- PG
- 1h 44m
- Directed by
-
- Pierre Perifel
- Book
- Aaron Blabey
- Premiered
- July 24, 2025
- Language
-
- English
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $80,000,000.00
- Revenue
- $224,738,330.00
- Country
-
- United States of America
The Bad Guys 2
- Production
-
- DreamWorks Animation
Spoiler
DreamWorks Animation’s highly anticipated sequel, The Bad Guys 2, blasts onto screens in 2025, picking up the story of our favorite reformed criminals as they grapple with the challenging transition from notorious ne'er-do-wells to upstanding citizens. Directed by Pierre Perifel and boasting a runtime of 1 hour and 44 minutes, this animated adventure plunges the beloved quintet – Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos), and Ms. Tarantula, also known as Webs (Awkwafina) – into a globe-trotting heist that tests their newfound commitment to goodness. The film’s tagline, "Back in badness," hints at the thrilling, albeit reluctant, return to their criminal roots, driven by a formidable new adversary.
The narrative opens with a flashback to a daring heist orchestrated by the Bad Guys in the opulent mansion of an Egyptian billionaire, portrayed by Omid Djalili. The team's signature blend of cunning and coordination is on full display. Mr. Shark, a master of disguise, navigates the security systems with ease, while Mr. Snake and Mr. Piranha expertly create an entry point for the charismatic Mr. Wolf. Ms. Tarantula, the newest addition to their crew and their indispensable hacker, proves her worth by providing crucial digital support. Their ultimate objective? Not jewels or cash, but the billionaire’s prized car. This audacious raid culminates in a high-speed pursuit through city streets, with Wolf skillfully misdirecting law enforcement. Just as capture seems imminent, with police barricades blocking their escape route across a bridge, Tarantula devises a daring maneuver, utilizing a ramp to propel them to freedom.
Fast forward to the present day, where the gang is making a concerted effort to embrace a life of reform, striving to become "Good Guys." However, this noble pursuit proves far more arduous than anticipated. Their attempts to secure legitimate employment are met with consistent rejection, as every potential employer is acutely aware of their checkered criminal past. Adding to their mounting frustrations is the emergence of a mysterious new criminal mastermind, the "Phantom Bandit." This elusive figure has been systematically pilfering valuable artifacts, employing tactics eerily reminiscent of the Bad Guys' own signature moves, including the flamboyant use of a confetti bomb following a successful heist.
Amidst this personal struggle, Mr. Wolf finds himself drawn to Diane (Zazie Beetz), a figure with whom he shares a heavily flirtatious, yet ostensibly professional, friendship. While their interactions are charged with undeniable chemistry, they endeavor to maintain a platonic boundary. Wolf confides in Diane about the immense difficulty of going straight, prompting her to suggest a path forward: they need to actively demonstrate to the public that their transformation is genuine.
In pursuit of this goal, Wolf visits the police station to confer with Commissioner Misty Luggins (Alex Borstein), who has ascended from Chief to her current esteemed position. Luggins, initially annoyed by Wolf's presence, finds herself compelled to listen as he offers insights into the Phantom Bandit's activities. The Commissioner is already preparing to apprehend the Bad Guys, convinced of their culpability. Wolf, accompanied by Shark, Piranha, and Tarantula (Snake is pursuing his own interests), presents a compelling theory: the Phantom Bandit is specifically targeting items composed of a rare material known as "MacGuffinite." Their next predicted target, they deduce, is the coveted Belt of Guatelamango, a championship wrestling belt also made of this unique substance.
En route to the lucha libre event where the belt is to be displayed, suspicion falls upon Mr. Snake. His recent activities have uncannily coincided with the Phantom Bandit's heists, leading his friends to believe he is the culprit. Spotting Snake entering the arena, the others give chase, confronting him and accusing him of deception. Snake confesses to hiding something, but it's not the stolen artifacts; rather, it's the revelation of his new romantic relationship with a raven named Susan (Natasha Lyonne). His friends are initially repulsed by this unconventional romance, but their attention is quickly diverted by the appearance of a formidable pig luchador, whom they believe to be the true Phantom Bandit preparing to seize the belt.
The situation escalates dramatically as the Bad Guys find themselves thrust into the wrestling match, with Shark and Piranha donning matching, flamboyant outfits. The pig luchador proves to be a formidable opponent. When Wolf attempts to expose her as the Phantom Bandit, she skillfully wraps the belt around Piranha. This maneuver, witnessed by Luggins and the entire audience, leads everyone to believe the Bad Guys are attempting to steal the belt. A furious mob erupts, forcing the gang to flee the arena. Fortunately, Susan arrives in a hot dog truck, providing a swift escape. However, their evasion is short-lived, as Luggins issues an arrest warrant for the entire group.
Susan, revealing her true name to be "Doom," incapacitates the Bad Guys and transports them to a hidden lair. There, they are confronted by Kitty Kat (Danielle Brooks), the leader of a criminal trio that includes Doom and a crime-obsessed pig named Pigtail (Maria Bakalova). This new gang, impressed by the Bad Guys' past exploits, seeks their assistance in a planned heist. Wolf adamantly refuses, reiterating their commitment to being good. However, Kitty escalates the stakes by revealing incriminating footage of Diane's past as the notorious "Crimson Paw," threatening to release it to the public if the Bad Guys do not comply. Faced with this blackmail, the gang reluctantly agrees. Adding insult to injury, Snake finds himself even more infatuated with Doom, particularly after learning she masterfully double-crossed him, proving she could "outsnaked a snake."
Meanwhile, Diane, independently researching MacGuffinite, discovers that the leading expert on the material is Professor Marmalade (Richard Ayoade), currently incarcerated and accused of being the Crimson Paw. He has undergone a remarkable physical transformation, becoming exceptionally muscular during his imprisonment. Marmalade offers Diane crucial information in exchange for a game of Connect 4.
The first phase of Kitty's elaborate plan involves the Bad Guys stealing a remote-controlled watch from billionaire Jeremiah Moon (Colin Jost). Kitty, Doom, and Pigtail intend to use this watch to commandeer a MOON-X rocket, slated for launch by Moon's company. The heist takes place during Moon's wedding. Wolf adopts the persona of a wealthy socialite to gain Moon's attention and pickpocket the watch. The plan is nearly derailed by the unexpected appearance of the Egyptian billionaire from the earlier flashback, whom Wolf fears will recognize him. Kitty is displeased by Wolf's failure to secure the watch, but Wolf, ever the improviser, devises a new strategy. During the ceremony, Shark steps in as the officiant. As the Egyptian billionaire begins to recognize Wolf disguised as the bride, the Bad Guys swiftly swap him with the actual bride, who had been inadvertently tranquilized. With the watch secured, Wolf reveals to Kitty that the ensuing chaos was a deliberate distraction, orchestrated by Piranha and Tarantula to manipulate the billionaire's reaction, thereby diverting attention from Wolf's successful watch acquisition.
Back in prison, Marmalade reveals to Diane that MacGuffinite possesses magnetic properties, capable of attracting valuable resources like gold. Diane has a sudden realization: the Phantom Bandit intends to use MacGuffinite as a powerful gold magnet. As Diane departs, Marmalade casually mentions that another individual had recently inquired about MacGuffinite. Reviewing security footage, Diane discovers that Kitty was Marmalade's last visitor.
The Bad Guys prepare to conclude their involvement, having obtained the USB drive containing the compromising video of Diane from Kitty. Before departing, Kitty probes Wolf, questioning whether he truly believes their reformist path was the right choice, suggesting he misses the thrill of their criminal endeavors. Wolf rejoins his friends in their van, where they have a recorded confession from Kitty, implicating herself in framing them, ready to be used as leverage. However, Wolf finds himself contemplating Kitty's words about their commitment to goodness. Before they can make their escape, they discover that Kitty, Doom, and Pigtail have sabotaged their van, ensuring they cannot leave easily.
Kitty reveals her true intentions, detaining the Bad Guys with gold handcuffs. She then demonstrates the formidable power of the MacGuffinite, explaining their plan to utilize the MOON-X rocket to pilfer the world's entire gold supply. Kitty leaves the Diane video poised for upload, with the remote control she gives Wolf serving as the sole means to prevent its dissemination. If he frees them, the video will be released. Simultaneously, Doom contacts Luggins, tipping her off to the Bad Guys' location. After the criminal trio departs, the Bad Guys attempt to free themselves and halt the upload. Tarantula's hacking attempts are unsuccessful, and Wolf fails to destroy the laptop in time. The video goes viral, exposing Diane's secret identity to the world.
Diane intercepts Kitty, Doom, and Pigtail as they reach the launch site, preparing to board the rocket with the MacGuffinite. Diane swiftly incapacitates Doom and Pigtail, but Kitty proves to be a formidable adversary. Observing her phone, Diane realizes the world now knows her secret, with messages of disappointment flooding in. Professor Marmalade, his name cleared, is released from prison. Kitty knocks Diane unconscious and boards the rocket with her accomplices. Despite being tranquilized, Diane manages to board the rocket before the doors seal.
The Bad Guys are left to face arrest by Luggins, with Wolf desperately trying to convince her of their innocence regarding the Phantom Bandit crimes. En route to the station, Luggins experiences a change of heart, having developed a surprising fondness for the group. They persuade her to divert their course towards the rocket, which is nearing its launch.
Luggins pilots a helicopter, carrying the Bad Guys, to a sufficient altitude for them to jump aboard the rocket. They infiltrate the vessel just as Kitty initiates her grand scheme, attaching MacGuffinite balls to the rocket's tip to attract global gold reserves. Wolf pursues the remote control, while Snake and Piranha attempt to manage the rocket's trajectory. Shark and Tarantula work to hack the system. The situation devolves into chaos when Piranha, overcome by nervousness, fills his and Snake's spacesuits with noxious fart gas. Doom and Pigtail express concern for the Bad Guys' predicament, but Kitty reacts violently to their desire to help, fearing it will jeopardize their plan. This confrontation leads Doom and Pigtail to turn against Kitty.
Wolf finally confronts Kitty in her pod. After a struggle, he reveals he has swapped the watch. Utilizing the remote, with his friends' assistance, they maneuver the rocket's shuttle to collide with the magnet, destroying the MacGuffinite and causing the gold to cascade back to Earth. Diane arrives and aids Wolf in incapacitating Kitty by pushing her into an electrical panel. Wolf and Diane share their first kiss. Wolf, Diane, Snake, Shark, Tarantula, Piranha, Doom, and Pigtail watch as their station plummets back to Earth.
A scene resembling a funeral for the Bad Guys and Diane unfolds, with Luggins delivering an emotional eulogy. Those who once doubted the group now weep, recognizing their heroic act in saving the world. It is revealed that Luggins orchestrated the faked deaths to protect the gang. Kitty, Doom, and Pigtail are apprehended. Doom and Pigtail receive community service for their betrayal of Kitty, who is imprisoned. Luggins introduces the Bad Guys and Diane to representatives from an international agency, who seek their expertise for future missions. The now-reformed Bad Guys, along with Diane, suit up, transitioning into the role of secret agents.
During the post-credits sequence, Professor Marmalade is seen in space. His gold limousine, having been caught by Kitty's magnet, is revealed to be a spacecraft, enabling his return to his home planet.
Top Billed Cast
Core Crew
Posters
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