The Bad Guys return to heist the International Space Station in a high-stakes sequel

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: After struggling to adapt to civilian life, the reformed criminal crew is forced back into action. They must team up with an all-female squad to stop a global gold-stealing scheme, leading to a daring heist aboard a rocket and a surprising new role as secret agents for a mysterious organization.

Released in 2025, The Bad Guys 2 continues the story of the reformed animal crew—Wolf, Snake, Shark, Piranha, and Tarantula—as they navigate the challenges of being trusted members of society. Directed by Pierre Perifel, the film introduces a new antagonist, a snow leopard named Kitty Kat, who blackmails the group into stealing the MOON-X rocket. Kitty plans to use the International Space Station and a rare metal called MacGuffinite to magnetize and steal the world's gold, a scheme that also ensnares the imprisoned Professor Marmalade.

The production of the film utilized a unique partnership between DreamWorks Animation and Sony Pictures Imageworks, with the latter handling half of the asset builds and a portion of the shot production. The film features a returning voice cast, including Sam Rockwell and Zazie Beetz, alongside new additions like Danielle Brooks and Natasha Lyonne. Upon its release, the film was a commercial success, grossing $240 million worldwide and earning an 'A' grade from audiences polled by CinemaScore.

Beyond the onscreen action, the film's production faced significant internal conflict. In March 2026, Parker Goldsmith, a former first assistant editor, filed a lawsuit against DreamWorks Animation and NBCUniversal alleging gender-based workplace harassment. The suit claims that Goldsmith's supervisor, John Venzon, subjected them to transphobic behavior and invasive questioning. Venzon was subsequently fired in March 2024 after human resources verified the reports of harassment. Despite these behind-the-scenes challenges, the film maintains a positive critical reception, holding an 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• How a stalled buddy cop franchise finally returned to the big screen after seventeen years
• Can a heist film about stage magic actually pull off a global box office trick?
• The heist film that spent fourteen years in development before hitting the big screen
• How a high-stakes spy thriller revitalized a franchise through pure cinematic showmanship
• How The Batman reimagined a legendary hero for a new generation of viewers
• How a failed live-action television pitch became a classic Disney animated musical comedy
• Why Disney’s most ambitious 1980s fantasy nearly destroyed its animation department forever
• How a 2006 animated film about shrinking children led to a studio's collapse
• In this animated fable, the afterlife is a vibrant stage for mortal choices
• How a cross-border animation project became a cult classic of European television history
• How a satirical cartoon became a lightning rod for American racial and political discourse.
• Red returns to the big screen to face his greatest challenge: fatherhood and survival.

More in Animated series & cartoons · More in Entertainment · Latest · A–Z · All topics