DreamWorks' 'Dog Man'". Animation Magazine. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  21. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (August 18, 2025). "'The Bad Guys 2' Digital Launch Comes with Exclusive Short and Behind-the-Scenes Extras". Animation Magazine. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  22. ^ "Comic-Con 2025: Here are the biggest celebrities spotted Saturday in San Diego". San Diego Union-Tribune. July 26, 2025. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  23. ^ McDonald, Brendan (July 31, 2025). "Episode 1665 - Awkwafina". WTF with Marc Maron Podcast. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  24. ^ "'The Bad Guys 2' Goes WWE in New 4DX Poster [Exclusive]". MSN. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
  25. ^ Hayes, Dade (December 9, 2021). "NBCUniversal's New Theatrical Window Scheme To Bring Films To Peacock After As Few As 45 Days Of Release". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 9, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  26. ^ Moon, Mariella (July 14, 2021). "Netflix extends exclusive rights to Universal's animated films in the US". Engadget. Archived from the original on July 10, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  27. ^ Hayes, Dade (October 29, 2024). "Netflix & Universal Renew Animation Licensing Deal, Adding Live-Action Titles In 2027; Peacock Pay-1 Intact". Deadline. Archived from the original on October 29, 2024. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  28. ^ "Watch The Bad Guys 2 - Prime Video". Amazon.
  29. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (August 18, 2025). "'The Bad Guys 2' Digital Launch Comes with Exclusive Short and Behind-the-Scenes Extras". Animation Magazine. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  30. ^ McClintock, Pamela (August 2, 2025). "Box Office: 'Bad Guys 2,' 'Naked Gun' Scoring Solid Openings as 'Fantastic Four' Stays No. 1 Overall". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 5, 2025. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  31. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 1, 2025). "'Bad Guys 2' Bags $2M+ Previews, 'Naked Gun' Shoots $1.6M – Box Office". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 5, 2025. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  32. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (August 3, 2025). "Box Office: 'Fantastic Four' Craters By 66% in Second Weekend, 'Naked Gun' Debuts to $17 Million". Variety. Archived from the original on August 5, 2025. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  33. ^ Lang, Brent (August 10, 2025). "Box Office: 'Weapons' Impresses With $42.5 Million Debut, 'Freakier Friday' Starts Strong With $29 Million Opening". Variety. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  34. ^ "Domestic 2025 Weekend 33". Box Office Mojo.
  35. ^ "The Bad Guys 2". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 9, 2025. Edit this at Wikidata
  36. ^ "The Bad Guys 2". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  37. ^ "Home". CinemaScore. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  38. ^ "2025 HMMA Nominations". HMMA. Retrieved January 12, 2026.
  39. ^ Anderson, Erik (December 15, 2025). "Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC) Nominations: 'One Battle After Another,' 'Sinners Lead'". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on December 17, 2025. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
  40. ^ Pedersen, Erik (December 19, 2025). "'Sinners' Dominates With Record 21 Black Reel Awards Nominations". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 19, 2025. Retrieved December 18, 2025.
  41. ^ Lewis, Hilary (January 5, 2026). "2026 Annie Awards Nominations: 'Elio,' 'KPop Demon Hunters' Lead Film Nods". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 5, 2026. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
  42. ^ Victorian, Brande (January 13, 2026). "'Avatar: Fire and Ash' Leads 2026 Visual Effects Society Nominations With 10 Nods". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  43. ^ Pedersen, Erik (January 12, 2026). "NAACP Image Awards Nominations: 'Sinners' Dominates Film Categories As 'Bel-Air' Tops TV – Full List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 12, 2026.
  44. ^ Pedersen, Erik (January 7, 2026). "AADG Awards Nominations: 'One Battle After Another', 'Sinners', 'Frankenstein', 'Avatar' & More". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 8, 2026. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  45. ^ Hammond, Peter; Pedersen, Erik (January 9, 2026). "Producers Guild Awards Nominations: Season's Heavy Hitters & One Big Surprise Vying For Top Film Prize". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  46. ^ Beatrice Verhoeven (January 12, 2026). "Motion Picture Sound Editors Reveal Nominations for 2026 Golden Reel Awards". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 12, 2026.
  47. ^ Jones, Tamera; Weintraub, Steven (June 17, 2025). ""We're Not Very Subtle": 'The Bad Guys 2' Directors Reveal a Dig at Elon Musk and Admit They're Totally One-Upping Tom Cruise". Collider. Archived from the original on June 17, 2025. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
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