The Bad Guys is a 2022 American computer-animated crime comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures. It is partially based on Aaron Blabey’s children’s book series of the same name.
The film stars Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Richard Ayoade, Zazie Beetz, Alex Borstein, and Lilly Singh, and was directed by Pierre Perifel (in his feature directorial debut). It relates the narrative of a gang of criminal animals who, after being apprehended, appear to try to reform themselves as model citizens, only for their leader to be actually drawn to change his ways as a new villain has his own plans.
The film’s production began in 2018, and the plot and themes were heavily influenced by crime films and anime series like Ocean’s Eleven, Lupin III, Pulp Fiction, and Beastars (minus the dark content associated with the latter two features). The film’s concept was inspired by Sony Pictures Animation’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, production began at DWA Glendale with some additional production assets leased from Jellyfish Pictures. Voice acting was done remotely.
Voice cast
- Sam Rockwell is Mr. Wolf, a witty, charming, pickpocket gray wolf and the leader of the “Bad Guys” gang, who also acts as the crew’s getaway driver. He can also break the fourth wall to address the viewers about certain things.
- Marc Maron as Mr. Snake, a sarcastic and cynical safe-cracking eastern brown snake, Mr. Wolf’s second-in-command, and best friend.
- Awkwafina as Ms. Tarantula, a sharp-tongued and sarcastic expert hacker red knee tarantula also known as “Webs” or “Mata Hairy”, the smallest and only female member of the gang.
- Craig Robinson as Mr. Shark,
- Anthony Ramos as Mr. Piranha,
- Richard Ayoade as Professor Rupert Marmalade IV,
- Zazie Beetz as Diane Foxington / “The Crimson Paw”,
- Alex Borstein as Misty Luggins, the hot-tempered human chief of police who is determined to arrest the Bad Guys at any given notice.
- Lilly Singh is Tiffany Fluffit, a local human news reporter with the tendency to exaggerate her reports.
Storyline
Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Shark, and Ms. Tarantula are apprehended after a lifetime of famous heists. To avoid serving time in prison, the animal outlaws must pull off their most difficult ruse yet: becoming model citizens. Professor Marmalade, the dubious gang’s guru, instructs them on how to deceive the public into thinking they’re becoming good.
The Bad Guys Box Office Collection:
Domestic
| Area | Release Date | Opening | Gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic | Apr 22, 2022 | $23,950,245 | $76,742,900 |
- The Bad Guys have grossed $76.7 million in the United States and Canada, and $110.4 million in other markets, totaling $187.1 million worldwide as of May 26, 2022.
- The Bad Guys were released with The Northman and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent in the United States and Canada, with an estimated opening weekend total of $13–20 million from 4,008 cinemas.
- On its opening day, the film generated $8 million, including $1.15 million from Thursday night screenings. It went on to gross $24 million in its first weekend, making it the highest-grossing film of the year.
- Deadline The over-performance was attributed to a diverse audience, a large marketing campaign, and the recent popularity of family pictures, according to Hollywood. During the premiere, women made up 56% of the audience. The audience was 40% Caucasian, 25% Latino and Hispanic, 20% African American, and 9% Asian or other.
- In its second weekend, the film brought in $16.2 million, putting it in first place once more. It earned $9.6 million in its third weekend and $7 million in its fourth, coming second to newcomer Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in both instances. The picture came in third with $6.1 million in its fifth weekend.
- In its first weekend outside of the United States and Canada, the picture grossed $8.5 million from 25 international markets.
- This included a strong $1.7 million launch in Spain, where it matched with Encanto for the best debut in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic, ahead of The Batman.
- It earned $6.5 million in its second weekend from 37 markets.
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- The picture grossed $10.5 million in its third weekend, including a $3.1 million debut in the United Kingdom and $1.7 million in Australia, where it had the biggest opening for an animated film since the pandemic began.
- It grossed $7.5 million in its fourth weekend, including a $1.5 million debut in France.
- The picture earned $6.5 million in its sixth weekend outside of the United States and Canada, putting it over the $50 million milestones ahead of its North American release.
- The film grossed $5.9 million in its sixth weekend, a “terrific 9 percent dip” according to Deadline Hollywood, ahead of its April 29 release in China.
- In its sixth weekend, the film earned $9 million. This featured a $4.53 million debut in China, where audiences gave it a “strong” 9.1/10 rating on the Maoyan website. [41] The picture grossed $7.2 million the next weekend, with a $1.93 million premiere in Korea. In China, The Bad Guys also outperformed Encanto.
- It earned an additional $6.7 million in its eighth weekend. China ($19.6 million), the United Kingdom ($14.6 million), and Australia ($10.6 million) are the film’s top three markets as of May 15, 2022.
Review
On the review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, 88 percent of 152 critics have given the film a good review, with an average score of 6.9/10. “Fast-paced, hilarious, and full of bright visual appeal, The Bad Guys is wonderful news for fans seeking options the whole family can enjoy,” according to the website’s consensus.
Based on 25 critics, Metacritic gave the film a score of 64 out of 100, indicating “generally good reviews.” Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of “A” on a scale of A+ to F, while those polled by PostTrak gave it a 4 out of 5-star rating.
Kristen Page-Kirby of the Washington Post gave it three stars out of four and said, “The lesson of the movie doesn’t pack a great wallop.” It’s not like it has to. (We can’t all be Encanto, after all.) Still, it’s creative, visually appealing, and hilarious. It makes narrative sense even when the comedy is lowbrow. When flatulence is vital to the plot, a joke about it is a lot funnier. The Bad Guys are well aware of this. The Bad Guys, in fact, get a lot of things right. It understands exactly who it is, and it accomplishes what it sets out to do. “Where is the criminality in a heist film with heart and humor?”
The Bad Guys is a slick, funny heist thriller with loads of laughter and a lot of heart, according to IGN’s Ryan Leston. It’s a mix of Ocean’s Eleven and Little Red Riding Hood, with Sam Rockwell’s Wolf embarking on a charm offensive to avoid jail… In the process, he may just win you over. The entire voice cast brings their A-game with some fantastic humor that will have you roaring with laughter. Richard Ayoade has a blast as the sanctimonious Professor Marmalade, and the entire voice cast delivers their A-game with some stellar gags that will get you roaring with laughter. The Bad Guys is a lively, family-friendly caper with plenty of action and humor.”
“The animation combines computer-generated 2D and 3D with a look that will remind you of a Saturday-morning cartoon—only much crisper and more spectacular,” said Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times. The animation isn’t lifelike; it’s stylized and has a very distinct definition of Heist Movie Los Angeles, with a sky that’s practically overexposed while yet producing a noir vibe. This is a fantastic-looking film with fantastic performances, some nice messaging, and a steady stream of solid laughs—some aimed right at the grown-up kids in the audience.”
“Like Roger Rabbit, the pacing owes a homage to the insane fury of vintage Looney Tunes animations, but the picture also refers to heist flicks, notably the Oceans series,” Wendy Ide of The Guardian wrote. It’s purposefully ridiculous – the disguises are rarely more convincing than a cracker’s fake nose and mustache. But there’s a glimmer of realism where it counts: in the casual banter and fully filled out friendships. It’s razor-sharp, goofy, and frequently hilarious.”
